(Democrat Controlled) Senate rejects GOP oil drilling plan

cnn ^ | 5/18/2011 | cnn

[tobyhill]

The Senate rejected a Republican measure Wednesday to expand offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S. coastal waters, signaling a continued partisan stalemate over energy policy and, more specifically, how to respond to rising gas prices.

The bill was defeated in a 42-57 vote. Sixty votes were required for passage.

Five Republicans -- Alabama's Richard Shelby, Louisiana's David Vitter, Maine's Olympia Snowe, South Carolina's Jim DeMint, and Utah's Mike Lee -- voted against the bill.

[johniegrad]

DeMint and Shelby?

[KoRn]

Don’t make sense. There must be more to this. (didn’t read the article)

[FlingWingFlyer]

Those bastards in D.C. want the little guy to pay 10 buck per gallon. If they deny it, they are lying.

[acapesket]

Gotta be a reason for DeMint declining. What’s in the bill that is toxic? or not?

[johniegrad]

First thing I thought is that it must be a flawed bill.

[Outlaw Woman]

What in the hell? Demint and Lee?

You know what (you being everyone that reads this) we need to go in and start physically jerking each and every one of these traitors out of their seats.

This is beyond bizarre. Demint?????? WTF????

[gov_bean_ counter]

If he sponsored the bill, does he have to vote against so it can come up again?

[tobyhill]

“Some senators from oil-producing states argued the bill didn't go far enough. Republican Vitter and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, claimed it would actually “slow down the permitting process instead of streamlining and accelerating it.”

This is such a bunk excuse. Anything is going to be faster than what's going on now, nothing.

[Cicero]

I was wondering why Vitter would vote against it. Here's the explanation:

Some senators from oil-producing states argued the bill didn't go far enough. Republican Vitter and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, claimed it would actually "slow down the permitting process instead of streamlining and accelerating it."

[FlyVet]

Do what the Democrats do. Send it to them over, and over, and over. Attach it to their spending bills. And then scream that the Democrats want you to spend $5.00 for a gallon of gas. Do it over, and over, and over again.

[cripplecreek]

Don’t make sense. There must be more to this.

There usually is.

[tobyhill]

Anything is going to be faster than what’s going on now.

[Cicero]

You beat me to it, by zero seconds. I’m not sure, but Landrieu did just vote against the increased taxes on oil companies. They do generally listen to what the oil companies need to increase production in the Gulf.

[okie01]

Smells like a poison pill amendment was attached by the Democrat Senate before the bill came to the floor for a vote.

Four of the five GOP "No" votes -- Shelby, Vitter, DeMint and Lee -- don't make sense. Of them, only the "pristine" Ms. Snowe would be expected to be in opposition to an otherwise common-sense bill.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Gotta be a reason for DeMint declining.

Could it be that having voted on the prevailing side, he may request a motion to reconsider?

[Jane Long]

"Some senators from oil-producing states argued the bill didn't go far enough. Republican Vitter and Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, claimed it would actually "slow down the permitting process instead of streamlining and accelerating it."

Per article.

[tobyhill]

My only problem with any Republican voting no is that despite the fact the bill was not going to pass, it puts it on record as a bipartisan defeat.

[piytar]

Well there goes any support I had for a DeMint run at the WH in ‘12...

[okie01]

Could it be that having voted on the prevailing side, he may request a motion to reconsider?

That could be it. But it doesn't explain three other GOPers voting "no" (Shelby, Vitter, Lee).