MyDD :: House floor scene

House floor scene

by Jerome Armstrong, Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:11:18 PM EST

I happened upon Capital Briefing just now, Ben Pershing is reporting from the House gallery on the scene inside the House, where Republicans have finally woken from a decade-long stupor and finally want to pass some energy bills.

Alas, Congress is out of session, but they keep on going... there's no C-SPAN, and apparently guests are streaming down onto the floor. It's sorta wild seeing a representative twitter from inside Congress too.

Update [2008-8-1 15:1:53 by Jerome Armstrong]: More on The Crypt. And Kagro X, The Revolution is not being televised!

Update [2008-8-1 15:11:18 by Jerome Armstrong]:Sorta off-topic, but as predicted, Obama moves to support the compromise bill that will allow offshore drilling:

" I remain skeptical that new offshore drilling will bring down gas prices in the short-term or significantly reduce our oil dependence in the long-term, though I do welcome the establishment of a process that will allow us to make future drilling decisions based on science and fact," Obama said. "But I’ve always believed that finding consensus will be essential to solving our energy crisis, and today’s package represents a good faith effort at a new bipartisan beginning. In the coming days, I’ll be laying out additional steps I believe we must take to bring down gas prices for good and truly free ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil.”

Reid, who supports a good compromise, will be giving a Wednesday speech slot on "energy issues" at the DNC convention. So in a follow-up prediction, the Senate will pass an energy bill in September that allows for offshore drilling, very similar to the 'gang of 10' proposal (which both McCain and Obama will vote for)... but I hope for a lot more (renewable energy) to be included. It remains to be seen whether progressive lawmakers in the HOuse will continue to do nothing, or take a leadership position and craft a better bill.

Update [2008-8-1 15:45:9 by Todd Beeton]:Rep. Mike Rogers twittering from Rep. John Culberson's twitter account:

This cong mike rogers. Please stand up for an american made energy!! For our national security and our economic security!! Your voice counts

I know they think this is a winning issue but honestly, the problem with our addiction to foreign oil isn't that it's foreign...it's that it's oil. And by the way, once oil companies drill that American oil, will it stay in America? Of course not, it will be sold on the world market. You want to trumpet American oil, fine, make sure it stays in America. They'd never do that, of course, because their buddies in big oil won't let them.

Tags: House (all tags)

Permalink :: 23 Comments :: Post a Comment

Morons (2.00 / 1)

They are acting like dodos heading for the cliff.

by RandyMI on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:04:08 PM EST

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

Obama moves to support the compromise bill that will allow offshore drilling:

Ok, my instinct is to think that this is a very big deal and something to be angry about. However, I don't know very much about the legislation. Someone educate me -- is Obama's shift something to be concerned about? Is Congress about to enable oil companies to rape Florida?

by blueflorida on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:18:15 PM EST

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

Congress is about to let Florida allow oil companies to rape Florida. Florida still would not be required to allow new leases in its waters. However, with Crist in charge and angling for the Republican VP spot...

For me it's not so much something to get angry over as just a huge let-down. Obama needs to stop letting the Republicans define the frames for this election. He didn't back down on the gas tax holiday, I have no clue why he backed down on this.

Proud member of the Wikipedia Generation of American politics

by BishopRook on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:23:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (none / 0)

Thanks. It's all in Crist's hands now - oh joy.

by blueflorida on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:37:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (none / 0)

Well, Crist used to be against drilling. Who knows anymore though.

Proud member of the Wikipedia Generation of American politics

by BishopRook on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:42:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

It's just kind of stunning how tax cuts and privatization have become the default and generic "plan" for "doing something" about just about every issue under the sun once conditions get difficult.

I guess I understand the politics of the gas price issue and therefore Obama's endorsement of the compromise, but change requires conflict and confrontation. Surely, Obama knows this. I look forward to the day, (and perhaps we'll have to wait 'til he's in the white house) when the guy actually (finally) plants his feet and fights forward.

by blueflorida on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:52:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

I just learned a facinating fact about oil production in America vs Canada and Europe.

In America, when oil companies drill on US public land (you know the song, "this is our land") the oil companies are required to fork over 17% of their profits to the government.

In canada and europe in is in the 20's.

This is profit, not net income.

