Congress reconvenes today, for the next three weeks or so. Work may or may not be a priority, but puffery will be a priority, especially for the GOP, or so says CNN.
The House and Senate reconvene Monday after back-to-back political conventions, both parties eager to use the three-week session to show voters why their candidates are the ones to fix the economy and lower energy prices
And tucked three paragraphs in, is the obstructionist tactics being planned, once again, by repugs.
Even that might not be easy. Republicans are threatening to block the spending bill if Democrats do not give them a vote on ending a quarter-century freeze on new offshore drilling.
Well, for the past two years, the repugs have been quite successful with their little congressional tantrums. However, getting their way was not necessarily in the best interests of the majority of the people. These Congresscritters are supposed to represent their constituents, not tell their constituents want they should want based on what corporations would like.
Even though polls have “shown” American’s support offshore drilling, the questions are disingenuous at the very least.
While Rasmussen may not, you probably know that a 2007 Department of Energy report says that expanded Outer Continental Shelf drilling would not have a significant impact on oil production until 2030 and that its effect on prices is “expected to be insignificant.” What do we gain from polls with leading questions based on an inaccurate premise, besides misleading media analysis and the invention of a winning issue for McCain?
But, like the Gang of 14, the energy bill has developed into a Gang of 16 in the Senate. Those 16 Senators include:
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.). Who were then joined by Coleman (R-MN), Sununu (R-NH), Warner (R-VA), Johnson (D-SD), Carper (D-DE) and Salazar (D-CO).
Just like the GOP, the Gang of 16 is not telling you the truth — that opening offshore drilling is not a panacea to reducing our oil dependence.
A reasonable thinking person would have to figure out that the oil companies are not going to keep the oil they find in our country here, when they do find it, will be sold on the open market for the highest dollar they can get. That’s the way the game is played. That’s why the oil companies want the ban on offshore drilling lifteed, it will eventually line their pockets, not give the people relief.
Bipartisanship is a bust. Bipaprtisanship is not in the best interests of the people. Bipartisanship is nothing more than a coating of sugar to help us swallow the most disagreeable bullshit uttered by the most regressive people (gop) handing our country over to corporations.
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