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Turn out the lights, the party’s over (or perhaps not)

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There’s probably a general impression among voters that the House of Representatives is a silly, dysfunctional institution, made up of a few too many people who love to hear themselves talk, but aren’t especially fond of governing.

Today is perhaps the single best example in recent history of lawmakers going out of their way to prove that caricature right. John Bresnahan has the story:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House and turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi’s refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m. and are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess.

At one point, the lights went off in the House and the microphones were turned off in the chamber, meaning Republicans were talking in the dark. But as Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) was speaking, the lights went back on, and the microphones have been turned on as well.

Before you rush to C-SPAN to watch the circus unfold, don’t bother — C-SPAN isn’t broadcasting this. In fact, no one is actually watching this unusually stupid display except the Republican House members, their staffers, some tourists in the gallery, and some reporters who happen to be around.

But the GOP seems quite excited to play this little game, whether anyone can see it or not.

House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) issued a statement reading, “Although, this Democrat [sic] Majority just Adjourned for the Democrat [sic]5-Week Vacation, House Republicans are continuing to fight on the House Floor. Although the lights, mics and C-SPAN camera’s have been turned off, House Republicans are on the Floor speaking to the tax payers [sic] in the gallery who, not surprisingly, agree with Republican Energy proposals.”

The point of the spectacle is … well, it’s not quite clear what the point is. Republicans apparently want some tourists to know that they support drilling the coasts for oil. It wouldn’t lower the price of gas, and wouldn’t help consumers in any way, but darn it all, they really want to talk about drilling anyway.

When the lights went out in the chamber a second time, Republicans “cheered,” apparently perceiving a debate in the dark (literally and figuratively) works to their advantage. Or something.

Apparently, the latest update indicates that GOP leaders are looking for a “bullhorn.”

Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) told reporters, “I love this. Congress can be so boring… This is a kick.”

It’s hard to overstate how truly ridiculous these unhinged fools really are. One wonders how long it will take for the Republican Party to rediscover the value of acting like grown-ups.

Update: I was talking to a source at the DNC about this, who said, “Republicans must think Big Oil is paying them by the hour.”

Nice one.

Comments

  • GuyFromOhio

    says:

    At one point, the lights went off in the House and the microphones were turned off in the chamber, meaning Republicans were talking in the dark.

    And that is different from Republican business as usual … how?

  • jimBOB

    says:

    It suits their self-description as brave fighters against long odds, unbowed by setbacks, persevering in the face of ridicule and scorn.

    Also it keeps them from having to face their home districts, where the GOP brand is toxic as hell and people may take out their loathing of GWB on them.

  • Racer X

    says:

    The Democrats should leave the lights on and the microphones on, and the cameras rolling, with the Republicans on display for all to see, with a message at the bottom of the screen showing how much money the oil companies have given to each member speaking and to the RNC.

    Whine away, Republicans, and make it extra stupid. Your bosses at ExxonMobil don’t pay you to make sense, they pay you to make noise.

  • joey

    says:

    These Publicans are no doubt drunk or drinking heavily, slobbering over each other and singing old drilling songs. Boehner no doubt is already bawling his eyes out crying on Blunts shoulder about being so misunderstood. The Publican party is detrimental to democracy and act more like an under age 12 smack down wrestling crowd…not lawmakers.

  • Winkandanod

    says:

    At least their showing their base (oil companies) a little effort. When in the same position, Democrats cravenly shuffled off without so much as gritting their teeth.

  • Shalimar

    says:

    What Racer X said. For Republicans to even pretend to give a damn about high gas prices is the height of hypocrisy. They work for the oil companies, not the American people.

  • JWK

    says:

    Anyone care to remember that the Democrats adjourned the House at 11:23 this morning in order to avoid a vote on offshore drilling? Politicians play games, yes, but that’s a two-way street. The Democrats had their game by adjourning early for a recess to avoid a vote. Why not let the Republicans have theirs?

