White House Says No To Helping With GOP Stunt

It appears the White House does not want to participate in the GOP's protest to keep Congress in session this August. The Hill reports on the White House rejection (excerpt is below). Read more about the protest from the AP.

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.

Comments

[alphax]

Further example of the White House falling into line Obama.
Not good for McCain!!

[mamacat]

The White House knows that the call for Offshore Drilling is just a stunt, and if W called Congress back in session, it would just give the Dems more time to educate the voters about how W and McCain are trying to pull the wool over their eyes all over again. The very last thing that the GOP wants is for the voters to get educated.

[realiybased2]

I swear, I think I am living on another planet. What in "heck" do think drillling will do. Why won't oil drill on land they have purchased for that reason only. Why are they so dead set on getting new land and haven't use the one they have. It is a political ploy to try keep the whitehouse for the Republicans.

All you gullible people are willing to fall on your SWORD again to make even richer.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE. IF YOU ARE WILL ING TO CONTINUE TO BLUR ENVIRONMENT WITH OIL THAT WILL TAKE 10YRS, WHY NOT GO FOR NEW SOURCE OF ENERGY THAT WILL TAKE ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT TIME AND WILL FREE US FROM DEPENDENCY ON OIL ONLY, PLEASE.

[LA2000]

The GOP and oil companies are desperate, truly desperate, to get this faux energy solution land grab wrapped up before the election. They see which way the wind is blowing, and they know that after november the oil companies have zero chance of getting the sort of sweetheart deal they could have right now.

This isn't about drilling or energy solutions or lower gas prices. It's about acquiring the oil rights to as much US public land as possible and paying/promising as little as possible to the US taxpayers to obtain those rights. The democrats may ultimately allow drilling, but not without exacting a host of concessions, compromises, and benefits on behalf of the US taxpayers.

That is how it should be. It's our land and we should get top dollar/benefit for it. It isn't the GOP's to give away just so they can obtain high paying oil industry lobbying jobs once they leave (or get kicked out of) office.

[dukeitout]

The article states "The White House has rejected calls from House Republicans that it convene a special session of Congress on energy." Some constitutional lawyer out there please answer this question.----Can the White House convene a special session of congress? I thought only congress could convene a special session of congress.

[cmp]

You non-believers need to wake up or take the wax out of your ears. THE PRICE OF GAS AND HEATING FUEL IS NOT NOW OR EVER GOING TO COME DOWN. The oil companies got exactly what they wanted. Do you nitwits think that you will ever see, again, $1.40 a gallon, the price of fuel when Bush got in office? If the price comes down 10 or 20 cents you'll say " see.....more drilling is working". The ONLY way the price will come down is if we find alternative energy, electric cars, more solar- wind EVERYWHERE and tell the oil companies they can keep their oil. I'm not saying we'll never need oil again, I'm saying we won't need them as much. How can giving the oil companies more oil bring the price down? It will take them 10 yrs. to harvest more oil. Who's going to pay for the exploration and drilling? You or them? They'll harvest 10 billion barrels and tell us they only extracted 5. Americans are lazy, wasteful people and we must see how the world, and especially how this country, has become. We are going to have to change our ways and sacrifice and vote for a sound energy package. If you think more off shore drilling is the way gas prices are going to come down, your insane.

[LiberalAndGDProud]

The Republican'ts had 8 years of W's presidency (both he and Cheney were oil guys in case you forgot), and 6 of those years with a Republican't majority in Congress. It was their policies which created the problem. There was no need for a dog and pony show for them to pontificate why the results of Republican't inaction is somehow the Democrats fault. The offshore drilling issue is a political gimick to bash Obama. Oil is a global commodity and the potential amount of oil offshore where it is not already being drilled (yes there is already a heck of a lot of offshore oil production) will have a minimal impact upon the price of oil.

Rather than giving a long economic explanation that most of the conservative readers who don't understand economics can follow, there is another way we can reason why offshore drilling won't lower the price of oil. The reason is that the oil companies want to drill in the off limit areas. If the oil price drops from $120/bbl to $80/bbl, the oil companies would need to produce roughly 50% more oil to make the same amount of profit (assuming similar costs, etc.) When McCain flip flopped and decided to drill offshore, the oil companies dropped $2 mm in his pockets. Is it because they think offshore drilling will cause oil prices to go down? No. It's because they can get more oil without affecting the price much if at all.

