Tentative victory on Arctic Refuge:
By on Dec 21st, 2005 at 12:59 pm
Tentative victory on Arctic Refuge:
A vote to end debate on the 2006 Defense Appropriations Bill (where Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens stuck the drilling amendment) just failed, 56-44. Hotline’s On Call: “It now returns to conference, where members will likely strip the ANWR plank from the text and resubmit it for a vote.”
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Congress is growing a spine? Wow, lets see how it holds up under the load of the fascist spin machine…
December 21st, 2005 at 1:08 pmThey are going to need a lot of energy for this, Ryan. I hope it lasts. What the hell is wrong with Ted Stevens anyway? Geez…
December 21st, 2005 at 1:10 pmSo, what does it take to make it PERMANENT? I thought this was done a while ago. I guess I was wrong.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:11 pmI am so very glad they failed to get this passed. It would just be wrong to do what they are trying to do. I know that was just the first round, but “Right” is our our side, they can’t win them all.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:21 pmIf there’re able to drill in ANWAR, they’ll be able to Drill ANYWHERE!
December 21st, 2005 at 1:25 pmI didn’t get why Frist voted against his own party. Seemed strange at the time.
If the GOP wants oil so badly, maybe they should attack a country that has lots of oil and put in a puppet government?
December 21st, 2005 at 1:26 pmBreakdown of the vote:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00364#position
All of McCain’s disgust, etc., didn’t keep him from voting with the GOP (greed over protection).
December 21st, 2005 at 1:29 pmOut of the entire State of Alaska, I believe ANWR is the “last place” they couldn’t drill. I think the California and Florida coasts are the only two other places they can’t drill.
Oil on Ice is a good documentary showing the people there and what would be destroyed. The Curse of Oil is another good one on the pollution caused in Alaska.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:31 pmRyan, I am feeling positive, but only because it is an election year and repubs need to give the “impression” of being warm and fuzzy.
For whatever ulterior motive they have for thinking of others, I’ll take it. Of course, I know what they really want and I know their version of the crusades hasn’t ended.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:36 pm#8, toys, I don’t get why Frist voted the way he did either since he gave a speech (11/3/2005) stating “The oil in ANWR is critical to our economic and national security.”
Link: http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Speeches.Detail&Speech_id=311&Month=11&Year=2005.
Maybe it was to employ the same tactic last week when voting on cloture for the Patriot Act and he switched his vote at the last minute (first he was for it before he was against it).
December 21st, 2005 at 1:38 pmI spent a week and a half in Alaska a couple years ago, and am RELIEVED that this atrocity has been defeated. Alaska is truly the last wild frontier left in America. And we need to keep it that way!
December 21st, 2005 at 1:38 pmFound why Frist voted no: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist was among those who for procedural reasons cast a “no” vote, so that he could bring the drilling issue up for another vote.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:40 pmAnyone see that fossil Ted Stevens’ HULK necktie yesterday on CSPAN? I guess we know who “his people” are.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:41 pm#12, thanks. Figured it had to be something like that.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:42 pmScary thatTed Stevens is President Pro Temp… Anyone know how that happened?
December 21st, 2005 at 1:42 pm#3
So, what does it take to make it PERMANENT? I thought this was done a while ago. I guess I was wrong.
You can never guarantee a thing will be permanant, especially when it comes to politics. All it takes is a new law to revoke the previous one, and the ‘permanant’ protection is gone.
As it stands, this is just Ted Stevens trying to get more lobbying money for himself. The North Slope has better oil-production capabilities, but it’s further out than ANWR, which means less profit for the oil companies. That’s why they’re pushing ANWR instead, which is a shame.
December 21st, 2005 at 1:47 pmDid anyone watch Boxer yesterday? She brought up the ANWR, the impeachment and pulling out of Iraq. Total quiet in the Senate especially when she said “impeachment.” Figured since it is so quiet I’d bring it up.
http://boxer.senate.gov/speeches/20051220-Iraq.cfm
December 21st, 2005 at 1:50 pm#12 Time to start the “Frist voted against our troops” campaign.
December 21st, 2005 at 2:20 pm#18 – please do. We’ll start a campaign for Democrats. Kerry had to assure us that it wasn’t about the troops. You know – since he has habit of slandering them.
December 21st, 2005 at 3:43 pmAndy,
Funny you would talk about slandering the troops, consider republicans have done this for years. You must be taking notes from mike brown on how to be an ignorant and ineffective worker, because your ‘trolling’ is really sadly incompetent.
