Roy Blunt Throws Down The Gauntlet; Says Democrats Must Allow Off Shore Drilling Or Repubs Will Shut Down Congress
By Nicole Belle Sunday Aug 03, 2008 12:00pm
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Download | play (h/t Heather)
What a complete and utter tool. On C-Span's Newsmakers show this weekend, Roy Blunt blames Nancy Pelosi for how little the 110th Congress has accomplished. Now I have my issues with Pelosi's priorities and leadership, but let's call a tool a tool. The reason that so little has been passed is that the Republicans have been playing these stupid partisan games (and Blunt, John Ashcroft's and Tom DeLay's personally groomed protege, knows exactly how to do it) and basically fighting every bit of legislation that comes along. Can you say obstructionism, Roy? (.pdf) I knew that you could.
And then to prove that the Republicans are serious about being as difficult as possible, Blunt admits that the Republicans have every intent to shut down Congress after the summer recess unless the Democrats allow for off-shore drilling rights. But it's the Democrats' fault. I can't believe how dishonest this guy is...and of course, since he's being interviewed by a Washington Times journalist, no actual facts will be proffered.
We've discussed the fallacy of the off-shore drilling doing anything to help our energy crisis...a perfect example of the Shock Doctrine being pushed upon us. Yes, our gas is expensive, relatively speaking, for us (but compared to Europe, still a bargain). No actual increase in supply would happen for at least 5-10 years, no guarantee that resource would go to offset Americans' costs (rather than going on the global market to the highest bidder) and the disaster waiting to happen of oil spills in sensitive ecological areas makes it a smart choice for the Democrats to take a stand. The only benefits go to oil companies and I'd say they're doing fine right now.
So it's up to the Democrats (hear me, Pelosi?) to get in front of this and make sure the American people know that Blunt & Co. want to shut down the government to put more money in the bank accounts of oil companies. That's all that needs to be said.
transcripts below the fold
Q: Has Nancy Pelosi been an effective Speaker?
BLUNT: Not if you...not by any standard legislatively. There's a lot to admire about Nancy Pelosi. She's incredibly tenacious, she takes a position and sticks with it. In my opinion, she usually sticks with the position that's wrong, and I think she's particularly doing that on energy. But I read in Time Magazine the other day, it may have been stories like that have been in both of your publications as well that this Congress has passed fewer laws than any in the last 30 years. We finally today passed one of...the appropriations bill this week. 1950 was the last time the Congress wouldn't pass an appropriations bill, but not a single one by the end of July. And we hadn't. And, you know, Time Magazine pointed out, 30 year low, of the 260 bills that went to the President's desk, which sounds like a lot if you're outside of Washington, but when you think about what was in them, you and I know it's a 30 year low, and 74 of those 30 bills, of those 260 bills, were naming post offices, a bunch of the bills were things like declaring National Watermelon Month, and one of my favorites was designating dirt as an important national resources, sort of spend a lot of time on the obvious. You'd have a hard time getting beyond two handfuls of legislation that this Congress has passed that really mattered. And the Speaker, more than anybody else, has to accept responsibility for that.
[snip]
SEAN LENGELL (Washington Times): Beginning this week, Congress takes their five week annual summer break. But when you come back, some Republicans have suggested that the idea of possibly voting against a continuing budget resolution, that would fund the government for next year unless Democrats agree to lift a ban on offshore drilling. If they did this, it would essentially shut down the government. Is this something you would support, this tactic?
BLUNT: I certainly wouldn't see it that way. I would see that...you know, there are two bans in the appropriations process and you're watching this...some people know exactly what that means, others wonder well how do you...in the money spending protest...process, ban something. And essentially, so you can't spend a penny to lease any of the offshore drilling rights or any of the shale oil drilling rights in the west or off-shore drilling rights in the Atlantic or Pacific. And so that's a... that's a ban on those in the bill. That ban runs out September the 30th. It's not my fault we don't have an Interior Appropriations Bill that is already taking care of this problem. As far as I'm concerned, October 1, we should be able to begin the leasing process and drilling and mining in both of those areas, going American supply.
