Pelosi indicates openness to offshore drilling vote

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday night dropped her staunch opposition to a vote on offshore oil drilling in the House.

Republicans, reacting to high gas prices, have demanded a vote on additional oil exploration in the Outer Continental Shelf, where drilling is currently blocked by a moratorium. Until now, Pelosi (D-Calif.) has resisted the idea as a “hoax.” But in an interview on CNN’s Larry King Live, she indicated that she was open to a vote.

“They have this thing that says drill offshore in the protected areas,” Pelosi said. “We can do that. We can have a vote on that.”

She indicated such a vote would have to be part of a larger package that included other policies, like releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which she said could bring down prices in a matter of days.

“But it has to be part of something that says we want to bring immediate relief to the public and is not just a hoax on them,” Pelosi continued.

She even indicated that she might support a package that includes drilling. She said her decision on whether to support such legislation would depend on how the policies are packaged.

“It’s not excluded, let’s put it that way,” Pelosi said.

In a year in which Republicans expected to take a beating at the polls, their support for drilling in protected areas has been a sudden bright spot. They have relentlessly demanded a vote on drilling as Democrats rearranged House business to avoid such a vote.

But the pressure has only grown. Republicans demanded a drilling vote before the House went home for the summer recess, and when that didn’t happen, some stayed behind in the chamber to protest.

A bipartisan group in the Senate came up with a plan that would include drilling, and Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has said he’s “willing to consider” it.

And Democrats realize that it will be difficult to end their legislative year in September without a vote because the offshore drilling moratorium must be renewed every year.

Pelosi had previously said she would allow a vote on drilling and then backed off. On July 30, the last day Congress was in before the August recess, she was interviewed by the Capitol Hill press corps. She was asked if she could envision a vote on drilling in new areas this year, and she answered, “Of course.”

But her aides later released a statement saying she was not announcing a change in her stance on a drilling vote.

thehill.com...

Well, there you have it. The Ice Queen; The Wicked Witch; Senator of Kalifornia, Nancy Pelosi, is finally weakening in her stance of purposefully letting Americans suffer to influence the 2008 election. Those of us without blinders on know very well that Nancy Pelosi has purposefully done nothing to lower gas prices because a pissed off, ignorant American public would likely blame Bush, and therefore Republicans in general, for high gas prices and ensure a B. Hussein Obama win in 2008, along with many Congressional seats in 2008. However, it seems that the pressure is so great, she's too worried about her own reelection to protect B. Hussein Obama's campaign for POTUS anymore.

She's weakening! We can rejoice! There's light at the end of the tunnel after all! Just look at the market. Even with the conflict in Georgia, oil is STILL extending its tumble, and if the evil Wicked Witch, Nancy Pelosi, is defeated, oil prices will continue that slide for the foreseeable future.

I would like to congratulate House Republicans for everything they've done. For 6 years, they sat in Congress and did not much about anything, but in America's darkest hour, they've finally come alive. The night is always darkest before the dawn. Perhaps there is hope for America, after all. These Republicans have proven to me that there are still some true leaders left. There are some patriots still in office somewhere. God bless these House Republicans for their efforts

reply to post by ChocoTaco369


Great thread. I cannot believe she actually changed position given her rhetoric less than a month ago. Your right though, this a good sign that when 70% of a population wants to do something, you better do it or you will find your political career cut very short.

Kinda still gives you hope for the democratic process no matter how slimy it gets sometimes.

reply to post by Cool Hand Luke

Well, I don't know if she really "changed her position." She will likely still vote against it if a vote is held. I think that she is being portrayed as purposefully not even letting the voting process take place. She's being looked upon as someone that is literally crushing the people and their voice by not even letting them vote.

I disagree with Pelosi's position, and so do the vast majority of Americans. I disagree with almost everything Pelosi does as I am a very conservative registered Independent, and she is a radically far-left Socialist running under the Democrat party. However, the beautiful thing about America is she is ALLOWED to have her own opinion. She is allowed to say or believe whatever she wants and vote however she wants. I would rather see Pelosi vote for EVERYTHING I stand against than see her right to express herself be stripped away and her voice silenced. She may be pure evil in my eyes, but her vote and her opinion is just as important as mine, and I understand this (unlike most of the liberal bloggers that would rather see you drop dead than oppose them).

The problem comes she suppresses people's right to vote. She is literally not allowing a vote, and that is wrong. She is standing in the way of our Republican system of elected representation voting for the will of the people, and that is WRONG! (BTW, it's not a Democratic system, it's a Republican system. America isn't a Democracy and never has been, it is a Republic. It's not a Democratic Republic, either, so please, let's not get into that play on words.) Pelosi is breaking under the pressure. I'm waiting for the straw to break her back, and I'm praying it comes soon!

[edit on 13-8-2008 by ChocoTaco369]

reply to post by ChocoTaco369


Sure she'll allow the vote. Wait till you see what's slammed into that bill. The Pubs will never approve the offshore drilling while it is lumped in with campaign financing, spotted owls, and earmarks.

Her play is to turn the table on the republicans by offering up a vote on a revised bill knowing it will fall along party lines. She will then spew forth rhetoric and claim the republicans are not flexible and have decided to kill the bill.

Oldest play in the book and we can all see it coming. I really wish she would at least aspire to be clever.

Becker

[edit on 13-8-2008 by Becker44]

reply to post by Becker44

You're probably right. God forbid the government simply pass something that lowers their size, not increases it. Government has no right sticking their noses into this kind of stuff. Environmental regulations need to exist, yes, but they are absolutely out of control.

If these people had half a brain, they would want US to take all the oil because we are the cleanest nation out there when it comes to drilling and transporting oil. If we don't take it, others will. If we don't take it, China will take it and when they spill it, they won't clean it up. When they burn it, they won't filter it.

These people don't want America to be a leading world power, anymore. Like everything the liberals touch, it falls apart.

If these people had half a brain, they would want US to take all the oil because we are the cleanest nation out there when it comes to drilling and transporting oil. If we don't take it, others will. If we don't take it, China will take it and when they spill it,

reply to post by ChocoTaco369


This includes ANWAR drilling which any reasonable person should want to begin. See my ANWAR drillling should begin now thread

The silly Democrats like Pelosi have excluded ANWAR drilling from any of their proposals because they and much of the public have been hoodwinked into believing the ANWAR drilling sites are a beautiful place. Not at all true, just biased media hyphe see this post of mine showing how ANWAR is just an flat coastal plain perfect for oil development

I make my case pretty well but somehow America persists in believing ANWAR is some sort of a wonderful place we shouldn't drill. Go figure???? Can we ever have some reasonable thinking here?