ANWR Amendment does not pass...Vote 49 - 51

[truthpusher]

Just seen live on CSPAN2 Senate rejects Cantwell Amendment.

http://www.cspan.org/watch/cspan2_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS2


Yays 49 Nays 51

Story: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050316/ap_on_go_co/arctic_drilling_10

Senate Votes to Allow Arctic Drilling
----------------------------------------------
3 minutes ago Politics - U. S. Congress
By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer
----------------------------------------------

WASHINGTON - Amid the backdrop of soaring oil and gasoline prices, a sharply divided Senate on Wednesday voted to open the ecologically rich Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling, delivering a major energy policy win for President Bush (news - web sites).

The Senate, by a 51-49 vote, rejected an attempt by Democrats and GOP moderates to remove a refuge drilling provision from next year's budget, preventing opponents from using a filibuster — a tactic that has blocked repeated past attempts to open the Alaska refuge to oil companies.

The action, assuming Congress agrees on a budget, clears the way for approving drilling in the refuge later this year, drilling supporters said.

The oil industry has sought for more than two decades to get access to what is believed to be billions of barrels of oil beneath the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the northern eastern corner of Alaska.

complete story: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050316/ap_on_go_co/arctic_drilling_10

[Nordmadr]

1. We lost it N/T

[Griffy]

79. A glimmer of light... it will take YEARS (6-8) to get to the drillling...

In that time we may turn this country around and REVOKE this ticket to plunder OUR enviroment and cash in on public lands!...

Ask anyone that supports this, would they chop down the redwood forest.. fill the Grand Canyon.. alternative energy technology is available today, but the oil companies and there grip on government has kept these out of the market for the most part. We must change this too!

SPREAD TRUTH!

[Justitia]

90. I think you misunderstand. They start tearing it up this yr, it takes

10 yrs of plundering to REACH whatever oil MIGHT be there.

IOW, they could spend a decade destroying the place, only to find there is no oil or very little oil (estimated to be a 6 mos supply).

I know you are trying to raise spirits, sorry to be a wet blanket.

[Griffy]

98. Actually.. I understand well.. the exploration will not do the dammage..

that the extraction and piping will.... In a very realistic way it will take them years to find a good stike, ship the equipment set up.. build piping.. drill. All Im saying is the ANWAR is no different today than yesterday, and we will stop this once we restore the government to the people! Hopefully it will be in time to save the land from the greed of some humans, but the whole planet is under the gun of these corperate robber barons.

[Justitia]

99. Lord, I hope so. Thanks for your posts, I feel physically ill today. -nt

[bearfan454]

144. How can we restore gov't to the people with

electronic vote stealing ?

[Griffy]

242. Well.. we will expose it, or hack it ourselves!

I work hard at exposing this fact.. I write posts objecting to any discussion based on the false premise that bush won. Kerry won and bush stole the presidency. I have devoted myself to exposing this and I live in DC. I work with David Lytel from democrates.com, redefeatbush.com and left.org .. Everyone can help, talk to your friends and family.. get them to understand the scope of the fraud and provide them facts.. them ask them to tell others. WE are the majority and WE WILL take back this country, history shows the country will rebound! work hard, have faith in each other and shout the truth wherever you can!

support progressive radio!

[bear425]

149. I heard on Ed Schultz show yesterday that they already have

the equipment there. They just needed the vote to go their way.

[MsMagnificent]

221. They have planned in advance how they're going to screw us

Obviously they knew it all along, in this and every other happenstance that 'miraculously' went their way.

It's time to now decide, personally, if we're going to continue taking it or what actions we need to do to CHANGE THIS.

All our typing isn't doing a thing, it changes nothing. They knew it was already a foregone decision. Their evil plans were laid long ago, and they knew exactly how they'd cheat their way through every layer of government.

When, where is the proverbial straw? How much are we going to keep on taking? What have bloggers done? Expose Jeff Gannon?! (no pun intended) SO WHAT?
BFD!

If that's all we have... it's ridiculous.

Who remembers the old movie Network? What was that line?

"I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!"

[Griffy]

243. have the equipment where..in Alaska.. you know how big that is??

Alaska is like 1/2 the size of the contiguous US! I am aware of the fact they have alot of equipment in Alaska already... but the areas we are talking about are very difficult to get to, and moving any equipment is a logistical headache, at the least .. from metalcracking cold (turn off the engine for 10 minutes and it wont restart till spring!) to mushy muddy tundra (water and dirt that cant seep down due to permafrost), the enviroment makes everything harder.

as Scotty said.. "You cannot change the laws of physics!"

[The White Tree]

122. No it will probably take a little longer then that

No one wants to drill there for the amount of oil that is there. The only way they will do so is if they are offerred strong incentives (i.e. subsidies) to do so. Bush will do this in the blink of an eye, so in the end your tax dollars and mine will be taken from where they can do some good and spent on ensuring progits for the oil companies that go there.

That is unless they decide to forgo ANWR and try for some other places they want to drill, like off the coasts of California and Florida.

All in all it is a dark day indeed.

[Nordmadr]

96. I think I am officially fed up with my country.

How short sighted does one nation have to be before PEOPLE FUCKING WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????

Pop Goes the World!

GROW, GROW, GROW, GROW...like the fucking 7 dwarfs...off to work we go! Let's use it all up! Oil, coal, trees, natural gas, habitat, etc. When it's all gone we can heat our homes, run our cars, and feed ourselves with cake! Or perhaps the cockroaches will dance on all our fuckin' graves. Damn I'm mad!

Olaf

[Nordmadr]

119. Oh, and by the way, oil closed at $56.50, an all time

non-inflation adjusted high.

Olaf

[Lizzie Borden]

168. Excellent rant!

You said everything I'm feeling.

[against all enemies]

181. Landrieu D/R LA, AkakaD/R HI and Inoye D/R HI ---You Suck

What the fuck is going on in Hawaii?

[BrightKnight]

194. What do the people of Hawaii have aginst ANWR?

I contributed to the Hawaii Democratic party. I want my money back.

[katty]

195. Representative Gov? Cultist neocons,stolen elections and

Cowering, boot licking, ass kissing Democrats

[SW FL Dem]

2. Mary Landrieu was the deciding vote

and she voted against it.

[bear425]

3. We should all let her know how disappointed we are. n/t

[comsymp]

10. Disappointed - a little, but hardly surprised

After all, she's from LA (major Oil) and receives large coin from Energy:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/sector.asp?CID=N00005395&cycle=2004

[bear425]

16. You got it! n/t

[forintegrity]

43. We have GOT to figure out another way to finance

campaigns so our congress people will stop being WHORES to the corporations and start voting the way the people want!

CORPORATIONS in politics have GOT to go!

[Lizzie Borden]

167. Couldn't agree more.

It's so sad.;(

[adigal]

53. Send her a letter telling her you will

fund any opponent in a primary - no real Dem votes for drilling in Alaska. God, even some repubs crossed the aisle.

I'm disgusted. Reid needs to persecute these three with the crappiest assignments available, and take away every single perk.

[RaRa]

75. Consider it DONE! eom

[silvermachine]

227. Just did it...

Plus I called her office, was dissed by a snippy underling. Such is the stae of the Democratic party.:puke:
And don't EVEN get me started on Inouye.

[Vadem]

205. Let's work to get her little fu**ing lying ass out of the Senate!!!!

anybody else????


I'm sick of these Goddam DINOs. IT IS TIME FOR THEM TO GO!!!!!! WE WILL
ELECT DEMOCRATS! and not REPUBLICRATS!!!!

[tx_dem41]

226. Yep, lets put Republican Bobby Jindal in that seat.

Sounds like a great plan!:eyes:

[brettdale]

85. Here is her website just click on contact

http://landrieu.senate.gov/global/index.cfm

[mhr]

111. Tried To Call - Her Lines Are All Tied Up

eom

[mhr]

116. I Got Through - The Response Taker Was Very Hostile!

I had to hang up on her staff member because she would not let me speak!

Gave me bullshit about how drilling in ANWR would create some kind of new opportunities!

[against all enemies]

177. Yeah, for HER.

[mhr]

188. So We Can Assume You Believe That Members Of Congress

And there staff should be very rude to the citizens that pay their salaries?

Whose side are you on?