Now whether Democrats would rather shut down the whole government rather than let those two things happen, is really the question as opposed to whether Republicans would...you know that only lasts until September the 30th, and they haven't done anything to extend it. So I'm assuming it's done.
LENGELL: But would the public blame the Democrats or blame the Republicans for shutting down the government?
BLUNT: In this environment, where energy is the most important issue, and the only thing you're fighting over is whether you allow drilling, we'd have to see. I'd rather be on the side of that that wanted to go after American energy sources than the side that didn't.
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[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
Democratic Congress Response: RUN AWAY!!!!
OOPSie!!! McBush better be careful. The MSM might start publishing his
bloopers and flip-flops and stop splicing interview answers to cover for
him!
"Who picks Obamas's clothes - Stevie Wonder?"
- Don Rickles McCain (R. AZ)
Well, given that the only legislation looking to be passed is harmful, Republican-friendly sh*t, I think that would be an excellent thing for Republicans to do.
After all, it worked out so well for Newt Gingrich, right?
And start yelling about the 68,000,000 acres of leases that are not being used RIGHT NOW!!
ANALYSIS-US oil firms seek drilling access, but exports soar
07.03.08, 2:40 PM ET
United States - By Tom Doggett
WASHINGTON3 (Reuters) - While the U.S. oil industry want access to more federal lands to help reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, American-based companies are shipping record amounts of gasoline and diesel fuel to other countries.
A record 1.6 million barrels a day in U.S. refined petroleum products were exported during the first four months of this year, up 33 percent from 1.2 million barrels a day over the same period in 2007. Shipments this February topped 1.8 million barrels a day for the first time during any month, according to final numbers from the Energy Department.
The surge in exports appears to contradict the pleas from the U.S. oil industry and the Bush administration for Congress to open more offshore waters and Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.
Forbes.com
i loved how fox news tried to characterize ANWR as "lacking in any wildlife whatsoever"....
and they showed pictures of this barren landscape to "prove" it.
American Native @ 1:
AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Cynthia "I'm so important I will attack a low-paid security guard who asked to see my ID because he was trying to protect Congress" McKinney
now normally I think voting Green is throwing your vote away because they will never get enough votes to win, so I chose the better of the two main-stream candidates, but in this case I think voting Green is throwing your vote away because their candidate is a self-centered nut job.
This grandstanding would've helped (maybe) in 2004 when the gas prices started going up. Why the sudden BS, oh, I know, it's election year.
actually if Blunt doesn't realize that Congress has ALREADY closed for the summer he shouldn't be in government.
If the reporter didn't bring up that point then they should ALSO be fired.
Blunt you frigging moron! Did you ever stop to think that maybe just maybe there are people in this country who "wanted to go after American energy sources" that WEREN'T non renewable fossil based ones??? HUH? Did your little pea brain ever entertain THAT idea??? What a filthy America hating asshole!
American Native @ 1:
Back the hell off. You have a lot of nerve calling me a useful idiot.
I AM a registered Green. I have taken a ton of shit on this site for not blindly supporting Obama during the primary.
I am all in favor of having third, fourth and fifth party candidates.
But--and this is where I differ with your "ideology over all" mentality--you have to work with what you got. We're not going to have any viable third party challenges right now. We MUST make the two party system work as best as we can while setting up the infrastructure for third parties.
Cynthia McKinney has NO chance of being president.
Start local, go national. That's the only way it will work.
And try employing a little manners (as well as research) before shooting off your mouth to castigate anyone on this site.
I offered it to someone else yesterday: you want my job? Contact John Amato. Otherwise, don't tell me how stupid I am.
American Native @ 1:
Vote for Cynthia McKinney!
If the the presidential race was being contested by Cynthia McKinney, Ralph Nader and Bob Barr, I'm guessing most liberals would vote for Nader. So a vote for McKinney would still be a wasted vote that could result in a right-winger being in the White House for the next 4 years.
Am I wrong?
