How Republicans Can Win the Energy Debate in Congress
Let's Have an Old-Fashioned Filibuster
By Bluey Posted in Congress | Congress | Energy | filibuster | oil | Republicans — Comments (26) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
My fellow contributors at RedState have had no shortage of posts the past few days on the need to drill for oil. The message is finally resonating on Capitol Hill, where House Minority Whip Roy Blunt is producing a daily gas chart and Senate Republican leaders are beginning to talk tough.
These are positive developments, but rhetoric alone will not solve our energy problems. That requires leadership and action, two things that are hard to come by in Congress.
Fortunately for the GOP, oil drilling appears to be something everyone can agree on. Republicans who don't always see eye to eye -- Sens. Ted Stevens (Alaska) and Tom Coburn (Okla.) come to mind -- are in sync when it comes to this. The party's nominee, Sen. John McCain, gave his colleagues a big boost this week with an endorsement for offshore drilling.
While McCain's energy position is far from perfect -- ANWR remains off limits for him -- Republicans can't let that slow them down. They should take this fight to the Democrats at every opportunity. And they can begin by shutting down the Senate if Democrats refuse to allow offshore drilling.
I'm talking about an old-fashioned filibuster. I know it won't be like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," but why not make a spectacle of it? The next time Majority Leader Harry Reid tries to do something, call his bluff.
There's a reason Newt Gingrich has collected nearly 900,000 names for his petition calling for more drilling. Americans are tired of inaction. Forcing a showdown on Capitol Hill is the best move Senate Republicans could make. Not only would it bolster the party in the short term, but it would also give GOP leaders some backbone for future fights.
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Gov. Palin has staked her political future on getting a pipeline built to move natural gas from Alaska's North Slope to the interior US. Here is her Gasline page:
http://www.gov.state.ak.us/agia/
Her preferred plan is a venture with TransCanada, a major pipeline builder and operator, and calls for the State of Alaska to stake TransCanada to a half-billion dollars to get the line going. Cost estimates for the planned 48 inch line from the North Slope to the Canadian pipeline system range from $30-$50 billion dollars making it one of the most expensive construction projects in history. In comparison, the TransAlaska Pipeline that brings North Slope oil to tidewater at Valdez, Alaska cost just under $8 billion in the late 1970s, which would be somewhere around $25 billion in today's dollars.
The interesting twist is that TC has no gas and the people who do, Exxon, BP, and Conoco-Phillips, the North Slope leaseholders, don't support TC's project. The leaseholders have proposed their own plan, which the Palin Administration opposes, and which many here think is a disingenuouus diversion. One does not take opposing Exxon, BP, and C-P lightly anywhere and especially not here where they are far and away the dominant players in both the economy and politics. Palin is making a very high stakes play.
As to the jobs for Alaskan's piece, it is always a good rallying cry, but fundamentally everyone in Alaska who can and will work is working. Alaska does have an intransigent unemployment problem, but it is mostly confined to the rural areas where people either cannot or will not participate effectively in a wage economy. Any big project will have a "Native Hire" piece to act affirmatively to employ some of these rural residents, mostly Yupik and Inupiat Eskimos, but the problem is persistently vexatious. Oil field and pipeline work makes intensive use of very skilled labor, so it is very hard to make work for unskilled labor, though doing a certain amount of that is part of the price of doing business here.
North Slope gas development will also require a very deft hand by the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, an Agency that has all too often been a sinecure for "friends" of various governors. Natural gas is reinjected into North Slope wells to maintain well pressure, so careful management will be required to keep selling what will quickly become very cheap gas from damaging our production of expensive oil.
There are also considerable social and infrastructure costs for us in any big project as such a project will necessarily require a great deal of imported labor. Since we do not have either a State income tax or a Statewide sales tax, we will have to bear the social and infrastructure costs associated with that imported labor while deriving no revenue either from their earnings or from the project.
Fundamentally, we're rolling in money right now and can maintain our production and market share by improved techology and development of satellite fields around Prudhoe Bay. We really don't need to spend any more of our time, money, and limited political capital to try again to bring on ANWR. You all made it very clear to us what you think of Alaska with all the "bridges to nowhere" stuff. We can be content with being nowhere and selling you very expensive oil. Oil prices are more the Lower 48's problem than ours and ANWR oil is federal oil. Though we're entitled to as much as 90% of the revenue from federal oil, we've never gotten it from them and don't expect to from ANWR, at least not without a long and expensive political or court fight. Again, we're well aware of what you think of us. So, maybe somebody else can carry the water to open ANWR, we're busy.