  • Larry Wiech

    says:

    This proves that the Dems have no interest in doing anything to reduce gas prices. The would rather ignore the issue, go on vacation and hope it goes away. Guess what, the American people are speaking and it seems that one the Republicans are listening. The Dems want to make sure the gas prices stay high until November 5th to keep them as a campaign issue to hammer President Bush on. Wake up Dems, your time is nearly over

  • R U Sure

    says:

    Hey jimBOB,

    It’s not so much their home districts they are worried about facing; they don’t want to face the oil companies who have contributed to them and tell them they were unsuccessful in opening new lines of profit.

  • edr

    says:

    I think the Democrats are making a mistake. People think drilling for oil off shore will lower prices. t doesn’t matter if it is true or not.
    Why can’t they let it up to the individual states.

  • Jeremy

    says:

    The Dems are missing an oppertunity here, they should use this to show how far the Repubs will go to promote drilling for their oil buddies, but then ask the public when was the last time you saw them do this for minimum wage? education? health care for people who don’t have any? Or just insert any cause that benefits the American public that they have always been against.

  • mp

    says:

    If drilling is such a slam dunk issue for the Dems, then vote on it. Dems have no interest in reducing gas prices, this is just a ploy by Pelosi to protect Obama from having to vote on the issue. Don’t rock the boat before the election! The American people will just have to wait. Politics 1st, America 2nd.

  • james k. sayre

    says:

    Don’t be surprised by this latest antic of the GOP. Bush Republicans do some of their best work in the dark (in the dark of night and in the dark of secret closed meetings). Goofy Old Vampires.

  • Michael

    says:

    It sucks being in the minority. What goes around comes around. This from June 2005. How soon we forget the partisanship when we are the receipients.

    During a hearing on the renewal of the Patriot Act, The the Republican chair walked out of the meeting, turning the microphones off, leaving Democrats screaming into the microphone.

    Rep. Jerrold Nadler D-N.Y., protested, raising his voice as his microphone went off, came back on, and went off again.

    “We are not besmirching the honor of the United States, we are trying to uphold it,” he said.

    Democrats asked for the hearing, the 11th the committee has held on the act since April, saying past hearings had been too slanted toward witnesses who supported the law. The four witnesses were from groups, including Amnesty International USA and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, that have questioned the constitutionality of some aspects of the act, which allows law enforcement greater authority to investigate suspected terrorists.

  • locanicole

    says:

    You said..”It’s hard to overstate how truly ridiculous these unhinged fools really are.”..

    shouldn’t that say “..unhinged TOOLS..”?

  • Doctor Biobrain

    says:

    These people really don’t understand how this works. Unfortunately for them, all the smart Republicans were too corrupt for their own good (DeLay, Gingrich, Lott) and were forced out, and now they’re stuck with all the mindless sheep who were too dumb to be egregiously corrupt and were only brought in to follow orders. They know that they’re supposed to fight, they just never understood exactly how to do that.

  • Elaine

    says:

    It’s liberal loones who refuse to solve the problem. Pelosi has a responsibility to the entire nation not just the far left loones!

    Mark my words Pelosi and the dem’s won’t be in control very much longer. She over played her hand and the average American won’t put up with her or her cohorts any longer.

    By the way Go George Walker Bush!!!

  • Joanne

    says:

    Madame Pelosi is so afraid of a House vote on drilling that she not only blocked a vote, but made sure CSPAN cameras were turned off when the Republicans wouldn’t obey her. Old Joe Stalin would be proud.

  • -jayinge-

    says:

    Wow, another troll @ 21, I hope we don’t get into “troll drift” where endless back and forth nonsense spirals into dozens of posts.
    As for the Republicans, their plan is to get the idea of offshore drilling onto the 6:00 news. They’re playing to the journalists to get more free air time for their “message.” Knowing the MSM, the tactic will work.

  • SteveA

    says:

    Spoiled, rotten brats who have bullied the US public for so long and now you are going to hold your breath until you get your way? The next thing you know, you will be calling the other kids name. Oops, you already are doing that. Once more you evil bastards, your oil companies have not put 1 red cent into infrastructure so adding oil capacity without refining ability is like you wetting your pants in a dark suit. You will know that feeling this November when your reputations finally become at risk and you start pointing at each other just like kids do that do not want to take blame for the destruction they have caused.

  • DB

    says:

    So, for all the GOPers posting on here, how exactly, if it had been passed today, would this offshore drilling bring down prices immediately?