From what I can tell it's been shut down for eight years anyway! What a joke!
And the repugs will be blamed for closing Congress again, like they were during the Clinton years.
Why not help pass the bill that would control oil speculation
Or windfall profit taxes
Or maybe less going to the strategic reserve, and more coming out for consumption?
Cynthia McKinney is a bad joke. She was the one that slapped a $10.00 and hour security guard in Congress because he wanted to check her ID and didn't immediately recognize her. Her own constituents voted her out of office,
This is a great chance for the Democrats to call bullshit and explain how drilling like Repubs want will do virtually nothing to lower gas prices by explaining in plain language how the real world works and make the Republicans look venal and stupid.
Ten bucks says they won't do it.
LOL, Blunt might as well announce he is going to fellate every big oil CEO in the WH Rose Garden on national television while Dubya looks on with approval.
Same difference.
"What a complete and utter tool" -- or "fool."
And the caterers in DC weep bitter tears ............The rest of the nation ? Not so much.
BTW ROY
Remember the 'walk-out' you GOP tools staged a few months ago and voting/busines still proceeded ? What makes you believe that won't happen again , you colossal ignoramus ?
Ahh, the Republicans... always working in good faith for constructive solutions to our nation's problems.
The Administration is having their tools do anything they can to get the last bit of Rip-Off of the American Citizens before the whole of the Republican Party is thrown out of office. Get those property rights for drilling so that their buddies can continue to F*CK the American public even after they leave.
Go ahead an shut down Congress Roy, their not going to get anything done until the majority of you Crooks and Liars are tossed.
the offshore drill deception is a dangerous one, and it is showcasing the righwing and big oil's skill at playing the msm, rolling out their puppets and creating a fictional cloud around a devastating truth.
and, sadly, i think they will prevail. but, i for one, refuse to roll over so easily (not too sure about barack though).
so, we will be hearing more about the so-called "bipartisan" gang of ten and their "compromise" solution, to which obama has given some indication of his interest to support.
(the following is a re-post, with my apologies. i think it is VERY important to know who this gang is and what they represent. and i didn't feel like re-writing)
that “gang of ten” senators…
Democrats
1- Kent Conrad, N.D. (see, countrywide financial and ethics lapse, voted for alito)
2- Mary Landrieu, La. (see, gang of 14, and her views on the estate tax and bush tax cuts… and, hello, she supports drilling in ANWR)
3- Blanche Lincoln, Ark. (see, support of partial-birth abortion, voted to ban lawsuits against gun manufacturers, supports flag-burning amendment, voted for iraq war, against ICC, etc.)
4- Mark Pryor, Ark. (see, gang of 14, voted to kill habeas corpus, voted against withdrawing troops from iraq, voted to confirm alberto gonzo, etc.)
5- Ben Nelson, Neb. (see, gang of 14, voted against withdrawing troops from iraq, helped pass the bush tax cut, pro-”life”, he votes more to the right than several republicans, he is a GOP in dem clothing)
Republicans
Saxby Chambliss, Ga.
Johnny Isakson, Ga.
Lindsey Graham, S.C.
John Thune, S.D.
Bob Corker, Tenn.
check out their records… do they speak for your concerns?
and the notion that capitulating to allow offshore drilling will save ANWR is pure farce. if you believe that i have a fuel efficient hummer to sell you
Let them shut it down... Prez-nut vetoes everything that manages to get through anyway or it's totally eviserated with Repuke BS.
New Obama ad hitting McCain on his ties to Big Oil
blunt wouldn't know how to put on a gauntlet.
It be somebody else riding out in gauntlet, cuirass, hauberk, helm, poleyn and sabaton.
Unless he's armed by rumsfield
So all he has is a loincloth that he had to provide himself.
I hate to admit ignorance- but the Democratic Party has a quorum as the majority, right?
Let the repubs walk; we'll pass all sorts of great stuff while they hold their breathe and turn blue.
I freely admit I coulkd be wrong on this; I though quorum was 53% or something.
