What is the source of the inconsistency among Republican Congressmen on energy policy?

Question

First Republican Congressmen shouted 'drill, drill drill!'. They even held "energy protests" because Congress was going on vacation without having passed an energy bill.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhQAXDJT0yvtUgcdj1DRJzjty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080814112424AAky32T

Now suddenly these same congressmen are refusing to even consider any energy bills until they've passed through committees — a process that can take weeks or months.

http://climateprogress.org/2008/08/18/gang-of-10-part-25-house-gop-says-drill-here-drill-now-compromise-later/#more-3588

In other words, they won't consider the Gang of 10 compromise until it's gone through one of these slow committees.

So what happened between the time that these congressmen were holding protests because the process was taking too long and now, when they're forcing the process to take longer?

Answer 1

Probably the same as that of a lot of other Right Wing Authoritarianism.

Answer 2

Greed, ignorance and stupidity pretty much explain all political processes.  Maneuvering to get into position for coming elections is a form of greed where the good of the electorate is sacrificed for the benefit of the incumbent.

No big mystery, really.

Answer 3

ms Nancy is going to make there drill vote come to the floor but she has to put a bunch of c**p in it that they won't want so that no one can vote for it. i think nancy is a democrat too

Answer 4

Dana I know this is going to be very difficult for a life long liberal democrat to comprehend, but the republican party is a grab bag of anti democrats from all over the political spectrum. Some of them like the Bush family are like Eisenhower, Reagan, and Lieberman who felt they had been left behind by the party of their youth when if began moving so far left it was difficult to tell a liberal democrat from a conservative communist. So we have old school republicans who are socially liberal and physically conservative like their leader Barry Goldwater.

Then there were the country club republicans who really should have been democrats like their billionaire friends, but they disliked the ultra rich so much they would rather support any party but the democrat this is where McCain comes from. Then we have the neo cons who were the religious right of the democratic party that got run out buy the wealthy ultra left because they were neither rich enough or liberal enough for the new left to tolerate them. There are several other regional flavors of republicans but they almost all are either small to medium business people or those who work for them.

Boatman that is a great :X: prize program for real progress instead of Nasties pay me first and we can talk pogrom!!  AuH2o 64

Answer 5

Dana-- you still have it wrong. Pelosi's "bill" would only allow drilling in certain "areas" and with added "regulations" and with oil company tax exemptions ELIMINATED. It's mostly a bunch of political BS.

The gang of 10 proposal would only allow drilling in a few southern (Atlantic)  states--- I have already said this is a good start -- but very very far from a comprehensive energy bill.

How about:

1. ALL off shore areas outside a 50 mile limit are open for drilling-- and all public lands exclusive of our national parks are open for exploration and drilling.

2. The several thousand acres of ANWR on the coastal plain (not the pretty pictures you are shown on environmental sites) near Prudo Bay are open for drilling.

3. The 5-7 year permit process shall be reduced to no more than 2 years by ONE government agency-- and NOT the current 40 agencies that approve exploration permits and drilling permits-- yes it's two separate time consuming processes!!

4. And we will undertake a "moon shot" style program to discover the best and most viable renewable energy sources..... and use NASA scientists and Dept of Energy scientists, and University research labs to find it.

5. And we will begin constructing 25 nuclear plants per year until the entire electric generating capacity of our coal fired power plants is replaced by nuclear.

6. We will grant the right of way under eminent domain for a massive wind farm project extending across the great plains.

7. We will open up the huge shale formations to exploration and drilling in all areas except our national parks. (green river formation especially is HUGE!).

8. We will grant large tax exemptions and or  tax credits for the construction of any and all renewable energy sources including wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, or any other renewable source discovered in the future.

9. We will immediately construct a minimum of 6 new refining plants and permit the military to refine their own fuel products using other refining plants located on military bases throughout the USA.

10. During this energy revolution we will forbid lawsuits of any kind which would impede the change-over to new technology renewable energy sources and or the construction of the nuclear power plants or refineries.

11. We will enact a $7000 tax credit for any vehicle purchase having a mpg rating exceeding 45 mpg -- LPG or electrically driven vehicles that can achieve this mileage will also be entitled to the tax credit.

Something like the above is what we need ---------- not some BS Congressional Bill that does not address the severity of the energy issue.

Answer 6

They probably realize that the best thing to do is let the drilling ban expire, rather than risk any legislative interference from the primates ( a.k.a. democrats).

Answer 7

It's not just Republicans, it's all politicians. There is no such thing as a consistant politician.

Answer 8

ANOTHER good one:

G.W. Bush has set 2015 as the year for solar power in the US to reach grid parity (same real price as the power purchased from the grid without subsidies).

McCain wants to go nuclear for 2009 which means the plants will probably start operating in 2015 the earliest... and be all their 40 years long sub-optimal compared to photovoltaics on an environmental, economic and geostrategic point of view...

congratulations !

Answer 9

Just as I suspected all along, this is nothing but a political stunt to try to hurt the Democrats in the election.  In my opinion it isn't working, because from where I sit it just makes the Republicans look foolish and immature.  I was going to vote against the Republicans anyway, and now I'm even more certain of it.

Answer 10

It's called politics.  Whatever gets you votes or money.  Whatever is in your best interest at the time.  

I understand that you are liberal, as am I, but if you go after someone or some group because of their political affiliation, you are going to lose that argument due to your prejudice.  

I can guarantee you that Obama will state that he is going to put an end to the energy crisis by helping the alternative fuels development program.  Once he is in office, he will drag his feet on it.  That is and always has been the way politicians work.