    If it passed, and prices didn’t drop significantly within months, would you hold the GOP congresspeople who are mindlessly in favor of this accountable for their words and at times misleading talking points? Or, my guess is that if the prices didn’t drop, the GOP would still blame the Democrats, and in which case, would you simply go along with the chorus? Or hold the Republicans to their rhetoric?

    And for the GWB fan up above, you bitch about the Dems and gas prices and then say “Go G Dub!” Did you ever notice that anytime our forces have any kind of tiff with Iran or your brilliant leader makes some saber rattling comment about their nation, gas prices seem to jump up? I just wonder how you can complain about gas prices and yet champion a man whose words and deeds can(and do) tend to send gas prices higher.

    Remember, it was your hero GWB who said during the 2000 race that 30-something dollars a barrel for oil was proof positive of the failure of Clinton’s energy policy. He sure did something about that all right.

    I guess this answers my original question of whether the republicans on this site will hold their leaders accountable for their words.

  • Shalimar

    says:

    By the way Go George Walker Bush!!!

    If you’re still a Bush fan after everything he’s done, you’re either obscenely rich or incredibly stupid.

  • jmichaeldavid

    says:

    I’m with JEREMY and a couple of others… I think the demonstration is effective for the Republicans and the Dems are once again missing the boat not pointing out this is all being done to make more money for their rich cohorts and suck more money out of the American economy.

  • Jim

    says:

    This is beautiful. I am neither a Republican, nor a Democrat, but I am amazed at the lack of understanding of fundamental economics displayed by the majority of posters who agree with the author.

    If Pelosi and the Democrats really want to bring down oil prices, they would allow the vote. The truth is, they want oil prices to rise even more. Many of the reasons why oil prices are so high are directly attributable to Democrat policies. I could give a three hour lecture on this, but my time would be wasted on the closed minds and ignorance of many on this forum.

  • knobandtube

    says:

    If gasoline is so very expensive, why are oil companies post record profits quarter after quarter? Why is the solution to give oil companies the right to continue doing environmental damage while raking in the profits from us.

    No more drilling isn’t what we need. Competition and alternative sources of energy is what we need.

  • euthyfro

    says:

    About time She realized she was the Speaker of the House & had majority control of congress.
    Everyone knows if the shoe was on the other foot the republicans would have walked out (& they did walk about something a couple months ago).
    Guess what? We’re still pretending this is a democracy so the majority has the right of way here, besides, Bush is ready to take his last month long vacation as well.

  • Kevin Hayden

    says:

    Many of the reasons why oil prices are so high are directly attributable to Democrat policies.

    Yet the main reasons remain the Bush neocons decisions to start a war in Iraq, to not tap the oil reserve, to not permit a windfall profits tax, and to make pretend the Saudis are working to bring oil prices down. with friends like that, we need enemas.

  • rub2sticks

    says:

    There is one thing for sure, WE DO NEED CHANGE! Let’s start with Speaker of the House! Are you kidding me? A majority of the nation saying DRILL!!!!! What gives her the right to refuse and put out the lights?

    We need REAL change, not empty slogans. One thing Americans have to wake up to is all the foolishness we are putting up with in this country by our government. We are throwing good money for bad in Washington.

    So let’s have some CHANGE in Washington, let’s change the Senate Majority Leader! That would be a most recommended change. As a matter of fact a good majority of our so called “Representative Government” need to “leave and not let the door slam their backsides if you catch my drift. Best pensions, best insurance, cars, drivers, traveling to exotic ports and perks that your average American could only dream of!

    How nice it must be; while a majority of Americans, rich and poor, all races and creeds suffer with overwhelmingly high fuel costs, rising food costs and a declining real estate market.

    No matter where any American lands on the political spectrum clear heads need to prevail, compromises must be reached or else this country will wallow in stagnation until we crumble from within. We all want the best that this country has to offer and a vast majority of Americans want a cleaner environment. Should we revert back to the Paleolithic era because environment becomes too sacred to touch? We certainly need to come together again as a nation and stop quibbling and apply some plain old common sense.