Nicole Belle @ 12:
Dayamn, nice one Nicole! No wonder you're working for C&L and American Native is not.
Another jowly old white guy looking stern and telling us that only he knows what we need. Big bad daddy setting us straight. Gives us old jowly guys who supremely believe in the goodness of others a bad name. I just hate politicians so much. Imagine the audacity of all of them that, AS A CAREER, (while the rest of us actually add to the GNP) they feel it is their JOB to tell us what we have to do and how we have to act. Now I'm not a libertarian, but I would really like to see a some humility in our elected officials. The wrong ones run and those that don't feel its their job to tell other how to live, don't run. Its high school all over again, the same twits that didn't have the confidence to run their own lives, felt they had to run others. AND they were
merely tools of the school administration.
Ok 2 things...
1) Fuck these fuckin republicans! There is PLENTY of godforsaken land ALREADY leased that they haven't tapped yet...and anyone with brains knows that no SIGNIFICANT amounts of oil will be produced by leasing more land to these greedy anti-American oil companies. AND!!! At least in my town...the price of gas has gone down almost 15 cents a gallon in the last month. It's now $3.94 a gallon. So they are just showing the world how fuckin avaricious and short sighted they are...
2) American Native...wow...where to begin...not gonna make alot of friends here attackin Nicole like that...ya might want to keep that in mind. And Porridge Gun is right...voting for McKinney is akin to not only throwing away your vote, but settin it on fire as well.
I'm not against the Green Party...They just need to get more organized, and Nicole makes an excellent point...no viable 3rd party candidates just yet.
So for me...it's Obama 08...
The "Gang of Ten" was in the Senate. Blunt is House Whip. So I imagine we won't be seeing the Senators play any serious roll in this. And while the Senate remained a Good 'ole Boys club even at the height of GOP control in '03, the House got very dirty over the last six years. I don't think the House Dems will be so forgiving.
Gingrich shut the house down in '95, and it cost him rather dearly. I say bring it on. We haven't passed a clean, decent bill in the House since Clinton. I've got no problem waiting six months for a truly blue legislative agenda. Pelosi needs to make a lot of noise on this and spell out exactly how bad it would be for the country if Blunt shut the Congress down. Then she needs to sit back on her heels and let him do it.
We're the party than found Osama Bin Laden.
We're the party that found Saddam's weapons.
We're the party that will find you lower gas prices!
And if you don't let us we will go home.
American Native @ 1:
American Native @ 1:
I'm gonna vote for McKinney. This will enable McKeating to win the election. Then he can maybe reanimate Torquemada and Cardinal Richelieu and appoint tham to SCOTUS.
And then, for good measure, I'm going to make ad hominem attacks on the hosts of a blog that allows me to impart my wisdom upon the unannointed.
That's the ticket!
I can never remember... which coast of Missouri does Blunt want to drill?
Thank you, that is certainly a very informative pdf.
Rob,
The Netherlands.
Remeber, this is the same Republican congress that staged a walkout when the Dems brought forth a resolution comdemning Meirs and Bolton for ignoring a subpeona. Now they want Congress dragged back in. Considering the amounts of money the oil industry has given to these Republicans, it's no surprise they want this. Quid pro quo, baby. And now we hear that according to FEC records ten senior Hess Corporation executives and Hess family members contributed $28,500 each to the joint RNC-McCain fundraising committee just days after McCain reversed his position to favor offshore drilling.
ysbaddaden @ 25:
You forgot the pauldrons man! And the bracers! What's up with that?
dumbya has also recently stated that he intends to push more coal for energy crap through before they chase him out of office as well. Gotta give those contributors what they paid for after all. I expect the dems to nod and smile and tell us that acid rain is good for our skin when that little item comes up.
American Native @ 1:
American Native = Useful IDIOT = concern troll.
How many McGrampa points did you earn today?
its my understanding our "bargain" price of oil is incomparison to gas taxes in EU which are sued for little things like universal health case and mass transit.
Little things like that go a long way to offsetting the cost of living and enable a future infrastructure not as tied to cars.
we, on other hand,are royally f*cked.
