House Republican endorses 'the Paris Hilton plan' on energy
By Steve Benen Thursday Aug 07, 2008 7:30amWe’re well past the point at which congressional Republicans have jumped the shark, but let’s pause to appreciate the fact that at least one leading GOP lawmaker is now looking to a fake ad by a 27-year-old heiress/reality-show star as a serious source of public policy.
The lines between celebrity and politician blurred into a haze Thursday at a Republican news conference, as one congressman began pushing Paris Hilton’s “plan” on energy.
“Let’s bring up the Paris Hilton plan,” goaded Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas. [...] “Even Paris Hilton had an energy plan that she’s talking about,” said Burgess, seizing a chance to make Democrats look lackluster on the issue.
The Texas congressman tried to put Hilton in the Republican camp, claiming her words mirrored current GOP legislation known as the “No More Excuses Energy Act”. But, while that proposal does allow offshore drilling, a congressional summary shows it does not contain tax credits to encourage new automobile technology.
For crying out loud, Paris Hilton is not a policy expert. She wasn’t seriously offering an energy proposal for members of Congress to embrace as an actual solution.
For that matter, Hilton’s fake ad talked about using expanded coastal drilling to “carry us until the new technologies kick in,” which doesn’t make any sense, since even the Bush administration and McCain’s policy aides concede that we’re about a decade away from new coastal drilling having any kind of effect on the marketplace. And even then, we’re talking about pennies on the gallon. There’s nothing to actually “carry us” at all.
And yet, we actually have an elected member of Congress announcing, “Let’s bring up the Paris Hilton plan.”
It’s as if Republicans are going out of their way to appear ridiculous. On purpose.
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Frist, and repugs ARE ridiculous.
he is from Texas after all...:-)
Another southern Republican makes a fool of himself. No one saw that coming.
OT. Olympic opening ceremonies are spectacular, a must watch...
Well, the point is Paris was trying to sound bipartisan, as in combining the 2 solutions would be the best option. Isn't Obama now for "limited" offshore drilling, too? BS.
What about Britney's drug plan?
GOP - "It's Like These Guys Take Pride in Being Ignorant"
The absurdity of the whole thing will be lost on most republicans.
Who wrote the Hilton ad, certainly not Paris.
McSame's approach is just a continuation of Rethuglican disaster capitalism.
Any problem is used as an excuse to enrich business friends at taxpayers expense.
Remember what Obama said, they seem to be proud of being ignorant.
Compared to some of these repubs, Paris Hilton does look like a mental giant.
"See you at the debates, bitches!"
My country 'tis of thee, land of absurdity...
John Edward @ 8:
The guy who wrote the skit was Adam McKay. He used to write for Saturday Night Live. His name was listed on the original video where the video first appeared. He's also a film director. Can't remember where I heard this but the story goes that he thought up the idea and asked Paris if she was interested. Obviously she was.
American politics is so crazy. It seems the republicans are creating a fictional cartoon character, "media Obama". Why are democrats not doing the same to NcCain? I guess it would not be so difficult to do such a thing. If a popular candidate can be represented like a "celebrity" so a "maverick" could be a "lonely angry man" who is plotting in his mind new wars and destrction and perhaps even a "mushroom cloud".
This idiot does not find it the least bit humiliating to refer to the tongue-in-cheek response to a smear ad as the source of Congress's solution to the energy crisis? What the have these people been doing all of these years for fuck's sake?
Ossi @ 12:
There's already a cartoon McCain....his name is Mr. Magoo.
Lakeguy @ 4:
Beautiful but part of me is still angry
I get so annoyed with China and Human Rights issues
I'm going to stop watching soon...... One United World no
I support the people just not the government
Thing is though, the average American doesn't know about us being a decade away from any benefit of off-shore drilling. They just assume you stick a big metal straw in the ground and suck out some oil, et voila! you have more gasoline!
So the average American might actually support Paris' "plan".
Heh, when I was watching the ad, I thought to myself, "I know she's just saying what other people wrote for her to say, but she does sound half-way intelligent" and then I thought, "Well, isn't that the way politicians work anyway?" :D
We elect idiots with (usually) really good script writers. These congress-critters probably know just slightly more than the average American does about the issues they are supposed to oversee. Unfortunately, what they DO know comes to them by way of their aides and staffers. And with the average age of a congressional staffer/aide being about 22, it's not surprising that the "Paris Plan" is considered serious public policy.