    There has to be a certain amount of symbiosis between the environment and energy research and exploration. What reason is there we can not attain self sufficiency while preserving and minimizing the impact on the environment? It is just good sense to strive to a greener way of life, it certainly raises the quality of life. The hard cold reality is we need petroleum for more than just fuel, it’s practically in everything we use , from plastic sandwich bags to chapstick, counter tops to computers. We still need lubricants as well. Alternatives are around the corner sure, like the MIT discovery just recently that can efficiently store solar energy. This is the “MISSING LINK” we have needed since the discovery of solar energy. A fantastic discovery that will make a MAJOR impact on carbon free energy. Sadly it is not immediately available today. What do we do until then? DRILL! Just the ban being lifted will send ripples through the whole market and will signal the world that we can be innovative AND self sufficient. We are sending all our money and innovation overseas. We can’t be isolationists, however, plain old common sense needs to prevail.

    Our so called Representatives in government need to act, they need to act now and they need to act upon the will of the American voice!. They have failed us for long enough. Parlor tricks, dramatics and scandal is what we have been putting up with. They need to do what’s right and abide by the will of the people or suffer the consequence in the voting booth. Change IS what we need. It starts from the bottom up. We the PEOPLE are in control of our destiny, WE are provided by the Constitution a voice to decide as a whole what our destiny is as a nation, not our government. Change we CAN!

    If you don’t vote, you can’t have change but for the love of Pete, get educated on who you are voting for so we can have REAL CHANGE.

  • bob

    says:

    A little biased aren’t we?
    Let’s just have the oil companies stop. Just stop period. No oil at all. Where would we be then. If this oil thing is so bad, tell me what the alternative is. And if 10 years is to long to wait, how long is an acceptable amount of time for a solution you would agree with?

    I hear whining, but no solutions. Just whining.

  • Hannah

    says:

    You all should read this from Think Progress:
    http://thinkprogress.org/2008/08/01/house-stunt-on-gas-prices/
    House conservatives engaged in political theater today, storming the floor after Congress was adjourned “to attack Democrats for leaving town without doing something to lower gas prices.” Politico reports, “At one point, the lights went off in the House and the microphones were turned off in the chamber, meaning Republicans were talking in the dark.”

    “Bring the Congress back. Let’s have a real up or down vote,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) proclaimed. In fact, there was a real up or down vote on gas prices just two days before. And Boehner is well aware of it because he was responsible for ensuring it didn’t pass. Dan Weiss explains on the Wonk Room what occurred this week:

    During yesterday’s vote on the Commodity Markets and Transparency Act (H.R. 6604) to rein in oil profiteers, House Republican leaders pressured 13 of their members to switch their vote from “yes” to “no.” Thanks to these strong arm tactics and weak members, the bill to lower gasoline prices by controlling profiteers failed by a vote of 276-151, falling ten votes shy of the two-thirds majority required for passage under the suspension of the House rules. Once again, the GOP leadership used their power to help keep oil prices and profits high, while hurting the average driver.

    Boehner strong-armed his own conservative members to ensure a bill didn’t pass because he wanted to engage in today’s political theatrics. After killing a bill that would have addressed gas prices, House conservatives have decided they want to blow hot air in the dark.
    ~~~~~~~~
    Why am I not surprised? There are a few more paragraphs at the link; be sure to read them.

  • Bruno

    says:

    this is all nice and well… I have to agree with edr

    Why not just allow the drilling. Make sure the small print says that they first have to drill in the places they already have leases for. Make sure the Republicans take credit for it.

    Allow them to glow and gloat. When October comes around, Make sure that ALL democrats ask their opponents why those gas prices haven’t come down yet? Isn’t that what they were advocating for and promised their constituents.

    I think that would be far more effective. Sure I rather have them not drill, but the average voter, doesn’t understand…. remember those ‘low information’ voters…. They vote based on their wallet. Even an unrealistic promise of cheaper gas, if we drill, will make them believe the Repubs.

    Take that away from them, by letting them PROOF how quick the oil prices will go down when the bill passes.

    Let’s observe how they’ll start back paddling and change the goal posts.

  • Hannah

    says:

    #37 Bruno, I like your idea that they must first drill on the land they already have leases on. But as I understand it, there is no equipment available because they used their enormous profits to enrich themselves rather than buying new drills, etc. or for exploration. It could be pretty entertaining… Hmmm… Unfortunately the Rs would never vote for that stipulation. But then they would, once again, be the obstructionists.