[antigone382]

234. Umm, I think the other poster was being sarcastic.

As in, it will create new opportunities for her, not for the rest of us.

:)

[bear425]

147. Thanks for the link. Let's all let her know what we think of her vote

In a nice way, of course.

[reprobate]

217. My email to her. Let's see what everyone else can do.

Thank you so much for voting to drill in the ANWAR.

As a stockholder of some petroleum companies I wish to show my appreciation for the increased dividends I see in the future because of your vote today.

So surprising for a Democrat. Or ARE you still answering to that name? It's getting so hard to tell.

In any case, if you will tell me how much you were paid....I mean campaign funds, of course....I will try to send you personnally....I mean campaign funds, of course....whatever I can to match the honorable petroleum corporations donations.

I must say that it is good to see a politician (sorry for the bad language) answering the call of the dollar and not what's best for the people.

It's the American way.

[jdj]

220. here's mine.

"You suck and I hope you rot in hell for voting yes on drilling in ANWR. We are awaiting your announcement that you are switching parties so you can serve your masters publicly. If I were less of a lady there is a lot more I would say; however, as it were I'll just leave that duty to your betrayed constituents.

Enjoy your time in elected office, I'm sure people are salivating to see you defeated now."

this is about the ugliest message that I've ever sent to a senator outside my state (Myrick and Dole get nastograms from me on a regular basis).


to hell with all of them. Fuck em.

[TroglodyteScholar]

162. My email to her:

--------------------------------------------
Shame on you.

Look up "refuge" in the dictionary, please.
--------------------------------------------



Everyone think that's direct enough?

[Hailtothechimp]

213. Here's my email to her

Your vote for drilling in the ANWR today was the deciding one. The Republicans must be so happy with you!! The caribou don't like it so much, but at least they can't vote. I'm sorry if I'm not more respectful, but it's a hard loss to swallow for me.

[Rainscents]

5. Is she a democrat? Or so she says she is...

[Robeson]

113. Republicrat.

[Viking12]

8. Landrieu and Akaka

We needed 51 to win.

[For PaisAn]

88. Question

Who was the 3rd "Democrat" to vote against the amendment?

[Viking12]

95. Inouye, HI n/t

I should have included him in my first post.

[nolabels]

97. Should we boycott vacations to Hawaii now?

:shrug:

One of the states that benfitted the most from protections from congress by support of people who gave a crap and wanted livable world is helping to screw the rest of us also. How ironic

Just a couple of days heard some winger who worked with an oil pipeline company. It was on radio, the guy just came and said people can't save the world.

Deductive reasoning tells me if your screwing it up, the first thing to do would be stop it, but maybe I need some Kool-Aid to understand better


http://wilsonhellie.typepad.com/for_the_record/bush_and_his_gang/

[Justitia]

101. Good idea! I was actually considering one this summer.

No more. I think Aruba is a better bet.

Sorry Hawaii, your senators suck. So do mine, I'm from Texas, but at least they don't pretend to be Democrats.

[Robeson]

115. First, you should write him to let him know you have changed your...

...vaction plans due to this, and second, you'll love Aruba!

[Justitia]

126. I will do just that. And glad to hear Aruba is a good choice too! -eom

[Frances]

21. Is this a reason to turn against all Dems?

Yes, a few Repubs supported not drilling in the Arctic, but almost all Dems did. And almost all Repubs were for drilling there.

We just need to get more Dems in the Senate; the odds that such terrible laws will not be passed are more favorable that way. The more Repubs there are, the less the overall strength of the opposition.

[Southsideirish]

65. Duh, how about these three selfish, greedy ones, though, ok?????

[Frances]

84. I acknowledge the need to vent

But I hope that after your emotions cool down, you will realize what a terrible position this country is in and that you will do everything that you can to defeat the party that is sponsoring the rape not only of Alaska, but of social security, the unions, pensions, the whole middle class.

Bush and his team are the most street smart (and evil) politicians ever to hold national office.

We must use our BRAINS if we don't want to see this country go totally down the tubes.

[Verve]

150. Had these 3 Dem's voted for our environment there would be no Drilling!

Yes, we need to vent! If Democrats are crossing party lines and going against issues that make them Democrats (such as the environment)then they need to be held responsible as well!

Please reconsider your position. Defending Democrats that don't act like Democrats is a waste of time and will get our party no where! At least we know where the repugs stood! These 3 hypocrites were the most repulsive out of all the anti environment votes!

[Frances]

187. You are right

We do know where the Republicans stand.

Karl Rove is laughing at us Dems because so many of us are doing exactly what he planned for us to do--spending time and energy tearing apart our own party, while Rove gets closer and closer to his dream of having one-party government.

If you are so upset with drilling, as I am, use your BRAIN. Go after the real culprits--Bush and the Repubs.

For example, do you have a Dem congressman? Do you have a Dem senator? Then get busy and elect them. The more Dems there are, the greater the proability we will not lose this country!

[silvermachine]

228. You give them too much credit....

...they are not terribly "street smart". The Democratic party is ineffective, callow, and toothless.

[Robeson]

118. Thats going to be pretty tough with rigged elections....

[DemsUnite]

129. I don't think anyone is turning on all Dems over this

But are upset when a few cause a loss on a close, important vote.

[Ignoramus]

171. All dems, no. The democratic party, of course.

Sure, it's a good idea to get the least appalling people into the senate, and it's good to get the least appalling person into the whitehouse. But it's healthy to avoid fooling yourself that all of these people are anything but adversaries.

Do not forget the concentration camps the democrats setup for people like us in Boston!

The democratic party is happy to slaughter children, happy to rape the planet and give control over world trade to an unaccountable group of corporations.

The individuals associated with the party and involved in it's politics are not the same as the entity itself. There are not bad people, only bad actions.

Despite it being an adversary, it's still a good idea to use the entity as effectively as you can to promote your ideals.

[Southern Dem 2005]

67. Don't think that makes her "deciding" vote

Even if she voted for it its a tie and doesn't pass. Would have needed one more to vote for the amendment.

[Freddie Stubbs]

73. Actually, we were 2 votes short

If Landrieu had changed her vote it would have been tied, and Cheney would have broken the tie.

[jasop]

107. She is from my state and she is basically...

a Republican in Dems clothing. She is behind a huge amount of corruption, favoritism, and nepotism in our corruption filled little State of Louisiana

[Robeson]

Ah, Lousiana politics. AKA,, Corruption Central

[tx_dem41]

125. So you see no difference between Landrieu and Jindal?

You sure you're from Louisiana??

[makhno]

189. Landrieu has a very mixed record

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BC037760

Her labor ratings are disappointing, while the John Birch Society gave her a 42% score in 2001. In addition, she seems to be quite the persistent little gun grabber, a political liability if there ever were one.

When Jindal fucks up, it's the Republicans' fault. Maybe we should let them carry that burden for a while.

[tx_dem41]

222. You realize that you have just suggested that we hand over one

of our 44 Democratic seats to a VERRRY conservative Republican who will get a 100% rating from the John Birch Society!

What the heck is DU coming to ?!?

[makhno]

223. Yes, it's troubling

I guess if Jindal ran as a Democrat, you'd be supporting him too. It's a race to the bottom, as one can always find someone to the right of even the most conservative Republicans. Perhaps it's time to change the game.

[tx_dem41]

225. Why would I ever vote for someone with a 100% rating from the American

Conservative Union (ACU) when I can at least vote for a Senator that is at the very least moderate overall? Your assumption on what I would do if Jindal was a Democrat is completely wrong.

Can you please identify a Louisiana Democrat to the left of Landrieu that can win that seat, STATEWIDE?

[makhno]

230. What would you do if Jindal were a Democrat ...

... running against a more conservative Republican?

As far as other LA Democrats, what issues should they be more to the left on? Is Landrieu's platform leftist? I would argue no, given her mixed labor record. Some might say otherwise, since she's been consistently anti-gun and rather pro-choice, but I don't view these issues as inherently left or right.

Would a pro-labor politician be dead in the water in Louisiana? Or Texas, for that matter?

[tx_dem41]

232. You're obviously are not very familiar with Bobby Jindal..

and I'm not criticizing since you don't live in Louisiana. Your hypothetical is impossible to conceive. I wouldn't vote for anyone that has a 100% rating from the ACU. No Democrat has such a rating, nor would they ever have such a rating.

