Tapscott: GOP missed opportunity in Capitol Hill rebellion

hotair.com ^ | August 3, 2008 | Ed Morrissey

[Free ThinkerNY]

Yesterday Republicans around the nation cheered when their beleaguered minority House caucus seized the floor and refused to leave after Speaker Nancy Pelosi adjourned the chamber without a debate on expanding domestic oil production. Pelosi ordered the lights and the cameras off, but Republicans extended their protest rally with the darkness a perfect allegory for Democratic inaction on energy. As the protest grew and media coverage expanded, Pelosi made a huge mistake in ordering Capitol Hill police to evict the Republicans from the building.

And Mark Tapscott argues that the Republicans made a mistake in complying:

Yes, the House GOPers scored an unexpected coup today and they got loads of beneficial coverage in the media and across the blogosphere for one day. But how long will this day be remembered? After Labor Day, it will likely be little more than a fond memory for those who were there.

But this could have been so much bigger. The Democrats are forewarned now and likely will go out of their way to preclude any similar opportunities in September.

But even beyond that consideration, the fundamental reason the GOPers should have stayed on the House floor today was to vividly demonstrate to their rank and file beyond the Beltway that this time they mean business and they are not just playing the issue for temporary gain.

Mark lays out the scenario in the first part of his essay. He doesn’t foresee mass arrests of House members for squatting, although that would have been delicious. Mark believes that the Republicans would have forced Pelosi back to Washington to re-open Congress and deal with the debate by essentially turning the floor of the House into a campground. No lights? Bring in some kerosene lamps. Invite the media to come in (with portable equipment, presumably) and see how long the GOP would wait for Pelosi to surrender.

I’m not as certain as Mark that it would have forced Pelosi back to Washington … but it would have been fun to watch her and her caucus squirm over an unending rally to debate policy favored by 70% of the nation.

[paul51]

the fundamental reason the GOPers should have stayed on the House floor today was to vividly demonstrate to their rank and file beyond the Beltway that this time they mean business and they are not just playing the issue for temporary gain

That is exactly why they didn't stay. They were playing the issue for temporary gain. Very temporary. Then, off to vacation. Bunch of posers

[SumProVita]

“....the Republicans made a mistake in complying....”

Not necessarily given what may have been a quickly organized *revolt.*

I think the great response of the public to this via email and phone may have encouraged future action. Such action WILL be necessary.

[Cicero]

It would have gotten a lot more news coverage if they had stayed longer. As it is, Labour Day will bring heavy campaigning and new issues, and the run up to the November election. This whole thing will be forgotten by then, and the media will continue to block out the whole drilling argument as far as they can.

We see it almost every day, but the MSM has only run a few stories on it.

[Luke21]

The media is running stories about some actress being a lesbian. The usual blackout is in place.

[Bubba_Leroy]

It is time for President Bush to take on the "do nothing, good for nothing" DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED Congress.

Call them back for special session to deal with energy. Make Pelosi and Reid miss their summer vacation. Do it!

It worked brilliantly for Truman 60 years ago. It will work just as well for Bush today.

[netmilsmom]

I think you are absolutely correct.

They HAD to leave. Otherwise they would have been locked in, no food, no water, no electricity, no AC. Or the DC police would have arrested them for loitering. Not a single rep had any business on that floor, the session was closed and therefore the laws that protected them were closed too.

This is not a big Hollywood movie where Jimmy Stewart falls over in filibuster and the big guns back off. Nancy the beast would push it all the way.

Let's see what happens next.

[Secret Agent Man]

Colonists finally, after exhausting all other political and personal ways, separated from King George.

Who will lead us against Queen Bee Pelosi?

[netmilsmom]

We’ll see.

People are ticked.

[calex59]

Most of you guys(the whiners) are missing a vital point. The republicans held a news conference after they left the floor, it was covered but I don't think it made the news, I have the link for the video of the conference at the bottom of this comment. They(the republican reps) said they would be back on the floor Monday, we will see if they do, but they definitely said they would stay in DC until Nancy comes back or the recess is over, which ever comes first.

Meantime they sent a huge letter to the President asking him to call a special session.

You want to see a special session? Then stop whining and get on the phones, call President bush leave a message asking him to recall the house, he can do it, it is legal, he can also force them to stay because after he calls the session the adjournment can only come from him, they can't vote on one.

We forced them to cave on amnesty, more than once, and we can force drilling if we all help. But bitching and moaning to other FReepers won't do it, you have to bitch and moan to the politicians, so get busy or STFU, it is that simple. http://clips.shadowtv.net/media/stv/3343/13/2008/214/16/3343_13_20080801_163030_1388.wmv

[autumnraine]

It just smacks of Queen B-word dusting her hands and saying “I SAID there will be no drilling!”

[netmilsmom]

>>We forced them to cave on amnesty, more than once, and we can force drilling if we all help. But bitching and moaning to other FReepers won’t do it, you have to bitch and moan to the politicians, so get busy or STFU, it is that simple<<

I do so agree with you.
People are b!tching how they haven’t see this on the news today and yet, go to the FReeper homepage.

Same old, same old. “Obama is an idiot” time on FR.

If we had any smarts about this, we would take the lead of the Fierce 50 and be blasting the White House, and all the reps to fix this. (I MySpaced and Facebooked everyone of them I could find with “Please keep this up”)

If they do nothing on Monday, we have no one to blame but ourselves....

eeevil conservative did it with one thread and tons of cheers. Kristinn was working from OUT OF TOWN to get a FReeper there.

All the FReepers who are lounging and b!tching, get off your butts.

[KansasGirl]

What is the # to call the President?

[calex59]

Some numbers for you:202-456-1111 this is a white house number for comments. Switch board number:202-456-1414 and a fax number 202-456-2461. Hope that helps.

[calex59]

yep, I do agree and I am trying to do my part.

[nathanbedford]

police would have arrested them for loitering. Not a single rep had any business on that floor, the session was closed and therefore the laws that protected them were closed too.

I'm not sure that is the case, at least I am not sure that the case is clear. Here is what article 1 section 6 of the constitution has to say:

Section 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

If you conclude that they were not protected because the house was not in session, they were anyway protected because they were "returning from same."The Constitution does not say they may not loiter on the way home. Surely you cannot argue that there was a breach of the peace.

Not even Nancy Polisi, however,would be stupid enough to arrest United States Representatives in the Capitol building for debating an empty well of the House. One can only wish that she had done so.

[exit82]

The White House comment line is 1-202-456-1111. Your first prompt will be to push “1” for a touchtone phone, then another”1” when you are asked if you wish to leave a comment for the President.

At this point, hold the line and you WILL get a live operator—this is not voicemail. The operator will ask what state you are calling from and will take down your comment for the President.

I limit my comments to three subjects at most—usually it is two subjects. I keep it short and to the point, but clear.

I have called numerous times and the call takers have always been pleasant.

[EDINVA]

“The media is running stories about some actress being a lesbian.”

And in other news, the sun rose in the East today.

[DarkWaters]

Yep, and given its election season they are not going to hold out long. About staying in DC that is.

[L.N. Smithee]

But even beyond that consideration, the fundamental reason the GOPers should have stayed on the House floor today was to vividly demonstrate to their rank and file beyond the Beltway that this time they mean business and they are not just playing the issue for temporary gain.

True, but getting arrested for refusing to disperse is a mostly liberal thing to do. To them, it's a badge of honor to have an arrest record for being part of an unruly mob. For the most part, conservative protesters are proud to leave the police alone, and let them deal with real criminals rather than to make them props in pointless media stunts.