In Vino Veritas
so there's pressure on ANY incumbent to any office. The only one who's escaped that sentiment, so far, is Gov. Palin and, somewhat, Lt. Gov. Parnell. I say somewhat because Parnell really isn't that well known.
Unless he's actually charged with something, I'd expect Stevens to win the R Primary, though NPs can vote in the R Primary, so the Ds will make a real push to get NP votes against Stevens.
That said, I do think he's vulnerable in the General. If Alaska sends a Democrat to DC for the first time since 1980, the DNC should give some special award to the FBI's SAIC running the "corruption" investigation. The FBI has run a campaign of leaks and innuendo that would do a Clinton credit.
In Vino Veritas
to learn that here, where it actually matters, Ted Stevens is still alive and well. Here's the story from the McClatchey rag; don't worry, it brings bile to their throats too.
http://community.adn.com/adn/node/125510
You'll note the lynch mob tenor of some of the blog comments; thank an FBI agent when you see one.
In Vino Veritas
They could start the filibuster by reading the 900,000 names on the petition. That would probably take about 10 days.
gets done, the filibuster is going to be readily available.
I predict the Democrats will continue to put up war funding bills that have such horrible earmarks that the President will have to veto them.
That way they can not fund the war and still say that they tried to find the war.
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Dependence is Slavery.
That would be 913,703 names as of 4:11 p.m. eastern standard time. I think that it will hit a million before the close of work on Friday. I have included a link to the petition below for anyone who has not yet signed it. If you have not signed the petition please do. Thank you.
http://www.americansolutions.com/
P.S. Numbers matter. If this petition can get a few million signers it will really shake up the political class, and perhaps help the Conservative movement seize the initiative from the left.
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
How about read the million names (give it another hour)... in addition to a day by day history of the price of gas since the Socialists took hold in Congress. Its amazing what a $2 rise in a year and some change will do for your approval rating.
On the petition. I signed it about three days ago when I heard it was 250,000... WOW!
Strength & Honor: forcibly securing America's freedom as a vassal of Her foreign policy
If he hadn't of made that Ad.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
Since President Bush Sr issued an executive order in the early 90's to put a halt to off-shore drilling, why do we need congress to start it up?
Isn't the current President Bush able to issue an order restarting off-shore drilling?
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Dependence is Slavery.
There are TWO moratoriums prohibiting drilling on the OCS. The executive order and a rider that has been in every Interior Appropriations bill for years.
Congressman John Peterson (R-PA) has offered an amendment to strip that provision for the last several years - this year it failed 9-6.
He should offer it in the full committee mark up as well....
http://www.house.gov/list/press/pa05_peterson/InteriorOCSAmendment.html
He is also the author of the NEED Act, which he originally proposed over 3 years ago. It has gained momemtum recently but is still an uphill battle!
http://www.house.gov/johnpeterson/NEED%20Act/NEED%20ACT%20SUMMARY.pdf
Every gas station in the UNited States should have a picture of those congressmen who voted to keep offshore drilling banned.... with a note as to who they are and a call to vote them out of office so that we can work to drive up the supply and lower prices.
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Dependence is Slavery.
I too thought the drilling moritorium was purely via an EO. It's just that every president since has opted to uphold it. Someone correct us if we're wrong here, but why would W need an act of con-gress to rescind an EO?
Lost in Texas............
No sure if this is it, but it may be an easier way to get around the Legal BS that will spawn up if he undoes the order. You know that within minutes there will be 1,000 lawyers trying to represent the dolphins and/or tuna, so by making the push at congress may be faster (10 years as oppose to 50)
If the Repubs, and now Bush and McCain, can get this to pass I give it around 1 hour after the first price drop when the Dems will be on TV claiming this as their victory and stating they were fighting to drill for years and years but Bush Sr. screwed them out of the chance to do it.
Voting for the Sexy(Pres) - Sexy(VP) Dream Ticket
Jindal/Palin 2012
In his speach today, GWB said he'd rescind the EO on Congress'es action to rescind its action. That's OCS development only; ANWR development requires explicit Congressional authorization.
In Vino Veritas
How about taking this debate out of Washington and into the home districts of democrats and liberal republicans?
Every challenger running against democrats up for reelection (Senate & House) should be beating incumbents over the head for their opposition to increasing domestic oil and gas supplies. This is where politics begins and its about time republican challengers get some backbone and put their opponents on the spot in their home districts.
Let them make a point of the fact that the environmental movement thru their partnership with the democrats and main stream media are trying to bankrupt this country in order to gain power and begin to totally control our lives with respect to what we eat, where we live and what we drive. Once we are all forced on to the liberal bus, those in control set the schedule and individual freedoms are no longer an option.