While we're at it, let's fix education by giving every kid in America a $25 gift card to Borders!
Meanhile, up in North Dakota there's this little town named Sparks(??) or Spakes or some such name.
Well as it turns out that part of the state is sitting on 3 billion barrels of oil. I have to dig up the link , I'll get it later. I'm still on my first cup of coffee. All those folks up there are stoked, their getting rich.
I say have at it. Just leave the coasts alone. Only as a absolute last resort.
mmmmmmmmmmmm coooofffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Mark Twain said it best: Better to keep quiet and let others think you're a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.
mudshark @ 17:
Only a very small portion of that is extractable, plus it's close to, if not actually on, land sacred to Indian tribes. Catch-22, respect Indian rights to the land and get off of oil (what we should do) or just take it to make ourselves feel better at the pumps with a thinly-disguised legal veneer over thievery (the usual.)
Eight fucking years of having the WH and Congress and these desperate, stupid Rethugs are scrambling to "solve" the energy crisis in the few months before the election. What a joke, and based on a joke. Truly pathetic.
john j @ 15:
Don't worry Presidunce Bush is there to chastise the Chinese on Human rights.
This thing the repubs are doing is nothing but a show. They are trying to convince the public that republicans are serious about the "energy crisis". This isn't about solving a problem with energy, this is about solving a problem with votes.
US Animal-House of Representatives
john j @ 15:
Bah, name one thing the Chinese are doing in Xianjing, please. It's just as bad as Tibet, and what's more, like the ongoing genocide in the Congo, I'm willing to bet most of you don't even know what's going on, or hell, considering some of you can't tell how many states there are in the US (still haven't forgotten the little turd that corrected my Obama-57-states mantra with 51 states), some of you probably don't even know what a Xianjing is.
General_Rennenkampf @ 23:
Miswrote-should have been Obama-57-states mentioning, not mantra.
Odin's Crows! I read this kinda shit and I'm glad I'm approaching the end of life. Our elected "representatives" are a buncha dimwitted corporate tools.
Honest, decent people don't stand a chance of becoming elected. Try it, and see how quickly the ProfitMedia finds out about the fact that you might have cut freakin' sunday school class when you were twelve or had an overdue flippin' library book....
General_Rennenkampf @ 19:
I watched this on TEE VEE last night. I can't remember what channel it was on. But they made no mention of Indians.(Go Figure) It did take up a huge chunk of ND and parts of Montana as well. Meanwhile the price of gas keeps dropping. Down to 4.10 a gallon here now. 3-4 weeks ago it was 4.67. And forecast to continue dropping.
This is why the GOPers are having a tantrum in Congress right now. The price is dropping, and the more it drops the more likely people will see them for what they are. As I've said before, this is all a ruse. So the GOP can push for offshore drilling. It's all too coincidental . The timing of the GOPers having a tantrum and trying to paint the Dems as being inadequate is all too familiar.
OH, They said something about horizontal drilling.
This is why the republicans are going to lose big time. They have no ideas but go negative. The sad thing about all this is that the american people are losing because the congress just can't listen and comprise on anything. Thanks Newty Fruity because he started this kind of take no prisoner attitude.
mudshark @ 26:
The Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, and Northern Cheyenne all have sacred areas to their religions in that region. Taking Indian land has never bothered the US government, though, and considering that the government got away with termination, I wouldn't be suprised if 19th Century-style thuggery goes on here that we don't know about.
We should at least have the decency in the 21st Century to respect the rights of those Indians to that land, non?
mudshark @ 27:
Like they've been doing with us?
mudshark @ 27:
Even so, it'd desecrate Indian sites. We should have gained a higher level of respect for the Indians enough to know they won't like it a damn, in addition to it being morally wrong.
Wow, the world is distracted by the Darfur Olympics and suddenly Russia is having a little pre-emptive war of its own!
It's raining bombs in Georgia...
If neither party is thinking about what to do in the immediate future and long term, then we are well and truly screwed.