And lets not forget, oil is not an American product, it is a global product.

If the US wants clean hands, at the least SELL the land, dont let Exxon humiliate us year after year by only giving us a 17% cut.

Funny too how the 17% cut is almost the same as the tax bracket of ceo's and millionaires (I LOVE paying 33%!

by DemsLandslide2008 on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 04:39:27 PM EST
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Re: House floor scene (none / 0)

It is amazing but Exxon paid over $30 billion in taxes last quarter.

by dMarx on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:33:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

Did you hear that Warren Buffet offered a million dollar prize to any CEO who proved they paid the same percentage in taxes as their secretary?

Do you know how many people collected the million?

Zero.

by DemsLandslide2008 on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:51:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

No, you shouldn't be angry. You should hope he works actively to include renewable efforts in the bill.

by Jerome Armstrong on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:23:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

...What?? (2.00 / 1)

The senators highlighted one key aspect of their drilling proposals -- the oil would have to stay inside the U.S. and not be sold to foreign countries.

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Oil is a fungible good with a global market. If it gets drilled and extracted and put into the market, it doesn't matter where it gets sold, it's just being added to the world supply.

The fact that they included something like this just goes to show that the entire "Gang of 10" is about nothing but political pandering.

What's worse, it includes opening up ANWR. Fucking ANWR. We've been fighting this goddamn fight for thirty years, and they're going to just throw it away on a whim.

Obama must recognize that, with this "Gang of 10," and the Republicans voting party-line, they have more than 51 votes and can thus push their agenda through. But he should not defend these people, and certainly shouldn't sign on with them.

Landrieu, Nelson (FL), Pryor, Lincoln, and Conrad should be ashamed of themselves. Let's get some primary challengers, let's get them now.

Proud member of the Wikipedia Generation of American politics

by BishopRook on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:36:10 PM EST

Re: ...What?? (none / 0)

What is the difference? It's fungible, and we have far more demand than supply. Are the oil companies really interested in shipping American oil to Europe just so they can pay to import more Middle Eastern oil here?

If someone can score political points by mandating something that's going to be done anyway, who really cares.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:48:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: ...What?? (2.00 / 1)

Well first off:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications /the-world-factbook/print/us.html

We export 1.048 million barrels of oil per day, and import 13.15 million barrels. 7.276 million barrels of our domestic production is consumed here.

Yeah, it don't make much sense.

But it's the very fact that is is political point-scoring that steams me. They're threatening our future for political points.

Proud member of the Wikipedia Generation of American politics

by BishopRook on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 04:06:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: ...What?? (2.00 / 1)

Like I tell alot of people, the oil industry is one of the most complex to understand.

Alot of unknowns on our part, and ALOT of excuses on their part.

I will never claim to understand this business completely, which is why I am so vigilant.

And as I said in Jerome's last thread on this (and got blasted for) Thank GOD that gas in america is slowly reaching the WORLD market price of 6$ a gallon. It was an unfortunate but necessary step to spur innovation and policy changes.

It was gonna happen, just wish it happened earlier.
Does anyone remember ANY urgency to move to more efficiency before this year?
Do you remember the GOP talking point that Democrats wanted to destroy American culture and soverinity by raising Cafe standards (circa 99-01)

I got real sick of people calling me a dork and a nerd because I drive a 50 mpg diesel car, and my father has a solar water heater for his house and pool (zero energy used).

Now we are just viewed as smart.

(BTW> Check out Solar water heaters if you have direct sun hitting your roof. We just got it this summer, costs 2-3 grand and you have FREE hot water all summer. I will write a diary in September to report on it's performance)

by DemsLandslide2008 on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:15:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: ...What?? (2.00 / 1)

Actually, to be fair, although it wasn't such a hot topic in the media, billions have been invested for decades by the government and private industry.

Off shore drilling is not the answer, so why sweat it? It won't change the need for alternatives. And it won't slow down the progress being made in that area.

This is the wrong battle to fight. We can't switch to renewables overnight. So we shouldn't be in favor of price spikes in oil.

by dMarx on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:38:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Who owns OCS oil? (2.00 / 1)

Seriously: the US is a nation with sovereignty over a certain territory, so the US 'owns' oil and minerals buried under that territory. But a nation is a people, not just (and sometimes not even) a territory. So doesn't the oil belong to 'we the people'?