If on the off-chance that there ever was such a Democrat, I wouldn't vote for him or her, as I said in my last post.

A strict pro-labor politician would not be dead in the water in LA. In Texas, I think yes. What would not fly in Louisiana due to statewide business and religion (LA has a sizeable Catholic population unlike any other state in the country) is a 100% pro-choice candidate who votes against oil exploration. I'm not happy with it, but that's the way my home state is today.

There is hope in that the Democrats won back the governorship, a previously-Republican Congressional District (CD-3) and most of the executive State offices (they also lost a CD). But, alas, everyone of those Democrats is as moderate as Landrieu (in fact one of them is her brother).

[AnnInLa]

132. I beg to differ

At times, she is a DINO, at times she is NOT. But, she has not been accused or implicated in any corruption, and for you to say so makes me wonder about you.

[NurseLefty]

175. And Louisiana has big oil interests

Which explains VOLUMES about her vote. We know who lines her pockets...
My heart breaks (again...). One more for GREED...

<>

[hyphenate]

120. Landrieu

has been a DINO for a VERY LONG TIME.

[BrightKnight]

199. Use the stick to deal with DINOs. Swift retaliation is needed.

What committee assignments will she be loosing?

Make an example out of her. If she does not support the party, she should not expect the party to support her.

She has earned a place on my Zell list.

[drthais]

135. I think I am GOING to be SICK

...and I contacted Landrieu's office
don't know how many other constituents did

how COULD she.....

barf

permanent sh*t list

[iamjoy]

156. Do We Have A Roll Call?

I want to know who cares about our country and who just cares about lining the pockets of big-oil donors.

[Name removed]

190. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jmowreader]

244. I assume the GOP engineered THAT too

Mary Landrieu represents Louisiana, one of the oiliest states in the Union.

There is NO WAY Mary Landrieu can vote against a measure the oil industry supports, Democrat or not. The oil industry is her constituency.

Here's what I want to know: The vote was 49-51. I know that three Democrats voted the oil industry's way--which means seven renegade Republicans voted against a prime Bush goal. Does anyone know who they are?

[tx_dem41]

245. Off the top of my head...

Collins - ME
Snow - ME
Chafee - RI
McCain - AZ
G. Smith - ORE
Coleman - MINN
DeWine - OH

Actually, after checking the official roll call...those are them.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00052

[Rainscents]

4. I am getting very sick...I hope in '06, people would vote this basters out

[bearfan454]

148. Do you mean vote on the

Republican Voting Machines ?

[forintegrity]

6. Yup. Let's continue to depend on oil and line the pockets

of the oil-mongers! Not to mention destroying the environment!

So typical of this administration!

[Demrock6]

7. Such a dissapointmentl.

So close and yet so far. Damn it.

[hiley]

19. so upsetting

and infuriating !
Have to say though; that the more they do this the more we will fight them and we will grow stronger in numbers.

[AndyTiedye]

44. We're Not, Though. We are getting Weaker Every Day

Now they know we are too weak to stop them.

[hiley]

83. When I said "We"

I was speaking of the progressive grassroots not the fucked up so called Leaders that are currently in office. "We" have to stand up to them and work to get people in from the grassroots. My Senator's Lincoln and Pryor are weak and they have to go...Even though they voted against the drilling today they both have been voting with the Republicans too much.
"We have to fight, now ." I encourage anyone from Arkansas to email, call or fax Sen.Pryor and Lincoln here is an email from PDA.

http://lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html

[phone]
Fax [phone]

http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/
Little Rock
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Toll Free from AR:
[phone]


Washington D.C.
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]


PDA Friends,

I am forwarding a letter to you I wrote to Senator Lincoln. I urge you
to please do the same! Contact your senators today here:
http://ga4.org/campaign/boxer_anwr/b853884qjkj3wx

Jim Barlow
Progressive Democrats of America
------------------------------------------

March 16, 2005

Dear Democratic Committee Member:


Arkansas' Democrat Senators are wolves in sheep's clothing. Today,
March 16th, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a bill which would allow
drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I spoke with
Senator Pryor's office in Washington, DC, today and his office indicated he
was going to vote to allow this drilling. Also, on this date Senator
Blanche Lincoln's office stated she had not disclosed her position at
this time. The need to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is
another Bush lie. Experts agree that the petroleum reserves in the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge will take 10 years to bring to market and if
all oil imported to the U.S. was stopped when the oil from the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge came online then the need for the USA alone
would deplete that field in seven months. If you believe that drilling
should not take place in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as I do,
immediately call each of their offices and express your view. The phone
numbers are [phone] for Senator Pryor and [phone] for Senator
Lincoln.

Both Senators voted for the new Bankruptcy Bill which means that "John
and Susan Public" will have to pay off their unsecured debts when their
inability to pay said debts is caused by some of the following:

1. Loss of good paying job or any job due to the actions of our
"Corporate Oligopoly" exporting Middle Class America's means of income.

2. Forty eight percent (48%) of all personal bankruptcies are caused by
the inability to pay medical bills (the average unpaid medical bill for
people filing bankruptcy who have insurance is $13,000 and those bank
ruptcy filers who have had cancer treatment and covered by insurance,
their average unpaid bill is $35,000). The foregoing was reported on CNN
February 2, 2005 from a study published in the Journal Of Health
Affairs.

3. Aggressive credit card marketing tactics of the banking industry.


Bankruptcy was designed to give a person or business a fresh start.
However, the recently passed bankruptcy bill still allows corporations and
businesses to get that fresh start, such as the recent K-Mart
bankruptcy that allowed them to retain their real estate and other valuable
assets while discharging their unsecured debt. K-Mart, after bankruptcy,
was able to purchase Sears.
Their stock has risen from approximately $2.00 a share at the time of
bankruptcy filing to over $100 a share. Don't you think that "John and
Susan Public" should be treated the same?

Unfortunately, Arkansas' two Senators did not agree with this position,
which leads me to believe that their primary interest is in serving the
"corporate oligopoly" rather than we, the average citizens. Senator
Pryor does not deserve support of the Democratic Party if the Democratic
Party in the State of Arkansas is the Party of William Jennings Bryan,
Woodrow Wilson, FDR, Harry Truman, John Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson. It
is my desire to find people within the Party and outside the Party who
are Progressive, who will help me find a true Progressive Democrat to
oppose Senator Pryor in 2006.


Sincerely,

Jim Barlow
cc: Senator Blanche Lincoln
Senator Mark Pryor

[HuckleB]

9. Another sad day for the USA. Another sad day for the world.

I am so very tired of days like these.

[Protagoras]

11. Anwar and Amtrak go down BUT no mention of it

on the news because at exactly the same time the Peterson verdict comes down so all news networks begin interviewing jurors...and it's like it never happened.

Don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain.

[Kat45]

182. What happened with Amtrak? I'm almost afraid to ask.

I didn't hear anything on the news, and I'm in the Northeast--Amtrak territory. What happened?

[makhno]

186. No more subsidies

http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=bondsNews&storyID=7923081

Those sons of bitches are batting 1.000 this season. Dismantle Amtrak, open it up to private bidding, end up with a great rail system like the one they have in the UK.

[Kat45]

202. Oh man, is there nothing those motherfuckers won't privatize?

They don't give a shit about Amtrak anyway because it's important in those there Northeast liberale states.

[JudyM]

12. Let's hope this gets some press attention! NT

[Hobarticus]

17. Nope...Scott Peterson got the death penalty. That'll be the news, folks.

[Protagoras]

20. scanning all the major channels...nothing but wall to wall

Peterson. Even Cspan isn't showing a summary. It's like it never happened.

Down the memory hole. Chocolate rations have just been increased.

[Hobarticus]

And everybody gets a pony...eom

[bunkerbuster1]

63. Because Scott's sentencing is so VERY IMPORTANT

it makes a huge difference in my life, doesn't it matter to you?

fuckers.

ratfucking fuckers...

[Name removed]

69. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[neverforget]

91. Let's see. Peterson is not national news. ANWR is because it

is policy made by the government in our name.