I bought a Prius 2 years ago, my next purchase is a bike.
It makes me weep to see who is representing us. Why the American people are not demanding that Bush be impeached and the recall of all those in Congress that will not be bi partisan is beyond me. I NEVER thought I'd live to see the day when the US would become a 3rd rate country, but I fear the time is fast approaching.
I blame the Republicans for this mess and the Americans who will do nothing about it.
General_Rennenkampf @ 29:
Absolutely Mon General. And even if they can drill from the side, the American Indians should get huge royalties (if they allow it )
We already are using wind and solar power on the grid, and off it. (As are other countries, only more so.) Why not just use more, sooner? The change will come either way. No matter how much oil they manage to scavenge from the earth's crust from here on out, the alternative energy sources are going to be cheaper in the long run, if they aren't already. And they're already competitive or they wouldn't be in use. Some of these Republikin types haven't been paying attention. These technologies aren't untried, they're already in use!
Diane @ 33:
I blame the two party system. If we had non-partisan politicians, they would be more likely to be well read and more likely to work together on protecting their branch and the Constitution.
Blame the Republicans all you want, but they didn't twist Pelosi's or Conyer's arm to take impeachment "off the table". Unless they have some REALLY good blackmail on her...
The Republicans are bad, don't get me wrong, but they are not solely to blame for the failures of Congress.
And as far as Americans who will do nothing about it, well let's explore the logic we are given by our partisan masters:
If you vote against the incumbent in the primary, then the Republicans might win that seat. And if you vote for a third party in the general election to punish a turn-coat Democrat, then the Republicans might win that seat. So you can never vote against the incumbent or against the party, because if you do *SHOCK! HORROR! GASPS!* the Republicans might win! *Thunderclap!*
So there you have it, we American's CAN'T do anything about it besides re-elect our incumbents, because it MIGHT be worse with out them... As in maybe our congressmen will kowtow to an autocratic president EVEN QUICKER!
In my humble opinion there should be more scientists working on this problem and less politically inclined people.
mudshark @ 34:
Absolutely, as well. After all, most of this continent is theirs to begin with, and while returning a lot of the land would create a legal mess, we should respect their rights to the land they still possess, and if they seek to buy some of it back (like the Indians in the Minnesota-Wisconsin area are doing), what's the harm? I mean, we sorta owe it to them after all the centuries of Indian Wars.
kablooie @ 32:
I mentioned that in the Open Thread...
the Ruskies weren't going to let their old empire disappear forever. We may be witnessing the start of a reconquest of as much of the old USSR as Russia can get away with.
blueTexas @ 14:
Mr. McGoo, if you please! I have been pointing this out for some time.
Nikola @ 5:
The Repugs didn't get (and still don't) that Paris was MAKING FUN OF McCAIN, not proposing something serious.
these people are now beyond weird, they're starting to look pathetic. A party on the brink of extinction. Ironically, this should proof to them that natural selection is real.
General_Rennenkampf @ 23:
Mixed
My Grandma is Zimbabwean (+ other family), there is genocide going while China supports that Dictator. So yeah i have personal interest in China.
Mugabe committed a massive genocide in the 1980s, AND he sent ZIM troops to war in DRC.
My Family lost many people in DRC as most were forced to join the army.
My mom went through war, bombings and killings.
SO
Thanks to my mom
Human rights is something i am passionate about so i educate myself on these issues and help
So don't you dare play the ignorant card
Remember, they take pride in being ignorant.
john j @ 42:
You didn't answer my question: what culture is China destroying in Xianjiang? It ain't Tibetan. It's a simple question, it has a simple answer.
General_Rennenkampf @ 18:
That might be:
"Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt"
Now if only the Republicrats in Congress would pay attention to this maxim.
Here are suggestions on its attribution.
The only energy issues Paris understands is how many batteries to put in her vibrator.
With regard to this GOP party, all I gotta say is: DESPERATE MEN MAKE DESPERATE MOVES.
They have nothing... they have had nothing now for decades. The ONLY THING the GOP have had going for them is the willfull ignorance of many here in the USA who take sides just to appear that they are politically in-the-know or perhaps view militarism as patriotism. Most GOP I have ever spoken with are fools.