    It would be nice if the lamestream media would counter every lie about drilling with some, you know, facts.

    PS to Bruno, thanks for your reply to my post on my son a couple of days back. He was diagnosed by a nationally-recognized expert in the field, so I’m confident that the ADHD and ODD diagnoses are correct. And the symptoms of bi-polar definitely don’t fit him.

  • Rick

    says:

    What is Ms. Bug-eye Pelosi afraid of? Lower oil prices would save her thousands on plastic surgery! She is afraid to be exposed as a careless slut who doesn’t give a rip about American citizens. She knows her NO vote would be a kiss of death, so she pulls the plug to avoid the vote. Riiiiiight……. I think her last face lift is a little too tight. Now she has a bigger problem on her hands. Like it or not, the MAJORITY of Americans want drilling, and know she is against it. Have a nice vacation, you ignorant bitch!

  • Bruno

    says:

    Rick @ 39 said: What is Ms. Bug-eye Pelosi afraid of?

    Nothing. All she did is do what Republicans did a lot of when they were in charge.

    As usual, it did show how petty and immature republicans really are. But then again, what’s new.

    Facts having a liberal bias, I’d like to state: It does hurt when Republicans are forced to do things they had the Democrats go through. The Republicans should be happy that they are at least allowed to sit at the table with the grown-ups. That could not be said about the years they were in charge; when they ignored the Democrats as if they were not part of the Chamber.

    I guess being allowed to sit at the table with the grown-ups does not guarantee that Republicans actually act like grown-ups

  • ODIrony

    says:

    Whether spontaneous or planned, the point is still valid. Speaker Pelosi is on record that she will not allow the question to be debated. In the movie 1776, the boozy old representative from Rhode Island favors voting for debate on “independency” saying, “I never heard of an idea so dangerous you couldn’t talk about it!” I guess, the idea that the US could work towards ‘independency’ from foreign oil while also investigating the other options is too dangerous for Speaker Pelosi and friends. So much for the great new Democrat ideas and bi-partisanship.

  • Antonius

    says:

    Look, folks, there’s a reason the oil companies want to be able to drill offshore, and it’s not because they want to drill offshore, at least, not yet. All the leases they have for drilling on federal land are understood as assets in Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP). A vote to allow offshore drilling and the the subsequent grant of leases increases the book value of the winning companies, and hence, presumably, the stock price. This is a short term plan to boost the next quarter’s market capitalization and the long-term value of the company without spending more than the pocket money contributed to the political parties.

    And, for the numerically challenged among you, in ten years offshore drilling in the USA would drop gas prices about 3 cents a gallon, and only if the supply isn’t throttled downward by other factors, such as refinery capacity or increased demand. Drill offshore, drill the arctic, and pave the western USA in oil rigs, and the result will still be high gas prices. Oil is a limited commodity, and demand is rising on a steep curve.

  • Neurogeek

    says:

    Wow, I hate libs so much it makes me want to scream. The US is the largest repositor of oil in the world, yet we’re not allowed to drill our own oil because the enviro-nazis won’t let us. People say “even if we could drill, the gas prices wouldn’t lower”…. okay, why? Oh, it’s because all of the bark-humping liberals haven’t allowed us to build a new refinery in over 3 decades. Of course the growing industrialization in countries like China and India are a huge factor in the higher cost of oil, yet the tree huggers are going to blame Bush for the rising prices.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of Dubya myself, but let’s make sure that we point the finger in the right direction here. Environmental extremists block the building of refineries, they block drilling for more oil, and then they point the finger at the president (who, by the way, already lifted the executive ban on drilling). Typical bulls–t politics.

    Now before all you Republicans start cheering at my comments, you neocon bastards don’t have anything to be proud of either. You are supposed to be the party of small government, less spending and lower taxes and you have f–ked that up and ruined your party with run away spending and war. What right do we have as a superpower to preemptively attack another country whether we think they’re dangerous or not?!?!? Tell me this, if someone who looked shady was standing in front of my house, what right do I have to go beat the piss out of him because “I thought he was going to attack me”? None, you jackasses! I would go to jail. And then you wonder why Americans are hated around the world. Then you Republicans whine about losing power in Washington… well you get what you deserve. Get back to your roots and try to find your party.