[Name removed]

106. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[neverforget]

142. It affects all of us because all it does is make us more reliant on

oil. We need to find a new renewable source of energy, not more of the same. Besides, it's horrible for the environment to drill in ANWR and continued use of oil contributes to global warming. That's how it affects me and the rest of the planet.

[Name removed]

151. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

105. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

108. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Protagoras]

121. So Squemish, what's your position on ANWAR?

Got any other positions on Democratic issues? Just curious.

[Name removed]

130. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bouncy Ball]

134. Well see the thing is, Democrats happen to care

about things even when they happen far away.

I mean, hell, babies starving in Africa don't affect me in the least, but I still GIVE A SHIT ABOUT IT!

You don't get it, do you? We are all connected. What's bad for the environment is bad for ALL of us, no matter HOW fucking far away it was.

Or were you ok with Chernobyl?

[Name removed]

139. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lizzie Borden]

169. Wlcome to DU Zuggy!

[Catch22Dem]

183. Welcome to DU...I dig your style already

Here's a toast :toast:

[bunkerbuster1]

138. How does it affect me? since you asked...

Drilling in the ANWR may never affect me, because it might not ever happen. It would appear that the oil exploration companies are pretty lukewarm on the prospects for a profitable extraction; it'll probably be another Bush clusterfoxtrot where it can only happen with taxpayer subsidy.

No, it affects me as a political defeat. I shouldn't take these things personally but dammit, I do. I was only a few feet from Johnny Isaacson, last year, when he was campaigning for GA senator. He was taking questions from the audience and someone asked him about his energy policy. He had nothing to contribute save for one thing--we needed to drill in ANWR. That was it.

Nothing about conservation, nothing about promoting alternative energy sources, just Drill. In. ANWR.

It's all these ratfuckers think about--how can we piss off environmentalists, even when it doesn't make any goddamned economic sense? They want to make sure that it's ALWAYS the Dems who are calling upon Americans to make sacrifices and pull together for the common good.

When these ratfuckers win on an issue like this, yeah, it affects me.

Scott Peterson? He'll never see the light of day, death penalty or no. What bearing does that have on me? If he's to be executed, it means more tax dollars will be spent to accomplish this, than would be spent to keep him locked up for the rest of his life. So I guess in some peripheral way it might affect me, although I am not a CA resident so...

Anyway, hope that answers your question.

[8misyears]

143. executing...

Scott Peterson will cost more of the taxpayers money than keeping him in jail for life. It never sounds right, but it's a fact.

[Name removed]

145. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[8misyears]

146. Yes...

I just want to be heard. ha.

[Langis]

13. After the Bankruptcy bill passed...

I am so desensitized to crap that come out of the Senate any more. I really don't care, this doesn't even bother me... is that bad?

I was expecting this to happen though, as soon as Bush won I knew AWNR was no more...

[Justitia]

76. you are just in shock. Me too. -eom

[bunkerbuster1]

81. These ratf*ckers will get ANWR with NO conservation concessions.

None.

That's our "energy policy," Brownshirt edition.

[Catchawave]

14. Words cannot tell you how I feel....

:cry:

[Betty]

15. It seems there's no end

to the shit that is being dumped on this country.

[Rockerdem]

18. Another victory for the oil culture

Another depressing win for ShrubCo. Im going to start drinking early (again).

God, I hate party traitors.

[maveric]

22. How did Feinstein vote?

Just Curious.

[ronnykmarshall]

45. She voted with us this time.

[onehandle]

23. Senate Votes to Allow Arctic Drilling

WASHINGTON - Amid the backdrop of soaring oil and gasoline prices, a sharply divided Senate on Wednesday voted to open the ecologically rich Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling, delivering a major energy policy win for President Bush.

The Senate, by a 51-49 vote, rejected an attempt by Democrats and GOP moderates to remove a refuge drilling provision from next year's budget, preventing opponents from using a filibuster — a tactic that has blocked repeated past attempts to open the Alaska refuge to oil companies.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=3&u=/ap/20050316/ap_on_go_co/arctic_drilling

[Hobarticus]

24. For six months of gas, we've sold our nation's soul...

Anything's up for sale, now.

[Justitia]

29. & it takes 10 yrs of plundering to get out -eom

[Hobarticus]

35. Bastards. Fucking oil-thirsty soulless bastards....

May they spend eternity simmering in a vat of crude, every one of them. Gutless Dems, too.

[durablend]

152. And we don't even get the oil, do we?

Isn't it supposed to be sold to China or Asia or something?

Exactly HOW is this supposed to benefit this country?

I'm wondering how long until we become "United States Republic of China"

[Lorien]

68. Guess who pays for the plundering? Us

and guess who profits? Same cabal that is raking it in in Iraq! :grr:

[Robeson]

128. I feel your pain, but....

...I think our nation's sould was lost in election 2000. Thats when our system became a fraud....

[HuckleB]

25. This isn't energy policy.

And it isn't a major victory. It will do little to nothing to supply our energy needs.

How dumb are reporters these days?

A sad day in America is what this is. We get virtually nothing, while putting one small portion of the land we've set aside at extreme risk.

Ridiculous.

[AuntiBush]

30. Exactly! There goes our only RESERVE!

Then what?

[slackmaster]

26. Did it?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1317511

[onehandle]

36. That's from 2003. nt

[Hobarticus]

37. LBN: Bush suspects WMDs in Saudi Arabia...THAT's what's next. eom

[Justitia]

27. spin, spin, spin - eom

[AuntiBush]

28. Past DISGUSTING!

They've got a thread at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1664403. We were watching it together. Home sick w/the change of weather flu, I couldn't feel more sicker right now.

3 Democrats voted NAY. I know 1 was from Hiawaii, check link above for the other 2. Sellouts! We're doomed. The rich just got more richer today, and we lost a bit more of what we're suppose to stand for, Americans.

What is an American these days? I'm lost in my own country now.

[TheFarseer]

31. Pete Dominici quote

"Some people say we ought to conserve more. They say we ought to conserve instead of producing this oil," said Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., "But we need to do everything. We have to conserve and produce where we can."

Oh yeah? So when are you proposing an amendment to raise CAFE standards? Yeah, that's what I thought

[forintegrity]

51. He also asked what will happen if we have a REAL war

in the Mideast?

So now the Iraq War is not REAL? Someone needs to tell our soldiers and the families that have lost loved ones this news flash!





Sorry. I duplicated on accident. Been doing that all day!

[forintegrity]

52. He also asked what will happen if we have a REAL war

in the Mideast?

So now the Iraq War is not REAL? Someone needs to tell our soldiers and the families that have lost loved ones this news flash!

[mike_c]

32. once again, the senate proves that Amerikan goverment...

...represents the interests of corporate greed first and foremost. That IS the essence of fascism. Oil from ANWR will NEVER have any tangible impact on U.S. gasoline prices, energy independence, and so on. It's about greed, purely and simply. We have just witnessed the pigs at the trough, swilling for their masters. I am really running out of hope for humanity.

[steve2470]

33. self delete, post of ap story from 2003 nt

[liberal N proud]

34. It is enough to make me sick

These righteous ones who the sheep have followed claim to be so damn holy are allowing the land to be raped.
Does the bible not say that man is the guardian of the earth and animals?
x(
:mad:
:puke:

[BrklynLiberal]

38. puke...................

[brentspeak]

39. Unbelievable disgrace.

Very sad day for this nation, at a time when every day seems to get sadder and sadder.

[evolvenow]

46. I rarely use the word HATE, but I HATE the Devastation these Criminals are

imposing on all of the beautiful living things. F*cking ASSHOLES! Which planet or is that space station are they intending to live on, after global flooding, nuclear winter or just the complete destruction by the poisioning of all of the precious ecosystems.
SHAME ON THE NAYS!!

THey just want to increase HAARP and clear all of that pesky ice away so they can industrialize, drill and steal every damn inch of this planet.


WE NEED FREE ENERGY NOW!! BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN WITH SO MANY MURDERERS IN CHARGE<

[Mr_Spock]

55. "ENERGY POLICY WIN" WTFFFFFF!!! That's not a FUCKING energy policy!!!!!!!!

What the fuck is WRONG with people - it has NOTHING to do with energy policy!!!!!!!!!

IT'S A GODDAMMED LACK OF AN ENERGY POLICY]

win - WHO THE FUCK WROTE THAT SUMMARY????

