Pelosi: At-risk Dems can back drilling

[trickblue]

Link

Pelosi: At-risk Dems can back drilling
By MARTIN KADY II & PATRICK O'CONNOR

California Democrat Nancy Pelosi may be trying to save the planet — but the rank and file in her party increasingly are just trying to save their political hides when it comes to gas prices as Republicans apply more and more rhetorical muscle.

But what looks like intraparty tension on the surface is part of an intentional strategy in which Pelosi takes the heat on energy policy, while behind the scenes she’s encouraging vulnerable Democrats to express their independence if it helps them politically, according to Democratic aides on and off Capitol Hill.

Pelosi’s gambit rests on one big assumption: that Democrats will own Washington after the election and will be able to craft a sweeping energy policy that is heavy on conservation and fuel alternatives while allowing for some new oil drilling. Democrats see no need to make major concessions on energy policy with a party poised to lose seats in both chambers in just three months — even if recess-averse Republicans continue to pound away on the issue.

“The reality is we will have a new president in three months, and what Bush and the Republicans are trying to do amounts to a land grab for the oil companies,” said one senior House Democratic aide involved with party strategy. “I don’t think we have to give in at all pre-election — we have many more options postelection.”

It’s a reality that Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-W.Va.) personally delivered to President Bush recently.

Rahall spent more than an hour last week talking to the president about energy. Bush spent the entire flight aboard Air Force One, and much of a subsequent limousine ride, grilling the West Virginia Democrat about legislative solutions to the high price of gasoline, Rahall said last week.

So, does the president think Congress can get anything done this year?

“No,” Rahall replied in a short interview with Politico. “He’s realistic about it.”

Asked if Congress will produce a comprehensive energy bill in September before Congress adjourns again for elections, Rahall replied, “This year? No.”

Instead, the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources believes Democrats are all about 2009.

“We’ve laid the groundwork this year,” Rahall said.

Democratic House aides say the energy agenda has been carefully gamed out in strategy sessions, and Pelosi always intended to take heat on gas prices while tacitly encouraging more vulnerable Democrats to publicly disagree with her and show their independence.

Freshman Democrats like Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania and Don Cazayoux of Louisiana have taken her up on the offer.

Altmire has said a drilling vote “will happen,” while Cazayoux, hoping to hang on to his seat in a conservative Baton Rouge-area district, on Friday sent a letter to Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) demanding a vote on more domestic oil exploration.

“There will be a vote,” said Altmire, who faces a rematch with former GOP Rep. Melissa Hart this fall in the Pittsburgh suburbs.

Indeed, Congress must vote before Sept. 30 to renew the annual moratorium; otherwise, it will lapse on its own, giving states the right to decide whether private companies can search for potential drilling sites three miles offshore. .

“My view is that if we have a vote, let’s make it a rational policy,” said Altmire, whose district includes viable coal and nuclear industries. “We can’t let Republicans hold this issue hostage because of one vote.”

Cazayoux, in his letter, says “the current debate seems to be bogged down in partisan one-upmanship.”

To some extent, House Republicans seem to be playing right along with the strategy, taking Pelosi’s name in vain dozens of times during their rebel House sessions over the past few days and making her the villain who won’t allow oil drilling votes.

“It’s grossly unfair to the Democrats who want a vote,” said Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas). “[Pelosi] needs to cut that out.”

The Senate has also gone with a run-out-the-clock strategy, with Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) calling for a bipartisan energy summit but promising no major energy votes. Reid embraced the drilling and conservation proposals of the bipartisan Senate “Gang of 10” last week, but he made further commitment on the energy debate.

Reid, like Pelosi, is expecting to have a much stronger governing majority in the Senate next year, so he has little incentive to give in to Republicans on energy policy as long as he thinks it won’t hurt Democrats.

Even as they face heat from constituents during the August break, Democrats say they aren’t going to cave in to popular pressure.

“We feel pretty comfortable with where we are,” said Rep. Michael E. Capuano (D-Mass.), who is close to the Democratic leadership. “This is a not a new issue. This just didn’t happen today. We’ve been working on this for months.”

Democratic insiders said that Pelosi and other party leaders were “not rattled” by the GOP floor rebellion, and at this point, it’s not clear if the Democrats will even pay a price on energy. State-level polling conducted by Democrats suggests that voters still view President Bush and the GOP as the incumbent power in Washington, and Democratic strategists believe any anti-incumbent wave would hurt Republicans more than Democrats.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, one of the leaders of the rogue GOP House session, said he realizes that Democrats are “in a four-corners stall right now,” and admits that “it gets more challenging” for Republicans if they lose more seats in Congress.

Democrats are also comforted somewhat by the fact that crude oil prices have gone down more than 10 percent from their summer highs, and if the U.S. economy enters a recession, prices may fall further due to slackening demand.

“There is no crisis on our side of the aisle,” a top House Democratic leadership aide said. “We have a plan, and we will stick to it.”

John Bresnahan and Daniel Reilly contributed to this story

[Rackat]

Originally Posted by trickblue

Link

Pelosi: At-risk Dems can back drilling

By MARTIN KADY II & PATRICK O'CONNOR

California Democrat Nancy Pelosi may be trying to save the planet — but the rank and file in her party increasingly are just trying to save their political hides when it comes to gas prices as Republicans apply more and more rhetorical muscle.