    Nothing is ever going to get done in Washington. If all of you bark-humping liberals like the higher taxes and more government programs so much GTFO and move to Europe where they live, eat, and breathe Keynesian economics.

    Now for more of a fundamental question, since there seems to be a lot of partisan smoke being blown each way around here. What right does the government have to take our money? Do they own us? Do they own our labor? If the Democrats have their way and the more money you make the more you get taxed, what incentive do people have to make themselves successful? If the welfare state progresses as the Dems want it to, where is the incentive to work hard?

    Follow this thought process: If I work hard I’m going to get taxed more and see very little in return for my hard work because the government is just going to take it anyway…. maybe I’ll just sit on the couch smoking pot and playing video games.

    That is the thought process of a lot of people, and I for one am sick of paying 40% of what I make for a government that is not representing me and is far too busy playing partisan political bulls–t games, and selling our children down the river for their own personal gain! Screw Washington!

  • rub2sticks

    says:

    Antonius, no one wants to “pave the western USA” as you say. What I believe the ultimate goal is, or should be is self sufficiency. When the good people of this fine country rally together to meet a challenge, we usually accomplish what we set out to do. We all know oil is a limited commodity, but I see no proposal from you on any alternative. I think we can realize a goal of more alternative sources, greener sources, carbon free sources of energy within a 10 year time frame, however, what are our alternatives until then? Where’s the stopgap?

    When President Bush announced (July 14th) lifting the offshore oil ban, the market reacted immediately –(Bush Says Drill, Drill, Drill — and Oil Drops $9!)and when Harry Reid finally announced that he would allow the bill to come to the floor, the price dropped another $3. Combine that with our decreased consumption and an unsure economic future prices at the pump on average have dropped about $0.15 a gallon (AAA Auto Club) since it’s highest point.

    “People are waking up to the fact that prices have an impact on demand and that what happens in the U.S. gasoline market has a worldwide impact,” said Daniel Yergin, the chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates,

    So in 1 month, oil prices dropped based on a combination of things and drilling was one of the factors. I guess the point is made Americans DO have clout in the world oil markets.

    Oil leases DO NOT guarantee there are mineral deposits. On the other hand, haphazardly putting more leases on the table without some sort of measure to insure that the oil companies explore on the leased lands within a certain time frame or loose the lease is warranted. Not being an oil expert, a reasonable time frame can be quite subjective in my point, however does not negate the idea. That should be left up to the congress and oil companies to square away on.

    This has been a wake up call for all Americans to become self sufficient AGAIN, work together to solve a problem, a united goal to be energy independent or near carbon free by the 10 year mark, while building more refineries and drilling where we KNOW there is oil. Some may say this is an incongruent statement, however what else can we do? Until something that’s practical, cost effective and can be purchased by all, we need oil.We need to exploit the oil that we are sitting on without foreign dependence or at the very least minimal dependence.

    Higher prices at the pump certainly slowed down our consumption on the flip side of that how long can America endure higher fuel costs? Higher energy/fuel costs most certainly contributed to our economic downturn, contributed to a weaker dollar and keeps the threat of inflation looming on the horizon. All things being cyclical, we also need to remember that Presidential Elections always influence Wall Street negatively.

    I maintain this is a call for level headed thinking and staying away from extremist propaganda and talking points. Some compromise will eventually HAVE to come into play. We can drill safely, efficiently AND within a certain time frame that DOES have an effect on price. We can protect the environment, put measures into place to minimize environmental impact while continuing to search for alternative resources like windfarms, atomic, solar. All have to be considered. Personally, I think solar combined with hydrogen makes the most sense and with MIT’s announcement mentioned in my previous post looks promising.

    This is not the time for partisans to dig in or extremist viewpoints, it is time for the people’s voice to be heard which Nancy Palosi has deemed herself the “Guardian” and refuses to LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD. Remember folks, this was simply a call to bring it to the floor for a VOTE to bring the people some relief BEFORE a 5 week hiatus.