This is in the same league as McLame-dementia. It is entertaining to see the Neocon Fairies meltdown day after day after day. They just can't handle any of it. And the oddball behavior comes to the surface. Next this zero will be calling for a resoloution to rename the Czech Republic Czechoslovokia.
Donepezil should be situated at the entry of congress, like holy water is before you enter a church.
General_Rennenkampf @ 44:
Are you talking about the Chinese Muslims?
I always wondered if Bugs Bunny has more in common with some African Trickster Rabbit, or some Amerindian Trickster Rabbit, Brer Rabbit, and of course Aesop (hide the wine decanter when he's at your dinner party.)
James in Colorado @ 49:
Bingo. The Uighurs, a non-Sino-Tibetan speaking people who have been neglected in all the hoo-rah over the Dalai Lama, who has better PR.
Krugman sums it up nicely in today's editorial. "..stupidity is the best policy."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/opinion/08krugman.html
General_Rennenkampf @ 44:
Look even if i answered you, It's 21rst century, you would just say i Googled it or whatever.
So clap hands!
Give yourself a pat on the back!
For astonishing me with your brilliant intelligence.
Bah. So GOP booster Ben Stein disses Paris Hilton's 'ad' as a cheap Obama stunt, she's ugly, and her mother dresses her funny. Oh, and she's a porn star, because Ben *ehhuh-huh-huh* saw the film ...
... and now this Burgess clown wants to consider the 'merits of the Paris Hilton energy plan'? Betcha he's hoping for a one-on-one and a very close examination of her merits.
Ignorant doesn't come close to the mark.
The irony being that Paris appears to be a lot smarter than Ole MC Dummy. Even though she once asked if they sold "walls" at Wal Fart.
With the USA now proposing to rearm Iraq and give Afghanistan a big new dose of militarism to the tune of many $$ billions you just know the stupids in WashingtonDC are in full flourish.
The GOP really seems intent on dumbing down American governance that comes out of WashingtonDC.
G.W.Bush amply demonstrating how it can be done these past seven and one half years.
The GOP and sadly far too many WashingtonDC Democrats are spending borrowed money they will not tax Americans for which seen in light of top third of Americans income takers not shouldering valid tax loads can not have a happy ending being stupid is flourishing in WashingtonDC.
Mix in rule of law erosion, privatization plunder and pillage WashingtonDC is greenlighting ever more and dumb as wood GOP and Democrat versions of mid to long range national plan-outs Paris Hilton's energy plan "idea" must seem brilliant to the "Bozo the Clown" types which fully infest WashingtonDC.
The hypocrisy of G.W.Bush preaching human rights to China in recent days only underlining the ignorance of the man.
WashingtonDC (the city) should indeed just be turned over to Disney and converted into a nice,corporatized amusement destination. Members of Congress and the U.S.Senate can be in 'Penn.Ave' parades and put on 'Congress in Session' shows.
The level of what passes for discussion,consideration and solution in both WashingtonDC legislative and executive conduct surely now quite Disney 'lets play pretend and make believe' like.
ysbaddaden @ 46:
In feminist circles once upon a time, such a statement would have incurred the retort: 'sexist pig'.
I'm still a feminist, but what I will say today:
With what she's got, she can make toys out of all the boys she wants, they're falling all over themselves.
Republicans: Embracing anti-intellectualism since 1980.
Col Kilgore @ 54:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcNUx0-XEfw&feature=related
Actually it's my understanding that Xinjiang (East Turkistan) is a breakaway region, similar in nature to Chechneya to the Russians. They have a heavily Turkish Islamic type population of Uyghurs, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Kazakhs and persianophone Tadjiks who want to form an Islamic country there. The region was alway small communities influenced by larger neighbors like Russia, China and of course Turkish customs. They briefly had a fledgling nationion in the 1930's, but the large-scale redrawing of maps after WWII ended that. So unlike Tibet, they're trying to create a Nation that never existed.
Although the Chinese government had to apologize for roughing up some foreign journalists, the worst so far was an attack on them. Some Xinjiangs drove a truck bomb into the midst of some police cadets who were jogging and killed 16 of them and injured foreign tourists. The Chinese government blames ETIM (East Turkistan Islamic Movement). They also said the truck bombing was a new method, since they normally used swords, axes and sickels.