[OneBlueSky]

40. we ain't gonna win NOTHIN' in this Congress . . .

the Repug majority are a bunch of BushCo/corporate whores who don't care one whit about you, me, or the environment . . . fuck 'em all . . .

[Bertha Venation]

41. motherfucker sonofabitch goddamned SHIT ON A FUCKING STICK.

[frictionlessO]

62. fucking fucked up shitlicking reptilian earth raping savages!!!

There is almost no hope left... someone kill me before they inject me with Kool-aid, please. Seriously, dont let them convert me ever.

[Bertha Venation]

74. If you don't convert you'll burn in hell forever.

See you there.

[frictionlessO]

133. Turn or Burn baby!! Turn or Burn! YEEEHAAAWWW

I'll see your hell and raise you a Hades...

stupid. stupid. stupid.








FUCKERS!



Wuv you though Bertha!

[Tace]

42. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I hate watching us all go to hell!

[brentspeak]

47. I hope all the 2000 Nader voters sleep well tonight

It was those losers who came to the conclusion that Bush and Gore were merely "Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum". So they let Bush in the back door just to show how "radical" they were.

[onehandle]

49. Bush and Gore are exactly the same.

Bush and Gore are exactly the same.
Bush and Gore are exactly the same.
Bush and Gore are exactly the same.

Idiots.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[onehandle]

61. You must be "over it".

Fucking good for you.

[htuttle]

77. No, but that had little to do with this

Sure, if you want to live in a world where only 'root causes' are considered, you probably ought to go back and blame the whole damned mess on "Southern Pacific Railroad vs Santa Clara Co". But of what use would that be?

What we had here should have been a simple party line vote with a few Republican crossovers. We would have won, ANWR would have been protected, and the Democrats would have looked like they mattered for a few moments.

Instead, while there were 6 Republican crossovers, three Democratic traitors blew it for us, and for posterity.

How is blaming Ralph Nader going to help matters here?

Sounds to me like you're wanting to deflect blame from three DINO corporate whores to Nader to preempt the inevitable 'leaning toward Green' sentiments that come up every time we get screwed by those who are supposed to be our own.

[d_b]

72. I do sleep well

And would vote for him again in a heartbeat.

[Robeson]

131. I wouldn't vote Nader....

...but I'm increasingly being swayed to Green, simply because, I'm tired of watching my votes evaporate in to cyberspace with this fake election system we have, so I would at least know I "voted" my true convictions. I would and will vote Green locally, which is about the only area left where we can affect our lives on a daily basis.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

210. Gore's NAFTA, GATT, and WTO fucked the environment more than ANWR drilling

but people keep letting corporate Al off the hook for that. gore and pre 9-11 bush were virtually identical

at least ralph had the spine to ask for recounts in '04, unlike the spineless nominee the DLC gave us

[GoddessOfGuinness]

48. Every person who voted for drilling is an environmental rapist.

Damn them all to hell. :grr:

[DeepModem Mom]

50. Audubon Alaska: photo of ANWR caribou

Vast numbers of caribou are feeding on the productive coastal plain of the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge during July. The rugged Brooks Range forms the backdrop for
this incredible wildlife spectacle. The Arctic coastal plain is considered the biological
heart of the refuge and is the focus of industry efforts to open the refuge to oil development.
This photo was taken at Beaufort Lagoon by Alaska biologist Ken Whitten.

Audubon Alaska
http://www.audubon.org/chapter/ak/ak/m3item1.html

[nolabels]

153. Wow, that is (or was) beautiful

I guess there is bright side to all of this, when we all are gone, their grandkids will also get to live in this shit hole that's being created

[0007]

54. Another step toward the dark hole

[Hell Hath No Fury]

57. Give Mary a call!

Here's her DC info:

202-224-5824 (phone)
202-224-9735 (fax)

As a Californian, I am going to call her and let her know that if she had any plans of a national office (she's been mentioned as future VP material) that she will not be getting this Democrat's vote. Ever. Period. And that in the future I will financially back LA Democratic candidates for Senate that are not DINOs.

A pox on your houses, Mary and Akaka.

[RaRa]

78. just did/ told her my "community" would give $ to primary opponent nt

[GOPBasher]

58. Yes, let's keep diggin for oil. Let's not develop alternative energy

sources. These people are a bunch of ASSHOLES!!!! ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

[ramapo]

59. Americans will allow drilling just about anywhere

When given a choice between $3/gal. gasoline and perhaps not being able to fill up the SUV, or plundering the environment, the environment will always lose.

Alaska is far away and the brutal truth is that the majority of Americans will sacrifice caribou, polar bears, and a pristine environment for a couple of years of filling up the tank.

Never mind that this is a stop-gap measure on our way to eventual depletion of resources compounded by climate change. Greed, short-sightedness and politics have won as always.

[evolvenow]

60. LOOK Out, MSM is covered with Peterson Death Sentence-Distract, Distract,

Can we evolve already? Please. I am so tired of the stupidity and cruelty and absolute self-centered insanity of these people.

[evolvenow]

64. Just wait until first oil spill.. they will POISON everything b4 they die

[The_Casual_Observer]

66. They will get their 6 months worth of oil, then what?

The press is framing this up as if it will immediately reduce the price of gas and will save the day. Fucking bunch of know-nothing shills.

[8misyears]

124. energy resources...

If they could use animals as an energy resource, they would.

"Throw another polar bear on the fire, Laura."

[TroglodyteScholar]

165. Well, actually...

What do you call eating meat? That's right, converting animals into energy.

Sorry to pick nits.

[8misyears]

166. That ...

isn't what this whole discussion is about, now is it? Do you put steak in your gas tank or furnance?

[TroglodyteScholar]

179. Fuel's fuel, whether you're powering a machine or a person...sry tho n/t

[libnnc]

70. so now that we're going to destroy

ANWR what's to stop some oil industry paid "geologist" from saying "Hey! There's oil under Yellowstone!"

Where will it end?

[Justitia]

82. Unbelievably, the US Geo Survey said there is ONLY 6 mos of oil!

Drilling companies and oil cos are the ones saying there is any significant amt of oil there, or they guess so.

[mhr]

173. ANWR Holds Between 6 and 16 Billion Barrels Of Oil

The world uses 80 Million Barrels of Oil per day.

6 Billion barrels = 75 days of world supply

16 Billion barrels = 200 days of world supply

The US uses 20 Million Barrels of Oil per day.

6 Billion barrels = 300 days of US supply = .83 years

16 Billion Barrels = 800 days of US supply = 2.2 years

It will take 5-10 years before a drop of this oil hits a refinery.

Hardly seems worth the effort when raising the CAFE standards would save more than we get with drilling.

[NickB79]

219. 80 billion barrels per year at CURRENT RATES

Don't you hate that phrase? 10 yrs from now, when ANWR finally comes online, the world will be using 100+ billion barrels per year. It will make even less of a dent than it would if it came online today.

Of course, this assumes we don't hit Peak Oil before then, and that our economy doesn't go into another Great Depression before ANWR starts spewing oil. It also assumes the permafrost doesn't thaw significantly over the next 20 yrs, rupturing the oil pipelines that are built upon it as the ground sinks.

[Straight Shooter]

71. I am extremely angry right now.

I live in the beauty and magnificence of the Pacific Northwest. How dare these Senators shrug off the importance of the environment, how dare they dismiss the elegance of the wild and its creatures, all for their own selfish agendas.

There was a time in my life when I lived without hatred in my heart. Now it's almost constant, and it's directed at bush and the traitors to our future and the future of planet Earth.

As for those who voted for bush x(

[E-Z-B]

80. What's even more sad is that Alaska voted for Bush

What were they thinking? They KNEW Bush was going to do this.

[against all enemies]

178. What are you thinking? They are for this. How much more free money

is each Alaskan going to get for this. They get money for our oil. They are too stupid to realize oil money is finite but tourist money is infinite. IDIOTS

[Borgnine]

86. This is so sad.

These ecological rapists should all be shot to Mars where they could happily live on a barren wasteland of a planet like they desperately want to. I hate them. They're all cretinous bastards who have no soul, no conscience, and are as short-sighted as they are black-hearted.

