The House of Representatives descended into bedlam Friday as Republican leaders kept a five-minute vote open for more than 40 minutes -- and arm-twisted two of their members to switch their votes -- to pass a new energy bill.
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In the final 15 minutes, three GOP votes shifted in favor of the energy bill under pressure from Republican leaders. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who recently stepped down temporarily as majority leader after being indicted in Texas over a campaign finance issue, worked hard on the House floor to convince wavering GOP lawmakers. In the end, 13 moderate Republicans remained opposed.
No Democrats voted yes, although three initially favored it. They changed their minds after talking to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the second-ranking Democrat.
It seems to me undemocratic to 'arm twist' voters whichever party you belong to.
Republican leaders insisted that Friday's vote was not an abuse of power, and that five-minute votes often run long while party officials round up votes.It's no longer a 'five-minute vote' when it lasts 'over 40 minutes'.
Delaying a vote does not violate House rules, but lawmakers from both parties have long denounced it as an unfair tactic.
Is it legal to delay a vote by the general public 'while party officials round up votes', say in the presidential elections?
"We use 21 million barrels of oil a day and only have the refinery capacity for 16 million on a good day," Barton said.So rather than reducing the amount of oil we use, let's just increase it. Who cares what we'll do when there's none left!
The energy bill that passed the House of Representatives by a two-vote margin after a controversial extended vote would:How's it gonna do that?
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Encourage carpooling.
Here's what Star Telegram has to say on the matter:
Another point of contention: the bill's provision to promote conservation via carpooling instead of by raising the federal government's fuel-economy standards.(...)
"I think it's a good thing we have tough environmental laws and a good thing we enforce them," Barton said. "But if you were to build a refinery overseas in certain countries, you don't have to do anything environmentally. I don't think that's fair."So instead of leading by example, we stamp our feet like spoilt kids.
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Meanwhile, the House Committee on Resources will consider the National Energy Supply Diversification and Disruption Prevention Act, a bill that would open up Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling and enable states to permit drilling that is currently prohibited on the Outer Continental Shelf.It's like stealing your mum so you can get your next smack hit.
Dude, ziz thing called bourgeois democracy has been going on for some time now.. u should be more worried about the creationism been sacntioned by local and federal gov- max rspct
RépondreSupprimerMax, thanks for your comment, and I am concerned about many aspects of of our society, including creationism, though it seems to me to be a wee bit less dangerous right now than oil abuse.
RépondreSupprimerBTW, if you have a blog, you don't need to comment anonymously...
The thing that drives me nuts is that they ignore a very glaring and easy to see problem. World demand for oil is growing at about 2% per annum. Most people would think that 2% is a tiny amount. It isn't. Two percent means that in 35 years, we will have double the current demand for oil. That is going to be a little bit tough when world oil production is set to peak in 2008, plus or minus about 4 years. Had it not been for the "evil" OPEC oil shocks, we would have already peaked in the 90s.
RépondreSupprimerSo, back to the energy bill where the White House and the Congress believe that if they only build more refining capacity, there will be oil. "Build it and they will come." The wee problem is that oil refineries don't create oil, they just convert it into other products.
But wait! They've thought of that! They are going to switch to Uranium! Ignoring the health effects (have a peak at the problem of strontium 90 in New Jersey's drinking water supply) there's a wee problem with that. Nuclear power plants - enough to replace the need for oil - come from big construction machines burning oil during the building of the plant and transportation of materials to the contruction site. Then the uranium comes from big machines burning oil to mine, refine and transport the uranium. And the current reserves of uranium will last for another 50 years at current rates of consumption - not at rates of increased consumption required to replace oil.
Well, I did leave out the couple for token windmills they are going to throw in to provide a token amount of electrical power.
Well, here's what you do to make yourself feel better: do what Congress did and stick your head in the sand and believe that some magical solution is coming. Call me a crank so that you can ignore everything I've just said. But come soon, you are going to change, and you are not going to like that change when it comes.