I'm not sure how this relates to energy policy (the topic of the thread) unless they have reserves of oil in the Xinjiang region.
Oopsie
Chechnya.
THEY just like that it starts with DRILLING.....!!!
In the video, weren't there suspicious tiny bulges under Paris's outfit feeding her the answers through headphones?
Oh wait, thosewere her breasts.
We all know Celeb policies are a great idea:
Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to cut state workers' wages to the federal minimum
Paris Hilton as McCain's VP choice. Now that would fit the Republicans view of America.
This is even more proof how insanely STUPID wingnut Republicans are! One, they are so dumb they can't think of anything useful on their own which is why they are always whining and blaming liberals and two, the Paris Hilton plan speaks for itself! Is the Bart Simpson plan next?
flex @ 64:
http://coldleftovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/wiggum.jpg
http://upload.current.com/uploads/f8u84c.jpg
LOL Does this guy realize how damn stupid he looks touting "The Paris Hilton Energy Plan"?
We had a comprehensive energy plan 30 years ago, but Carter was not popular and to this day is vilified by the right and the msm. He was right all along. Lets play this up the last 2 dem presidents were on the ball. Carter inherited a mess and had a plan to get us energy independent and Clinton had our deficit fixed and a 200 billion surplus. Where is the MSM on this? How exactly are Republicans better at governing again?
I mean, not to belabour the inane, but what about paris' plan is any different than what Obama has suggested? It's not like he was suggesting that *all* oil should be eliminated or anything. Repugs really are fucking stupid.
ysbaddaden @ 60:
It has nothing to do with it, this whole fubar thing started with somebody commenting on the Beijing Olympics, John J. started talking about human rights violations, I quizzed him on his knowledge of said human rights violations, he got defensive, and it's August 1914 all over again.
john j @ 52:
No, I would have said, "Good, somebody actually realizes there are two ethnocides going on for a change instead of the one with the better PR."
Republicans want to keep unregulated oil futures speculation alive and well for their greedy corporate buddies. Do a google search on "oil futures speculation" and learn how oil futures speculators have doubled the retail price of gasoline in the past year.
mhh one minute they are blasting her and the next embracing?
ysbaddaden @ 67:
LOL, thanks for the visual!
Steve, come on, haven't you heard?
I thought everybody knew that by now.
http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/tt/
http://www.indiantrust.com/
The screwing of the Indians continues unabated. Government policy, y'know.
JudyLou @ 77:
I pre-empted you on that one (Indian screwing-over in general, not this specific case of it.)
Opening up offshore drilling doesn't solve the energy crisis any more than tax cuts for the wealthy solve the economic crisis. Obama should be hitting McCain every day about this myth that a gift to the oil companies would help us in any way. Who falls for this shit? Every time a politician says "You should give my rich buddies more money and fewer regulations! Trust me, it'll be good for you!" it should be obvious what a crock of shit it is.
Its Time For The Republicans To Come Out Of The Dark Congress
Enough with the stunts and desperate attempts at wining over public favor -- any favor. Really its time for these guys to put something on the table besides filling the oil company's pockets. One could argue the only forward thinking the Republicans have done with energy as been to make sure the same greedy oil companies have money and oil ten years from now. It will not work.
First off, can we take away the claim they speak for the majority of the people. What people? No one has asked me shit. The only way the Republicans can truly say they speak for the majority is to have a vote. I know in my heart they would loose hands down. As it stands, the use of Gallup, CNN, and Rasmussen polls are not a full representative sample of the this country's people. They represent conservative interest and nothing more.
It is time for the Republicans to role up their sleeves and do some real bargaining with the oil companies. They have the contacts to bargain for help with lowering the gasoline. Not once has any of them came up with a plan to lower the price of gas by balancing the record profits of the oil companies. This should of been done months ago, and the Democrats missed pushing the issue. It is not too late. As it stands, every effort seems to lack focus and cohesiveness to move forward on this issue. A campaign slogan to "Think Balance" would help the oil companies share the wealth.
Joseph
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