[redqueen]

87. Those Dem Senators are CORRUPT.

This crap makes me sick... work so hard to elect Dems, then get stabbed in the back.

Thanks a lot, whores.

[Goathead]

212. Hawaiian politics is all about corruption n/t

[digno dave]

89. Could someone please post ph#s of 3 Dems who voted against amendment?

thanks you

[Bo]

92. Sigh...so long Alaska

[Massachusetts]

93. If the average american voter can figure out

whats going on now, they never will.:wtf:

[jpak]

94. Crude drops to $25 a barrel after ANWR vote (Bloomberg)

NOT!!!!!

Crude rose by $1.25 today...and by $0.30 a barrel after the vote.

The DOE estimates that oil production from ANWR could at MOST reduce global crude prices by $0.50 a barrel.

What a fucking joke...no I take that back....crying shame....

[Blue Belle]

100. Does anyone have the link to how all the Senators Voted??

I'd like to see how everyone voted. Is there one up yet?

[Jersey Devil]

114. The list of crossover votes from Kos

Dems who let us down on this one:
Akaka (D-HI)
Inouye (D-HI)
Landrieu (D-LA)

Republicans who gave a hoot:
Chafee (R-RI)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
DeWine (R-OH)
McCain (R-AZ)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)

[Blue Belle]

164. Thanks!

I'm glad to see that Gordon Smith made true on his promise...

What's up with Hawaii??

[sidpleasant]

206. Let's look at this a little harder

If Landrieu, Akaka, and Inouye had voted against the ANWR drilling you can be damn sure that Frist and Bush would have done whatever it took to get enough Republican votes to pass it. I don't doubt that Frist knew exactly how the vote would go before it it was counted and allowed those 6 GOP Senators to vote "no" so the ANWR vote can't be used against them in their next election. How many of those six Republicans are up for reelection next year? Chafee, Coleman, Collins, Smith, and Snowe are all from states that could be considered relatively environmentalist. An attack ad saying "Senator voted to destroy the environment of Alaska!!" practically writes itself.

[DisgustedTX]

209. Gee, look at the locations on the crossover votes (R)

All from blue/light blue states except AZ.

There's the divide.

[serryjw]

211. I think I'm going to move to Maine....

So proud of the gals! I worked so hard to prevent this from happening by fundraising for Sierra Club and greenpeace. I am angry and sad. The above post is correct. We will plunder the land, Bushit's Buddies will make a shitload of money and we may at best see 6 months of oil in 10 YEARS! WTF???

[8misyears]

102. Grrrrr....

I'm so angry, I'm mad.

[4_Legs_Good]

103. I'm going to be sick

I can't believe this.

Oh, what troubled times we live in.

david

[RawMaterials]

104. 51 nays

NAYs ---51



Akaka (D-HI)
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)


you would think that Hawaii would not want this

[8misyears]

109. Hawaii...

Gas prices are higher there than all the other states, so the idiots think it will magically go lower with a few drops from up north. They will think twice after they are hanging ten in WD-40.

[Kurovski]

110. major energy policy win for President Bush ?

A major pay-off.

[8misyears]

112. pay off

He will have plenty of "wood" to sell now that he has a huge, money hungry erection.

[Lizzie Borden]

174. Yeah, you'd think. But that would make entirely too much sense.

Human Beings. What a disgrace. Somedays I wish I wasn't one.

[iamjoy]

123. Major Loss For Us

for the wildlife, for the environment...

[8misyears]

127. as long...

as Bush and pals get there money, they don't care what else happens.

[hyphenate]

117. Fucking bastards

We've GOT to get rid of these assholes QUICKLY.

[HeeBGBz]

136. Screw me. I read that wrong

Stupid ass mutherfuckers. I hate em all.

Short sighted evil planet killers.

[sabra]

137. Sorry but this one is a loss...

[8misyears]

140. it was...

...a nice state while it lasted. What are the republicans going to destroy next? Probably California...get rid of the biggest blue state.

[w4rma]

141. What the heck is wrong with our Senators from Hawaii?!? (nt)

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

154. Bush cancelled oil drilling in Florida to help his brother Jeb

Don't get me wrong. I'm in favor of developing alternative energy sources. But it's ironic that Bush actively stopped the same type of fight to drill in Florida when his brother visited the White House and asked the Chimp for a favor so that he could win an election.

http://www.waterconserve.info/articles/reader.asp?linkid=11562

Bush Curbs Oil Drilling in Florida Coast Tract
Energy: The government will pay $235 million to cancel unused oil and gas leases, White House says.

Source: Copyright 2002, LA Times
Date: May 30, 2002
Byline: RICHARD SIMON and EDWIN CHEN, TIMES STAFF WRITERS

WASHINGTON -- WASHINGTON -- President Bush, whose administration has emphasized increasing domestic energy production, moved Wednesday to prevent oil and gas drilling in a large tract off the Florida coast and in parts of the Everglades.

The federal government will pay $115 million to oil companies to drop their fight to drill about 30 miles off the Florida Panhandle. The companies bought drilling rights in the 1980s but faced obstacles put up by Republican and Democratic state officials who objected that drilling could wreak havoc on the white-sand beaches in the Panhandle and on the state's vital tourism industry.

The federal government will spend an additional $120 million to buy oil and gas drilling rights held by private individuals in three sensitive areas of the Everglades. Bush's decision to preserve what he termed "some of our nation's most beautiful natural treasures" should bolster his environmental credentials in Florida, as well as help his brother Jeb, who is seeking reelection there as governor.

Jeb Bush, who visited the White House on Wednesday, conceded that he stands to benefit from his brother's move. "But more importantly," he added, "it is good public policy, and when there's a convergence of good politics and good public policy, I don't think we should be ashamed about it."

The White House denied that politics played a role in the decision.

[8misyears]

155. he got...

one thing right, but then has to screw up another. What a joke.

[Danmel]

157. No trips to Hawaii for me

I called both Akaka and Inouye and told them my family would not vacation in Hawaii. And I called Landrieus office and told her we would remember this vote if she has any aspirations to national office.

Is there anything they love more than money? Anything? Their own children? They are truly soul-less.


You know, most of the time they make me angry. Today they just made me really really sad, for the wilderness, for the poor animals, for all of our children and their children. Everything's ruined.

[8misyears]

158. There's...

nothing nice in Hawaii anyway.

[Danmel]

160. There'll be nothing nice anywhere the way they're going

And welcome to DU:hi:

[8misyears]

163. Thank you...

At least when Bush starts WWIII, our corpses will enjoy the skiing during the nuclear winter.

[ElectroPrincess]

198. Especially Oahu - an overpopulated touristic nightmare ...

I was stationed there for three years when I was AD Army. Of course I also spent a good chunk of my time in Northern Japan TDY. The Island of Oahu was congested and noxious in the late 80s. I can't imagine that it's improved.

I've also heard that the other Islands are falling prey to the same over population / commercialization.

[Spinoza]

185. Now let's not get

completely hysterical. "Everything" is not ruined. Some fraction of the human race will probably survive. If the people of Rwanda can still have the courage to go forward, so can we.

[silvermachine]

229. OK I won't....

....FUCK YOU.

[tx_dem41]

233. I'm starting to understand why we Democrats are on a losing streak...

Thanks for the insight. :eyes:

[Spinoza]

236. Touche

[silvermachine]

238. Oh yeah...

...it's all down to my remarks. You fuck off too asshole. There's your insight.

[tx_dem41]

240. Ahhh...you never disappoint, silvermachine....

It saddens me that we're in the same party, because quite frankly I don't see how you and I could have anything in common.

[Spinoza]

250. I have the same feeling as you.

Still, silvermachine reminds me of Abraham Lincoln's quote:
"'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."

[Spinoza]

235. Back to you

With pleasure.

[silvermachine]

237. Sure....

...from one idiot to another.

[Spinoza]

251. Abraham Lincoln

while speaking about your views said:
'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.'

Now lets have another 'fuck you' so that we can continue to remove all doubt. Come on. We are waiting.

[progressoid]

159. With 6 - yes SIX - Republicans voting against it too

Christ, what a shitty day for America.