“President Clinton is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation’s armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy.”
-Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)
“No goal, no objective, not until we have those things and a compelling case is made, then I say, back out of it, because innocent people are going to die for nothing. That’s why I’m against it.”
-Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/5/99
“American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy.”
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy.”
-Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of presidential candidate George W. Bush
Why did they demoralize our brave men and women in uniform?
“I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning…I didn’t think we had done enough in the diplomatic area.”
-Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
“You think Vietnam was bad? Vietnam is nothing next to Kosovo.”
-Tony Snow, Fox News 3/24/99
“Well, I just think it’s a bad idea. What’s going to happen is they’re going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years”
-Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
“I’m on the Senate Intelligence Committee, so you can trust me and believe me when I say we’re running out of cruise missles. I can’t tell you exactly how many we have left, for security reasons, but we’re almost out of cruise missles.”
-Senator Inhofe (R-OK)
“I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our overextended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today”
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“I don’t know that Milosevic will ever raise a white flag”
-Senator Don Nickles (R-OK)
“Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?”
-Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99
Why didn’t they support our president in a time of war?
“Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is.”
-Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)
“This is President Clinton’s war, and when he falls flat on his face, that’s his problem.”
-Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)
“The two powers that have ICBMs that can reach the United States are Russia and China. Here we go in. We’re taking on not just Milosevic. We can’t just say, ‘that little guy, we can whip him.’ We have these two other powers that have missiles that can reach us, and we have zero defense thanks to this president.”
-Senator James Inhofe (R-OK)
“You can support the troops but not the president”
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“My job as majority leader is be supportive of our troops, try to have input as decisions are made and to look at those decisions after they’re made … not to march in lock step with everything the president decides to do.”
-Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
For us to call this a victory and to commend the President of the United States as the Commander in Chief showing great leadership in Operation Allied Force is a farce”
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
Why did they blame America first?
Bombing a sovereign nation for ill-defined reasons with vague objectives undermines the American stature in the world. The international respect and trust for America has diminished every time we casually let the bombs fly.”
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“Once the bombing commenced, I think then Milosevic unleashed his forces, and then that’s when the slaughtering and the massive ethnic cleansing really started”
-Senator Don Nickles (R-OK)
“Clinton’s bombing campaign has caused all of these problems to explode”
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)
“America has no vital interest in whose flag flies over Kosovo’s capital, and no right to attack and kill Serb soldiers fighting on their own soil to preserve the territorial integrity of their own country”
-Pat Buchanan (R)
“These international war criminals were led by Gen. Wesley Clark … who clicked his shiny heels for the commander-in-grief, Bill Clinton.”
-Michael Savage
“This has been an unmitigated disaster … Ask the Chinese embassy. Ask all the people in Belgrade that we’ve killed. Ask the refugees that we’ve killed. Ask the people in nursing homes. Ask the people in hospitals.”
-Representative Joe Scarborough (R-FL)
“It is a remarkable spectacle to see the Clinton Administration and NATO taking over from the Soviet Union the role of sponsoring “wars of national liberation.”
-Representative Helen Chenoweth (R-ID)
“America has no vital interest in whose flag flies over Kosovo’s capital, and no right to attack and kill Serb soldiers fighting on their own soil to preserve the territorial integrity of their own country”
-Pat Buchanan (R)
“By the order to launch air strikes against Serbia, NATO and President Clinton have entered uncharted territory in mankind’s history. Not even Hitler’s grab of the Sudetenland in the 1930s, which eventually led to WW II, ranks as a comparable travesty. For, there are no American interests whatsoever that the NATO bombing will either help, or protect; only needless risks to which it exposes the American soldiers and assets, not to mention the victims on the ground in Serbia.”
-Bob Djurdjevic, founder of Truth in Media
December 21st, 2005 at 3:50 pmRyan – trashing Clinton is not quite the same as accusing the troops of terrorizing women and children in Iraq. AND don’t forget Dick Turban.
The problem with your argument is you are pointing out some tough language Republicans used against Clinton, not the troops. On more than one occassion, leading Democrats have trashed the troops to score points. IT’s just not the same – you’ll figure out soon buddy!
December 21st, 2005 at 3:56 pm#21 In all of your smugness, you are the one that doesn’t get it. You see what you want to. Stevens doesn’t support the troops or he wouldn’t have given them the screw job. He cares only for himself and it is obvious with that stupid Hulk tie that he thinks will make him powerful. We aren’t fooled here easily and republican whackos (as Delay likes to call ‘em) shouting “you don’t support the troops” and “you are unAmerican” is transparent, unimaginative and really just blatant trickery.