Amused @ 26:
I think ya might be onto somethin there!
So Roy wants to shut down the Congress and stamp his feet on the ground like a petulant child. Go ahead Roy! Drill another nail into the coffin of the Repug Party. And by the way, enough of the Nicloe bashing, it is getting tiresome.
so i guess that means that we'll be offshore drilling in no time.
i'm sure the dems aren't going to disappoint in thier capitulation.
who the hell needs alternative fuels sources anyway?
Nicole Belle @ 12:
Nicole, FYI, last week this same poster was calling John Amato a "useful idiot" as well.
P.D. @ 41:
It's worse than that. He's posting the same exact comment on multiple threads only changing the names to whoever wrote the thread.
American Native @ 1:
For the laugh factor?
Are the greens trying to be funny? Or is "half a nutjob" part of the criteria for third party candidates?
excuse me, but you're calling pelosi to say or do something. I thought it was on this site when someone pointed out that both she and her husband have been bought and paid for by the bushies and she would not go against them. always remember, "impeachment isn't even on the table."
Dr. Britney Hussein Matt @ 43:
I'm sure he did. It doesn't appear he has anything other than fuzzy logic and insults at his disposal. However, I'm not one to put up with being insulted. John ignores, I push back.
has anybody seen this non-profit public citizen report that
some oil companies have NOT been paying the royalties they are required/agreed to pay it's in the billions that's tax payers money....this should get some attention
http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2711
American Native @ 1:
You have to be fucking kidding. And crazy Cynthia McKinney? Dude, please stay home in November....you seem dangerous with a ballot.
Getting the ban on offshore drilling lifted is Bush Co.'s last great public work. they are building their legacy, and retirement coffers on this issue. one last chance to pay back the "have and have more" base he has been serving his entire term.
liberalMcAntiChristNmoderation @ 36:
Well I also forgot the chain mail
But I'm not into chain letters
Or chained males:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzlkvI9EZeA
too bad the GOP didn't threaten to shut down the government pre-FISA. Oh well, shut it down . . . it's ain't done anything for the past year and a half, doubt it will begin doing anything in this election year (just look at this side show as if drilling off-shore is the answer - backwards thinking fools).
Nicole@47, I guess this happens when the trolls feel a loss in the horizon. I mean, I can almost smell desperation! The nastier they get, it means they are scared. What a group of whiners.
po @ 52:
Last time it was shut down an intern gave the president a blow job, and we had impeachment hearings! Let's shut 'er down! Wasn't it the republicans that shut it down back then as well? Obstructionist behavior not wanting to pass the "emergency budget"?
You gotta give it to those Republics. They really know how to use the media and make the DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY looks all week and feeble.
GROW A SPIN YOU DEMS! FIGHT BACK.
Jeez.
Dr. Matt @ 43 American Native was calling J.A. a useful idiot on an earlier thread TODAY! WTF!? I'm thankful to have this blog for discussing politics.
It's one thing to disagree but quite another to go straight to the mudbucket and begin hurling.
Unless it's at dennis;-)
Nicole Belle @ 47:
He just called John a "useful idiot" in the thread below (i.e anti-Christ thread). We may have a bonafide concern troll/McGrampa spammer.
Dr. Britney Hussein Matt @ 43:
American Native did the same thing on
McCain’s Obama is the anti-Christ ad.
_______________________________________________________________
Nicole Belle @ 47:
___________________________________________________________
Are you Nancy Dribble using the Lamaze method to give birth to John Redcorn's American Native?
i say keep playing california governor a. schwarzenegger's views regarding off-shore drilling.
he made it clear while c.crist down in florida he was against it. i would like to hear a big insurer like lloyd's of london comment on the issue. if there is a oil spill off the shores of florida and/ s.carolina and it affects the beaches
of n. carolina who is going to pay for the clean/lost revenue(s).
constituent @ 48:
can somebody comment on this
Hieronymus Braintree @ 16:
50 bucks says the MSM wouldn't even bother to touch it.