Of course, in an important sense, oil doesn't actually belong to anybody while it's sitting underground, any more than it benefits anybody (seller or buyer) while it sits underground. Above ground, it's a valuable commodity. Getting it above ground is a valuable service.

So let's say you have geologic soundings that indicate a large box of diamonds is buried deep under your front lawn, doing nobody any good. You have at least two options:

1. Hire an excavating firm. You pay them for their work. You own the box after they dig it out. The diamonds are yours to sell or to use.

2. Sell digging rights to a diamond dealer. You get some money up front. The dealer owns the box if he can find it. He gets to sell you the diamonds.

As I understand it, 'we the people' pretty much follow the second approach with respect to oil under public territory. We don't hire Halliburton to extract the oil for us; we sell Exxon the right to extract the oil for themselves.

Now why the hell is that?

-- TP

by Rethymniotis on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 04:36:03 PM EST

Re: Who owns OCS oil? (2.00 / 1)

I want to find the article above, but if Exxon wants to drill on OUR land, they just need a permit, and have to give the us government a measly 17% of the PROFIT.

Not a bad deal, cant say Cheney was a stupid man for choosing oil as his business.

Bush was stupid man for failing at it, man his dad must shake his head in disappointment everytime Exxon breaks more and more records and get more and more subsidies.

by DemsLandslide2008 on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 04:41:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Who owns OCS oil? (2.00 / 1)

Wow, an energy apologist. I've seen it all now.

So Exxon is now a pillar of American Patriotism?

You know, let them have the 17%, it will trickle into those 401K funds which we are now losing more and more of.

by DemsLandslide2008 on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:04:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Who owns OCS oil? (none / 0)

Oh pardon me, please keep apologizing for Exxon, I forgot you were a republican troll on this site:

http://www.mydd.com/comments/2008/7/30/1 42524/780/11#11

It's in your nature to want America to fail.

GO GOP GO!

by DemsLandslide2008 on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:07:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

First, whatever '$ Billions' they pay for leases are obviously considerably less than the value of the oil. Oil companies are hardly non-profit organizations.

Second, 61% of Americans owning Exxon stock is not remotely the same as Americans owning 61% of Exxon stock.

Better trolls, please.

-- TP

by Rethymniotis on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:11:57 PM EST

Re: House floor scene (none / 0)

Yea, this guy is the real deal. 100% GOP, have zero doubt it is puma or general trouble maker.

You got to be neck deep in republican feces to be able to spit a talking point like that.

Just got a funny idea, wouldnt it be cool if Matt Groeing (simpsons creator) allowed the use of the "Oil Man" on the simpsons for attack adds by the DNC and moveon.
that would be precious.

by DemsLandslide2008 on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:19:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (none / 0)

You lost me on the part about oil companies not being non-profit. What does that mean? How could they exist if they were non-profit. How can any business survive unless it makes a profit?

by dMarx on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 05:42:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: House floor scene (2.00 / 1)

In case you're being serious, my point is that if demonstrably profitable businesses like the oil companies are clamoring for leases, that's because they expect to make big profits from those leases. They understand that buying leases from us and selling oil to us is great business because of how little we charge for leases and how much we pay for gasoline.

The bigger point is that not every large enterprise has to be a business. The US military does not try to turn a profit. A large-scale effort to extract oil from under the OCS, or ANWR, or any other territory belonging to we the people could be organized as a government agency, like the Pentagon. If we the people decide that our oil is important to drill out of our lands, we can set up our own 'company' to do it for us. We the people get the oil and the profits.

If that seems like too much fuss and bother, we have an alternative: charge enough for the leases, and enough of a royalty, so that oil companies can turn a decent profit and nothing more. Their lust for drilling is evidence that, under current leasing rules, they expect obscene profits. If merely decent profit were on the table, they might have decided it's not worth buying John McCain, for instance.

The fact is, Republicans are not interested in providing cheap oil to Americans, except by providing huge profits for their oil-industry backers. Otherwise, they might give at least passing mention to the notion of 'non-profit' drilling.

-- TP

by Rethymniotis on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 06:27:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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