[gulfcoastliberal]

161. Yet more concrete evidence that the DEMS are just as CORRUPT as PUGS

There is no opposition party. Seems like Bush can always count on the dems to give him whatever he wants. What a pathetic, disgusting betrayal by Akaka and Inouye. I wouldn't expect differently from Landrieu. She's always been a worthless politician. I hope everyone in Hawaii is jamming the lines with comments. The bankruptcy bill, and now this. How many more betrayals will it take to wake people up? The democrats are morphing into repukes, and some just want to speed up the process.

[nonconformist]

170. Sad day. Rape for (marginal) profit.

Landrieu, Akaka, Inouye... I will NEVER FORGET.

[8misyears]

172. Rape-buplicans

Is there anything they don't want to rape? They've boned our freedom, our environment, our economy...is there anything left?

[ZRB]

176. This is simply the worst

I'm not usually the type to be brought to tears. I didn't cry on either of the black Tuesdays, I simply felt numb.

I cried today. This is devastating. This is the one issue I'd thought we won.

Perhaps the last true wilderness on the earth is as good as dead. That's it. Congratulations you vile, disgusting, inhuman creatures from Hell, you fucking Freepers. Your dream of a giant, mini-mall world is going to come true.

Forget Karma, I hope you Republican hicks suffer immensely for this.

And as to the "Democrats" who voted for this atrocity? There are no words...

:puke:

[JudyM]

215. I was fighting back tears all day, too... despondent

[graphixtech]

180. A TRUTH slip . . . the TRUE Agenda

(A pox on all the selfish souls who sold out this natural beauty. May their corrupted spirits be outcast for eternity)

http://www.defenders.org/releases/pr2003/pr092503b.html

September 25, 2003

TOM DELAY LETS TRUTH SLIP
ON DRILLING IN ARCTIC REFUGE

WASHINGTON, DC -- Remarks by representative Tom DeLay, reported today in Roll Call, reveal the true agenda behind the push to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

"On Tuesday, during a closed door session of the House GOP leadership, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said that the battle in Congress to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration is a fight over whether energy exploration will be allowed in similarly sensitive areas in the future... ‘It's about precedent,’ DeLay told the assembled Republican leaders while making several references to the ‘symbolism of ANWR,’ according to GOP sources." -- Roll Call, September 25, 2003

"Tom DeLay has now stated plainly what we’ve known all along: that drilling in the Arctic Refuge is not about energy independence or the war on terrorism," said Rodger Schlickeisen, President of Defenders of Wildlife. "The drive to drill for oil in the Arctic Refuge is about oil company profits and lifting barriers to future oil exploration in protected lands, pure and simple."

[8misyears]

184. Great...

...they've open the flood gates for the destruction of the environment. Let's see how much they can destroy in 4 years.

[OTownGuy]

191. This is the kind of thing...

That makes me HATE my country and makes me HATE being an American!! Oh i wish i could LEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE!!!!!

[OTownGuy]

192. But ALSO Confused...

So this is NOT a final vote correct?? And WHERE EXACTLY do they propose to drill in ANWR. Waitill they try this shit in FL. Us Flordians will go BALISSSSSTIC.

[hollowdweller]

193. When I bemoaned the vote on another forum I got this response

http://ramanon.com/forum/showthread.php?p=378732#post378732

[ElectroPrincess]

196. Awe come on! Our friends at FOX in a round table panel *all* agree ...

That it's just an itty bitty part of Alaska's wildlife refuge. Nothing what so ever to worry about. And you know Brit Hume, Fred Barnes and whatever NPR shill the get to agree with them ... well FOX never lies. By God, it's the only TRUE patriotic news service in this whole damn whiny a**ed liberal elite media. Thank God for George W. Bush and FOX new. <Salute!> /sarcasm off :crazy:

Nobody will tell this Republican Executive Branch and Congress "No! we're as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore."

My state Democratic party called me on the phone this evening asking for money. Hey! How about take a stand against the Republican's abuse of power. That power may be a majority but it's NOT absolute. Just because they outnumber us (by not that much) does not mean that they ALWAYS get their way and never have to consider compromise.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are NOT the three branches of our government used for checks and balances. Doesn't this help assure a safeguard ... something like "to protecting the minority against the tyranny of the majority?"

Bush has been pushing for this seemingly ever since he occupied the office.

"It would be helpful if we opened up ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge). I think it's a mistake not to. And I would urge you all to travel up there and take a look at it, and you can make the determination as to how beautiful that country is."

—George W. Bush, at a White House Press conference, March 29, 2001

http://www.caglecartoons.com/images/preview/{C45DAA9C-4ECE-44C4-B84E-45BC4CE5AFDD}.gif

[Matilda]

197. I'm sorry, guys. What a disappointment.

It does affect all of us really - our environment is now so
sensitive, it's so sad to see such stupid shortsightedness
and greed prevail for short-term gain.

[bling bling]

200. That's it folks.

The democratic party has spoken and they are dead. They couldn't keep it together to win this one. 3 defectors? Why didn't they make SURE that all of them would vote the party line on this most important issue? Why didn't they beg for our help to call the three senators involved to put the pressure on? And one of them IN the very state that is involved. We coulda won it, shoulda won it.

Maybe they did ask for our help with those three senators. Maybe they did and I wasn't paying attention. I dunno. I'm floored. How could this have happened? Where did we go wrong?

[LeahD]

203. Kerry did. n/t

[JudyM]

216. I'm upset about that, too. Kerry did but only YESTERDAY

I got something from the NRDC the day before and sent it to all my friends. If they knew it was coming, I say where was Dean?! Maybe they didn't know precisely when the vote would be, but we could've all been ready.

[karynnj]

224. They actually did a lot earlier as well

Kerry had written editorials in some Outdoor and environmental magazines earlier (I think late Feb, maybe early March) anticipating that this would be fought as part of the energy program. Links to contact your Congress people were included on the page with the editorial. The editorial talked about the risk that drilling could be allowed and prompted people to speak up. I emailed my congress people, but as I'm from NJ with good Senators, this was probably unnecessary. I think Boxer also had her petition out earlier, but I'm not sure.

As far as Dean goes, give him a break. Not every key Democrat should respond to everything. This was a Senate vote and there were several Senators who were working on it. Maria Cantwell proposed the amendment to get it out of the budget. John Kerry, and Barbara Boxer made appeals to try to stop it. Most Senators had voted for this in the past and were not movable. Kerry identified 6 Senators,who he felt might be swayed if their constituents showed great interest in preserving the refuge, and targeted some on-line advertising to those states to inform people so they could act if they chose to. Even with more time, it may not have been possible to win the support of any more Senators.

[bufffbison]

201. Is it truly our own oil, as white house misleads? i think its japan's oil

suprisingly enough, what most people don't know is not one drop of that oil will go into US refineries. the oil up on Alaska is too sulfuric, and none of our refineries are equipment for that type of oil. All of it will be sold to japan's oil refineries, then resold back to the US. Thats sure hell good use of American made oil. Sell it to japan, then buy it back! Damn, what a good idea *! Surely enough that'll promote strong global economy.

Of course, with the increase of sulfuric acid, comes increasing of smog and acid rain. Hmm.. Hell we've already managed to kill much of the forests in N & S Carolina. Now lets just make the environment so unsettle for even humans to live in. ha, there we go!!!!

Also, what would you suppose the chances are of a catastrophic oil spill in the pacific, during transportation of the oil? In recent history, I'd believe its very likely.

[chomskysright]

204. sample letter to your worthless mostly Repug Senators......

Dear Senator :

I hate that you voted for the Alaskan drilling.

If you have not witnessed the Alaska Pipeline, let me just say this: the crude is propelled by jet engines. You know what a jet engine sounds like. That's what its like to be near the Alaska Pipeline. Now we have lots more of it.

Environmentalists stated: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0316-13.htm

1. more pipelines: "Environmentalists contended that while new technologies have reduced the drilling footprint, ANWR's coastal plain still would contain a spider web of pipelines that would disrupt calving caribou and disturb polar bears, musk oxen and the annual influx of millions of migratory birds....

2. no oil available from it for 10 years: We won't see this oil for 10 years. It will have minimal impact," argued Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash

You screwed up Senator.

[Deja Q]

207. if this worsens the ecological conditions then our drilling is wasted.

A few months' worth of energy for drowning?

Still, humans like to extend death. When faced with it, they'll do anything - long term consequences be damned.