Sounds like Obstructionist Republicans to me. Recall (and remind people) that when the 2007 congressional session ended, obstructionism by the Republican minority set a new record and effectively stopped much of the Democrats' legislative program.
A study by Campaign for America's Future found that "conservatives in the U.S. Senate" have set a "modern-day record for obstruction." Half way through the 110th Congress there were been 62 cloture votes to move beyond a filibuster, one more than the previous record set during the entirety of the 107th Congress in 2002. The Obstructionist record may have been shattered by the Republicans, but conservatives respond by noting that only two years ago it was the Democratic minority that was holding up the Republican agenda.
Two wrongs do make a Right, in fact All wrongs make the Right.
constituent @ 59:
Certainly not the oil corps. The recent SCOTUS decision/giveaway tells us that! We the People will pay. Corporate Socialism is their way.
ysbaddaden @ 58:
I honestly don't know what you're on about half the time, ysbaddaden.
But let's not go there with Lamaze and American Native. The individuals that I have used the Lamaze method with have been raised to be respectful and intelligent people. I don't think we can lump American Native in there with them.
From what I saw on FireDogLake, there is an ad by the Obama campaign linking all the money McCain is getting from oil companies and his change in stance regarding offshore oil drilling.
I wish he'd take a more forceful approach. I'm tired of taking the B.S. high road and letting these lies by the McCain campaign run rampant and get repeated over and over by the masters of the idiot box. You'd think after the last two stolen elections we would have put an end to this crap. America's apathy will be our undoing, I swear. Complain, but don't do anything about it. So frustrating.
American Native @ 1:
To make sure more security guards get slapped for doing their job properly ?
64 Nicole Belle
It was the pushback reference.
Obama Ad
ysbaddaden @ 67:
I got that. I have no earthly idea who Nancy Dribble and John Redcorn are.
Nicole Belle @ 47:
If only the Obama crew would push back like Nicolle. I wonder if there is any way to gt Nicolle on the payroll of the Obama campaign. Show them how NOT to take shit from some loud mouthed poltroon.
PorridgeGun @ 68:
It's a great ad, it's factual and accurate, yet the reich-wing MSM is too busy giving McGrampa's anti-Christ ad endless coverage.
69 Nicole Belle
King of the Hill TV show, mostly first season, their best.
Sometimes I liken my frames of reference to the shuffling of a deck of cards.
PorridgeGun @ 68:
Yup, that's the one I mention at 65.
Nicole@69, They are chacters on 'King of the Hill.' The animated series on FOX.
Krisken @ 65:
very dangerous game there
now, had obama not taken nearly $350,000.00 from the oil cartels this would be a no brainer. but, again, he is compromised on this issue too.
not to say that obama has some good ideas (windfall profit tax, etc.), but pointing out how mccain takes money from big oil would be like pointing out that mccain employs corporatists as his advisers--they both do.
One of the only things that have impressed me so far about Harry Reid is this factsheet about OCS drilling with information gathered from non-partisan agencies. A friend and I have converted the information to a flyer, added an earlier posted map from MMS about Hurrican Katrina and Rita gulf pipeline damage, then garnished with elected MN Senate and House members telephone#'s. We pass them out at ballgames and pass em out. Pretty much anywhere people are. People eat em up. Help in getting the truth out about offshore drilling by doing something similar. Alot of people don't blog, or have a clue otherwise. With a lying media, we must get the truth out.
MCMetal @ 66: </a
To make sure more security guards get slapped for doing their job properly ?
Too bad Leona Helmsley's dead
She could be mckinney's running mate.
PorridgeGun @ 68:
it's a good ad .....for this issue they may need to emphasize the negative a little more....certain demographics want the knee jerk
quick fix response....high prices=drill they're vulnerable...they have to be shown this is phoney....when the house gives in to off-shore drilling it's going to be a victory for the mcBush campaign and the oil companies foreign and domestic.
64 Nicole Belle Says: ysbaddaden @ 58:
Are you Nancy Dribble using the Lamaze method to give birth to John Redcorn