In 2006 many democrats posed as centrist or conservative to win seats in republican districts. When they got to Washington they fell in line with the leftist leadership and became just another liberal democrat. Shouldn't they be held accountable to their constituents for betraying their campaign commitments? The current energy debate could be the one issue force them to support "drill now" or face defeat in November.
All the main stream media seems to focus on is how many seats the republicans will lose (Senate and House) this fall. Republicans have been handed a golden platter to reverse this trend if they have the backbone to run with it. I believe there is more support in this country for making our own decisions on how we live our lives than for living under government mandates that restrict those choices. Now is the time to expose the environmental movement for what it is...a socialistic approach to governing by limiting our freedom and destroying our economic strength that sets the standard for the rest of the world.
There are a LOT of Gaia worshipping druids out there who believe that drilling "injures mother earth". They'd just as soon the human race died off so that the snail darters and prarie chickens can be a bit better off. There's some degree of joy out there that gasoline is $4/gallon and rising. They think it's a good thing. Not a majority mind you, but they are out there.
Lost in Texas............
....that expanded drilling will reduce the price of oil by a few cents. Can somebody factcheck this statement? I'm skeptical as to its veracity.
“.....women and minorities hardest hit”
They also said about 2 months ago, when attacking pres Bush for not begging the Saudies for more oil, that if they pump 1 Mil more a day it would save atleast .25 cents. So when its their plan it saves .25 cents when its a repub plan it saves pennies. Not to mention drilling here would save travel cost and bring more tax money to states.
Voting for the Sexy(Pres) - Sexy(VP) Dream Ticket
Jindal/Palin 2012
I like to watch MMA. In MMA, when you stun your opponent and he falls down, you don't dance around and wait for the 10 count. You jump on top of him and pummel his face until the ref calls the fight.
That's what we need to do with the oil drilling issue. The Dems have backed themselves into a very foolish corner and Obama has stunned himself with a shot to the jaw. Eventually they will wise up and waffle out of it. Our collective job now should be to beat them senseless and go for the TKO before they get up off the mat.
Ain't politics fun?
"If all men were just, there would be no need of valor."
- Agesilaus
or fencing where you wait for your opponent to recover.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
We're playing a game of Chess here and too many Republicans have let the Democrats set the terms of the game.
The Democrats are allowing us to play against them, but we're only allowed to have pawns and every time we STILL take one of their pieces, they scream "NO FAIR!"
Yet, for some reason, we keep playing with them.
Why do we continue to compromise or even acknoweldge the opinions of the Left?
They are very clearly wrong on every issue and (knowingly or otherwise) work to the destruction of our freedoms....
Yet we continue to reach across the aisle.
Frankly, as President, I would only 'reach across the aisle' to slap the Left upside the head.
Lance Kates for President, 2016.
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Dependence is Slavery.
As near as I can see, the Republican party is STILL, even after decades of this abuse, controlled at the top by people who either stupidly assume that the Democrats are just nice guys who love the country and have different views, but you can still meet them for cocktails. Or they are so mesmerized by the Hollywood/MSM Axis that they want to be counted as part of the group.
That is why we have the reputation as the stupid party. We play nice, we play fair, we try to make deals, and we get rolled, every time. Worse than that, even when we do make a deal, we often tip our hand ahead of time.
Or else, like John McCain, the democrats give us a perfect issue (the oil crises) and we punt. (yes I know he has changed
his tune, but that is already after painting himself into a corner).
That is why I like Howard Dean, I do, I love that guy, and the nasty Kos people. I like them because their nastiness makes it a little harder for the Stupid party to play the patsy for them.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
Well, an old saying applies:
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
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Dependence is Slavery.
Wouldn't it be nice if Alaska's governor became the public face of a PR campaign, on behalf of Alaskans who want to drill for oil in their own home state.
Let her come to Washington, and go on as many TV talk shows as she can find, to educate Americans about what ANWR really is.
Let her say, again and again and again that we can drill in ANWR without trashing it. Point out that wildlife in the vicinity of current Alaskan drilling sites is doing just fine, thank you.
Let her point out that many in her state want the work that ANWR drilling would provide. Let her then forcefully ask why effete Easterners and Hollywood types think it's OK to deny her constituents work.
Governor, please start a PR campaign on behalf of ANWR drilling. Force the ecoNazis and posers to justify WHY they've kept so much oil off limits for so long. (You might want to bring LOTS of pictures with you, of what ANWR REALLY looks like).
If you do this, you can really start eating away at the PR support that many Dems count on. You can start educating Americans on their ecofoolishness---foolishness that we are ALL paying for now, every day, at the pump.
"Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?" (Macaulay)