Strong Arm Tactics Help Pass Energy Bill

Dennis Hastert (R-IL), known for his fascist, strong-arm tactics as House Leader resorted to those very same tactics to pass an energy bill in Congress today. The legislation, HR 3893, a bill on oil drilling, refining, and pricing will gut environmental standards in favor of building more oil refineries. At the time, the vote was 212 Nay to 210 Yea so therefore the legislation would have been defeated. That's when the "fun" began. Under normal circumstances, only 5 minutes are allotted for voting, but this time Republicans refused to close the voting for 40 minutes until enough votes had switched to pass the energy bill. Reuters reports: When over two dozen Republicans initially voted no, DeLay, Barton, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and new Majority Leader Roy Blunt circled the chamber to cajole holdouts. Republican Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland was the last to switch. With the tally stuck at 211-211, Gilchrest changed his vote, making it 212-210. Barton promptly shook his hand and Republican Mike Simpson, who presided over the vote, gaveled it to an end. 13 Republicans, voted with 196 Democrats and 1 independent against the bill. No Democrats voted for it. There were 6 Democrats who did not vote. However they were all out of town as were 6 Republicans. Shouts of "shame, shame, shame" rang out from the Democratic side of the aisle as the gavel came down passing the bill 212-210. A video is available of the proceedings from CNN HERE. This legislation exloits the tragedies of Hurricane Katrina and Rita to push through failed energy and air policies the Republican leadership in the House wasn't able to get into the Energy Bill passed earlier this year. The Sierra Club released a statement on the contents of this legislation on October 3rd which warned of the dangers of the legislation: Right now they are working with the energy industry to exhume those failed energy policies that make America less safe and more dependent on oil - including eliminating safeguards for building new refineries and creating a scheme to weaken clean air and water protections that only benefit polluting industries. "America faces a stark choice in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Millions of Americans will be struck with steep home-heating bills, and many have been hurt by skyrocketing gas prices which had already been climbing. Facing this challenge, we can either continue relying on the polluting, fragile infrastructure that led to our current energy problems - or we can embrace a new energy future. "The energy bill being voted on this Friday in the House of Representatives (HR 3893) fails to propose productive solutions and instead offers more of the same goodies off of the oil and utility industry wish-list. Environmental lawyers called the the vote a "shameful abuse of power". I agree with the Democratic sentiment of "shame, shame, shame". This legislation does nothing but give massive subsidies to energy companies and removes key public health and environmental protections. All this while they rack up record profits. The Republican leadership of Delay, Blunt, Hassert and Barton show once again the corruption and strong-arm tactics that prevail in the Republican Caucus and just how inconsequential the people who are REAL REPUBLICANS are. It is time these members of the Republican Party who represent less government and fiscal responsibility stand up and demand their Party back. This bill also requires Senate approval. Contact your Senator Democrat or Republican and let them know you do not approve of this bill or the strong-armed tactics that took place to get it to them in the Senate. You can contact your Senator HERE.