<snip>

“There is no crisis on our side of the aisle,” a top House Democratic leadership aide said. “We have a plan, and we will stick to it.”

John Bresnahan and Daniel Reilly contributed to this story

[Doomsday101]

Nancy is not going to have much of a choice as the public the people who put them in office is demanding more and more that drilling take place. You tell people we don't want to be dependent on foreign oil and yet we allow our own oil to sit in the ground and do nothing? I don't think so Nancy get off your butt and do what needs to be done

[trickblue]

One thing that pisses me off about "The Mouth" is she is telling them to support drilling if they need to then she and her cronies will make sure it doesn't happen...

I really dislike her...

[sacase]

I am really scared what is going to happen to this country if the dems win with enough votes to force legislation down peoples throats.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Originally Posted by trickblue

One thing that pisses me off about "The Mouth" is she is telling them to support drilling if they need to then she and her cronies will make sure it doesn't happen...

I really dislike her...

I don't like her, I think she is a fool, however telling them to do what they want is better than telling them to do what she wants no matter the outcome.

I wish the two parties would sit down and make a compromise.

You let us drill where we want with some written guarantees that the oil gained from these places can ONLY be sold to the USA and if the government sets up equal tax systems for alternative energies and equal importance to them.

I would be dandy if that were the compromise.

[Rackat]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

I don't like her, I think she is a fool, however telling them to do what they want is better than telling them to do what she wants no matter the outcome.

I wish the two parties would sit down and make a compromise.

You let us drill where we want with some written guarantees that the oil gained from these places can ONLY be sold to the USA and if the government sets up equal tax systems for alternative energies and equal importance to them.

I would be dandy if that were the compromise.

I would like to see that as well.

[Jarv]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

I don't like her, I think she is a fool, however telling them to do what they want is better than telling them to do what she wants no matter the outcome.

I wish the two parties would sit down and make a compromise.

You let us drill where we want with some written guarantees that the oil gained from these places can ONLY be sold to the USA and if the government sets up equal tax systems for alternative energies and equal importance to them.

I would be dandy if that were the compromise.

A compromise can only be put together if they are allowed to vote on it, which she is holding back.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Originally Posted by Jarv

A compromise can only be put together if they are allowed to vote on it, which she is holding back.

However the Repubs have also balked at previous attempts for alternative energy plans added to some packages.

This is not all one side no matter which party tries to tell you it is.

Each side wants what it wants with out giving into the other sides wants.

There are ways to compromise so both sides get pretty much what they want, but they refuse to give in to each other.

Once again...you can hear it all day long, but this is not a one party is the only party blocking this stuff deal, no matter how much they tell you.

[Doomsday101]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

However the Repubs have also balked at previous attempts for alternative energy plans added to some packages.

This is not all one side no matter which party tries to tell you it is.

Each side wants what it wants with out giving into the other sides wants.

There are ways to compromise so both sides get pretty much what they want, but they refuse to give in to each other.

Once again...you can hear it all day long, but this is not a one party is the only party blocking this stuff deal, no matter how much they tell you.

When the bill did not included lifting of the ban and allowing drilling then you are correct the Republican are not going to vote for that energy plan. Those off shore areas and ANWAR were not part of the energy package the Dems put together.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Originally Posted by Doomsday101

When the bill did not included lifting of the ban and allowing drilling then you are correct the Republican are not going to vote for that energy plan. Those off shore areas and ANWAR were not part of the energy package the Dems put together.

Hence my talking about they need to compromise.

One side wants only what they want. The other side only wants what they want.

They need to come together, put the politics aside, make one bill with both parties stuff in it...hash out the details and work it out.

And again like I said...don't believe one party when they say it is all the other parties fault when it comes to this. Both are wanting to get everything without giving anything.

[sacase]

I honestly think the GOP would vote for any energy package that was a combination of both parties. If it has drilling in it, they will vote for it.

[Doomsday101]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

Hence my talking about they need to compromise.

One side wants only what they want. The other side only wants what they want.

They need to come together, put the politics aside, make one bill with both parties stuff in it...hash out the details and work it out.

And again like I said...don't believe one party when they say it is all the other parties fault when it comes to this. Both are wanting to get everything without giving anything.

Most republican senators I have listened to are not against alternative energy but they are not going to agree with a Bill that will not lift certain bans like drilling off the continental shelf. Right now the Dem determine what is voted on so yes they do have control and it cannot be voted on unless or until it is brought to the floor.

[AtlCB]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

However the Repubs have also balked at previous attempts for alternative energy plans added to some packages.

This is not all one side no matter which party tries to tell you it is.

Each side wants what it wants with out giving into the other sides wants.

There are ways to compromise so both sides get pretty much what they want, but they refuse to give in to each other.

Once again...you can hear it all day long, but this is not a one party is the only party blocking this stuff deal, no matter how much they tell you.

Unfortunately, neither side will vote for this.

[AtlCB]

Originally Posted by BrAinPaiNt

Hence my talking about they need to compromise.

One side wants only what they want. The other side only wants what they want.

They need to come together, put the politics aside, make one bill with both parties stuff in it...hash out the details and work it out.

And again like I said...don't believe one party when they say it is all the other parties fault when it comes to this. Both are wanting to get everything without giving anything.

I still blame the Dems more for not striking a compromise. They could allow this compromise to go to the floor for a vote. If the bill fails due to the Republicans voting against it, then I will blame the Republicans.