It's for a few months anyway.

[Amfortas]

208. A sad day for the environment

[jackson]

214. Boycott the oil companies and do this simple action whenever you pump gas

We need to boycott the oil companies, as much as we can.
This country has a long history of boycotts, including the colonial boycotts of British products in the 1700s and the bus boycott by the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. Economic
boycotts are among the few things our corporate and political leaders respond to and fear.
From now on, I plan to limit my driving and take public transit or walk when possible. I don't plan to drive across the country again, at least not until we get decent energy and foreign policies that are not driven by the oil companies, which raise gasoline prices to create more public pressure every time Congress votes on an issue they want like drilling in ANWR. I will fly across the country because the planes keep on schedules anyway, irregardless of the number of passengers.
I will lobby for alternative energy research and development. When I do drive, I will drive vehicles that get at least 25 miles per gallon – my present vehicle gets 28 mpg. I also plan to boycott Hawaii since the two DEMOCRATIC senators from Hawaii who could have stopped this plan voted to drill ANWR. I’ll spend my vacations in a real blue state or a decent country like Canada.
Remember reading about the Boston Tea Party, in which colonial activists disguised as Native Americans smashed 342 crates and dumped 45 tons of British tea into the Boston Harbor in 1773 as a stronger statement? Some say we need some Boston Tea Party-like statements, such as people disguised as corporate and political leaders – perhaps with Bush and Cheney masks on - going to gas stations at night and spilling gas from the nozzles.
Sure, that is risky. The Sons of Liberty – and Daughters - took risks in 1773. Few people living in the colonies supported them then – even Ben Franklin criticized the Boston Tea Party activists. Now many school textbooks glorify them as heroes.
I don’t know if we should go that far, but I’m not going to do a Ben Franklin and criticize anyone who does. I think we can just go to service stations when we regularly pump gasoline into our vehicles, and when we are done, take the nozzle and place it on the ground as a symbolic protest, rather than put the nozzle back on the hook. That way if somebody, such as a service station employee, should see you do that and question it, you can just say it was an oversight, like all these big corporate executives give the excuse that they didn't know their companies illegally cheated and cooked the books, that it was just an oversight done by someone else.
If enough people across the country do this symbolic protest when they pump gasoline, it would get noticed.
If enough of us boycott the oil companies as much as we can, we can make a difference. What do we have to lose, except gain more money to spend elsewhere, rather than give to the oil interests that rape our environment?

[reprobate]

218. Oh, come on folks. There IS a bright side to all this.

Sure, we now have one party government of fascists. As the definition says, it's government run by commercial interests, and that's ALWAYS been the American way.

And there IS a way to stop it. That's to remove financing of elections from the commercial arena, and finance it with public funds. But if we're honest we all know that they will never let this happen. The powerfull don't give up power willingly.

But look at the bright side. All this is happening, I mean the fascistic takeover of government, media, and theology, all this is happening at just the right time for it too all fail. Yes, our society will fail along with it.

But we must look at the long term. With the economy failing as it is, with the dollar losing value daily, with our military proving itself unable even to subdue a desert nation WITHOUT EVEN A GOVERNMENT, and with oil hitting historical prices every day, take a gander at the future.

You can forget the military ever attacking another nation. We simply won't have enough oil to do it. They were hoping to use Iraqi oil, but screwed that operation up royally and Iraq isn't pumping oil anymore. Their oil infrastructure keeps getting blown up.

And the world wouldn't let us have the oil to attack anyone else anyway. We are importing so much more than we export that we are now living on credit. How much longer will the world support us in this profligate lifestyle? Your guess is as good as mine, but it won't be forever.

Let me introduce you to Reprobate's First Law of Physics: All Bubbles Burst.

We have been living in a bubble for a couple of decades and it's about to pop big time on us. When it does you can bet your money on one thing: Commercial interests will no longer have power. They'll be as broke as we are.

That will be the time when our nation will be susceptible to being returned to it's people. That's the time that we must be ready to act.

If there is one thing that Democrats must do in the coming days, it's to make sure we are in a position to help each other survive the dark days ahead. I mean survive physically, with enough to eat and roofs over our heads. As the repugs are starving in the streets and shooting each other for food and gasoline, we must help each other and WE will be the ones to come out on top.

I don't know enough about survival to make suggestions. I'll leave that to those who know more than me. I just know that we, as a nation will see times that we have never seen before. The Great Depression will seen like just a down mood.

Like the man said, if we don't hang together, we'll all hang alone.

[gasperc]

231. subdue a nation w/o a government

quite clever "framing" of the issue, I've long railed that we decapitated the hostile government but have still labored to bring stability to the area. I will adopt your concise framing.

with your bubble bursting comment, it does all seem inevitible, the Bush admins shell game with budget numbers and employment figures is explosive indeed. You can con the people into believing that unemployment really isn't that high for only so long as well as try to supplement the nation's income through loose credit card and lending rules, especially by way of exploding government debt.
Eventually, the income and/or the jobs just aren't there for people to buy new cars or homes. Eventually enough people put their house on the market because they have to move for a job or they can't make the payments. Eventually, the manipulation of the raw data to present a different picture than the reality to appease the majority of the population becomes unsustainable.
I don't want to adopt your fear of the shooting for food and gas but eventually ... the future is just not looking so good. I have two kids now, one only 3months old. We're trying to sell our house to get a newer bigger one. I'm more worried about the difficulty of selling, buying you can always make deals. I remain hopeful, for my kids sake but I console myself in my conclusion in 2000 that a Bush election would be diasterous but being right about that doesn't make what we are going through any easier. I believe we have a good oppurtunity to grow the liberal base modestly but my true hopes are that independents flee supporting the Republicans in droves or at least many switch from the GOP to independents. That is the nation's best hope of a short term adjustment. But with the terrifying appointment of Wolfowitz to the world bank, ackkkk.....

[INDIA]

239. Am I the only one...

who thinks this is a over-hyped issue? We're not talking about clear-cut logging or strip mining here, it's drilling for oil. Ranches all over Texas have oil derricks on them, and somehow the wildlife as well as the livestock seem to get along just fine. Not to mention the Gulf Coast is still one of the greatest saltwater sportsfishing areas in the US, even with hundreds of Natural Gas and Oil platforms all through the Gulf. As far as I can tell, only a miniscule speck of land would have to be changed for drilling, with most of the activity going on underground, (with the exception of a pipeline). I dunno, I'm from Texas so maybe I'm biased.

It just doesn't seem that anybody here has good evidence about how exploration or drilling is going to "ruin" the refuge. Of course transporting the oil in old tankers is another story...

[gasperc]

241. nothing is sacred

one year we preserve something for future generations, the next year we find out we "need it" desperately.
If our policy is to simply pump every last drop of oil out of the ground, then what? especially heavy crude that takes a barrel of oil(energy) to refine two barrels.

The day will come when we look back and wonder why we didn't do more to invest in a transitional form of energy. Instead we'll be spending the next decades bemoaning high gas prices and our intractable growth problems. It's pretty clear that low energy prices have come and gone, if prices drop its only because the economy has tanked and supplies have once again risen. However, this will be very temporary as all actions to restore the economy will force demand on energy prices again. The time has passed for a transition to a new energy source. We will slowly and painfully limp along with hybrids to reduce demand while in the meantime we wait for fuel cells, solar, whatever to replace the world's dependence on oil. No doubt that rationing will be put in place on a worldwide scale as the problem becomes more and more intractable. From here it will be peaceful or quite violent. the choice is ours.

[Megahurtz]

246. Then within days GM decides to scrap electric cars.

How fucking sickly ironic.:puke:

This is all so, so sad.;(

[Walt Starr]

247. BREAKING: Scientists in awe as Democratic Senators evolve into

Chordates!

[bamacrat]

248. We discussed this today in class

I was pleased to find that a fellow classmate was enraged by this. In a class of 200, only maybe 15 people said they were against this, with the majority being the repuke scum that roams the campuses with their Dumbya stickers and suvs that get only 10 mpg. My teacher tried to relate, but being an admitted "acquaintance" of bulldog rice and roy moore, it was just an insult.

[truthpusher]

249. I was actually surprised at how few...

...Democrats I knew that are opposed to drilling - all I can chalk it up to is lack of education?