White House says no to special session of Congress

[Seeking Serenity]

Source: The Hill

The White House has rejected calls from House Republicans that it convene a special session of Congress on energy, saying it wouldn’t make a difference.

“We don't have plans to call Congress into session -- it won't make a difference if Democratic leaders are unwilling to bring up a bill for an up-down vote,” said White House spokesman Tony Fratto.

Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) asked President Bush to convene the special session in an Aug. 1 letter. The same day, House Republicans launched an unusual protest on the House floor urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to call Congress back to work.

(snip)

House aides said that while the president can declare that Congress must sit for an emergency session, he cannot set the agenda – only the leadership of the majority party can do that. Pelosi’s office could not be immediately reached for comment.



Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/white-house-says-no-to-special-session-of-congress-2008-08-04.html

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Well, that settles that. Their antics have come to naught.

[tularetom]

1. White House spokesman Tony Fratto is gonna get fired

He called them "Democratic leaders" instead of "Democrat leaders".

[Seeking Serenity]

4. What *was* he thinking?

Anyway, their little temper tantrum has gone the way of all temper tantrums.

And I, for one, am glad of it.

[Purveyor]

2. LOL. Their fearless leader lets them down. Might as well shred THAT talkingpoint memo. n/t

[Warpy]

3. Well, not exactly

Low information voters who watch the MSM and think they know something will come away with the mistaken impression that the GOPs were trying to do something about gas prices.

That's what all the temper tantrums on the House floor accomplished.

[Seeking Serenity]

5. They'll screw that message up, too.

I predict that it won't make a lasting impression.

[Andy823]

7. I agree with you.

It was all show, but as you said, those who are no informed very well will just take this as another example of the democrats not doing the right thing by taking on the energy problems. The republicans no more want to stick around for a special session than the democrats do. It will go nowhere because it's all about politics not, not helping the people of the country fight the high prices of energy, and everything else these days!

So you are right the republicans accomplished their goal to make the democrats look bad.

[jaxx]

6. Big Dubya has taken away Little John's latest talking point.

McSame "calling" for Obama to join him in another session of congress. Guess he won't have to come off the campaign trail now.

[superconnected]

8. I think we should all stop and gasp at the fact that the dems are

finally showing some back bone.

Okay, they're succeeding at doing nothing which is generally their forte, but this time by refusing to do anything they are blocking the republicans instead of being doormats.

I think that's a nice way for them to end their sessions this year before obama comes into the white house and this nightmare autocracy changes over to new leadership.

[orleans]

9. they are SUCH jerks! n/t

[Aviation Pro]

10. Bunch of fucking quitters....

...these assholes were the fat bullies on the playground that once they got their balls kicked in ran home to their mommies.

[redirish28]

11. Wonder what recess appointments are coming and how much damage

they can do.

[annabanana]

12. Yup. . They're a bunch of poseur clowns. .

(apologies to clowns everywhere)

[bluerum]

13. Although I think that he smart enough to figure this out, Obama can make

this work for him.

All he needs to do is agree wholeheartedly to helping America achieve oil independence. There are several ways to do this.

1. If the oil corps (or anyone for that matter) have data that indicates that drilling in the gulf or ANWAR will help achieve that, jump on it - it's a no brainer. (Of course we know that no such data exists or will ever exist.)

2. Obama must agree that he will do anything to help the American oil consumer. If the oil corps are so hot to help, they can positively guarantee that oil prices will go down when that oil starts coming out of the ground. Draw up a contract that penalizes them if they do not lower prices.

3. If the oil corps are so hot to help the American oil consumer, they can fund government administered alternative energy research as a condition for drilling in protected areas.

In other words, up the ante. If the oil corps want something, they need to give something back in a big way. They need to be patriotic and support the American taxpayer. After 5 years of planet wide record corpo profits - taxpayers and gas buyers deserve to share the wealth.

[Seeking Serenity]

14. Here, here.

They also need to either use the leases they presently have, or explain to Congress why they aren't and give their rights to those leases.

Make it a quid pro quo: You want leases to drill on the outer continental shelf? Then give up the leases you aren't using on a one-to-one basis.

[raebrek]

15. Aren't the repugs still meeting there daily? n/t

[Seeking Serenity]

16. I think I heard that it's over after this week. (n/t)