Not fooled here.
December 21st, 2005 at 4:10 pm#21
The problem with your argument is you are pointing out some tough language Republicans used against Clinton, not the troops. On more than one occassion, leading Democrats have trashed the troops to score points. IT’s just not the same – you’ll figure out soon buddy!
Comment by Andy in DE — December 21, 2005 @ 3:56 pm
Ryan gave you many examples to support his stance. Let’s see you come up with some specifics to support your accusations.
There are Democrats that are soldiers too. We do support that most of them jined to fight for our freedom. What we dont support is that Peeping George took advantage of that patriotism and sent them to engage in a dangerous occupation that has NOTHING to do with fighting for freedom. If anyone is abusive to our troops it’s the Busheviks.
December 21st, 2005 at 4:18 pmAndy in DE-nial thinks that a soldier is somebody that goes A.W.O.L while on a drunkin coke binge.
December 21st, 2005 at 4:27 pmAndy in DE-nial is wwwwallace. Same troll, same nonsense.
December 21st, 2005 at 4:29 pmWwwwallace come out to plaaaaaay!
Andy,
You clearly didn’t read the quotes. Mental Retardation and Illiteracy are clearly requirements for republican party membership.
December 21st, 2005 at 4:29 pmThe CBO estimates for ANWR are $5.2 billion over the next 10 years. $4 billion in 2008 from sale of leases ($2 billion is paid to Alaska at receipt) $1 billion in 2010 also from leases (1/2 paid to Alaska) and $150 million in 2015 from royalties.
Of the $3.3 billion received by the gov’t, the bulk of the money will go to repay the treasury for the money borrowed in 2006 for Katrina rebuilding.
At $25/bbl ANWR is virtually undevelopable economically and at peak production would reduce imports by 1% from 65% to 64%. Minor changes to CAFE would save more energy than drilling in ANWR even if there weren’t any moose.
December 21st, 2005 at 5:26 pmOh, I forgot, the only person in this administration who can be shown to have cost troops their lives is Mr. Rumsfeld. His department’s inability to properly supply the warfighters has been an issue since the invasion (.
Read the quarterly reports and then read this bill which provides funds for uparmored Humvees as well as a weapon system which allows the gunner to remain inside the vehicle while targetting the weapon. Only 33 months late.
December 21st, 2005 at 5:31 pmThe people in Alaska, every man, woman and child, benefit from the oil revenues.
Stevens got elected in the first place by promising to bring more and more drilling to Alaska, thus getting more money for each man, woman and child.
The Stevens campaign promises are at stake here. He promised them more money NOW.
December 21st, 2005 at 6:27 pmTyranny of the majority: the flaw of democracy.
Total area of blue country: 592,000 square miles
December 21st, 2005 at 6:34 pmTotal area of Alaska: 656,424 square miles
#29
Ah, I see, all about the money. I did hear that their government subsidies for living inthe state were about to expire. All makes sense. I wondred how that freak could have gotten elected… Thanks for the lesson :)
December 21st, 2005 at 7:04 pm#30
Tyranny of the majority: the flaw of democracy.
Total area of blue country: 592,000 square miles
Total area of Alaska: 656,424 square miles
Comment by Taylor — December 21, 2005 @ 6:34 pm
Well, what’s the population comparision? Most of Alaska is unpopulated (and should stay that way).
December 21st, 2005 at 7:06 pm#29 & #31
Yeah, every citizen living in Alaska for more than 1 year gets a check from the government which mostly comes from the oil industry. It was originally an incentive to draw more people up there to work the pipelines, and just kept going. However, state legislators have kept dipping into this fund over the years for their pet projects, and the money is running out.
While I was living up there, there was talk that the government might give one final lump payout to the citizens and then end it. Opening up ANWR would potentially lengthen the life of those payouts, and get more votes for Stevens & his friends.
December 21st, 2005 at 9:33 pmSen. Stevens proved he had no spine by sneaking oil drilling into a bill that was unrelated and would still cause more financial fallout by courtesy of Team Bubble Boy. Stevens proves that he has no concern for the environment in his home state except his personal interests.
Doesn’t he own some stock in oil companies?
December 21st, 2005 at 11:49 pm#34
I agree Jimbo, and hope that him being stopped like this is a sign that our Representatives are once again actually reading bills before they pass them… But how long will that last? I’m not terribly optimistic after the 2006 elections when some of them are secure for 4 more years…
December 22nd, 2005 at 8:16 am