[ohiomark]

W is just giving the Dems enough rope to hang themselves.

[VitoCorleone]

Scusare, who is ' W ' ?
I'm new around here.

V. C.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

W = The @sshat that brought honor & dignity back to the White House, gave us 9/11, the War/Occupation in Iraq, (still unsolved) Anthrax attacks on the Senate Majority Leader umpteen hundred food recalls, lead-painted toys, the Housing crash, the collapse of the U.S. economy & $4.00+ a gallon gas.

Anything else I can help you with?

[georgiaR]

W is President George W. Bush - the man that has kept us safe from another terroirist attack in our country in almost 7 years. (with no help from the democrats)

[kasinca]

The majority is Democratic. You fools should learn how it works. the GOP (Greedy Oil Party) voted against four bills that were to find relief at the pump but they are acting fools over drilling offshore because the oil companies want the remaining 21% of land that is not under lease. That has nothing to do with the pump, nimrod. By the way, W has an approval rating of 23% and he want even play these stupid sophmoric games with these worthless fools who are going to be defeated in November. The GOP is going down big.

[ohiomark]

Congress has an "approval" rating of 9%. Their inaction on the drilling issue, which 70% of the public want, will NOT help that.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Is there some rule that in order for you to attack/criticize The Maverick you have to proclaim your undying love and respect for him?

I don't get it. It is so annoying to hear Dems attack The Maverick, but first tell everyone how much they love him, respect him, and honor his service to this country.

Why does that need to be said? Even O is guilty of that. I would K-K-a-r-l R-o-v'em The Maverick. I would never proclaim my respect before I attacked him. No way. It would have to be implied or something.

[flagold]

To not have respect for what he went through for his country is to show a complete grasp of what is honorable and good, and brings into question the judgement of the person making those kinds of statements.

People do sacrifice, and to honor that is not dishonorable to yourself or your party. There are things more important that party politics.

Funeral For A Vet:

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-55395

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

So?
My grandpa and uncles served and fought in WWII came home had to ride on the back of the bus in the South. My grandpa could only buy a home in a certain area of the city with the money he received from his GI Bill.

Sorry. I am too busy having love and respect for men who didn't get in because of dad and grandad like my grandpa and uncles.

BTW, it is b s to have to proclaim your respect for someone before you criticize him. It's ridiculous. I am sick of The Maverick being put on such a high pedestal that not even a 4 star General, who also served in Nam can criticize.

[VitoCorleone]

Respect and Honor; two things I know a little about.
I like the way you express yourself.
I percive you are a person of condizione.

V.C.




.

[mshazen]

So true, Done with all that he served, that is honorable, done, we don't need to say anymore about it. No one said it when Kerry was running as a matter of fact they tore apart his war record for his effort.

He is running for president that is what we need to talk about war was a million years ago, talk about now.

Veteran or not if you say stupid things Rov'em for it over and over. They use his service as a distraction, all of the sudden you are not patriotic because you attack a veteran, If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

[kasinca]

Screw McSame. He has lived forty years since Vietnam just like I have. We can't ride that ride the rest of our lives. It has nothing to do with being President of the USA.

[georgiaR]

It has to do with experience which Obama has NONE

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

test

[repubstheirownworstenemy]

You passed.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

:)

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Is there some rule that in order for you to attack/criticize The Maverick you have to proclaim your undying love and respect for him?

I don't get it. It is so annoying to hear these soft Dems attack The Maverick, but first claim how much they love him, respect him, and honor his service to this country.

Why does that need to be said? Even O is guilty of that crap. I wouldn't show that guy any respect before I attacked him. I would K-K-a-r-l R-o-v'em.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Thanks, Syd.

I can't call you p-i-m-p buddy anymore. I am being blocked.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Thanks, Syd.

I can't call you p i m p buddy anymore. The mods blocked me, dogg.

[VitoCorleone]

I'm new to this here Web Site and would like to say Hello to everyone.
Hope to get to know some of you thru my postings as time goes by.
I 'm from the New York Area and I like doing favors.
I like this Obama fella, down to earth, energetic, knows his stuff.
The other fella should stay home looking after his grandchildren, there's a time for everything in la vita; his is past.

V.C.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Welcome to HuffPo Vito.

Did you mean to say 'The Other Fella' ought to stay home and let his grandkids take care of him?

I'm just curious.

[HallStyle]

OFF SHORE DRILLING WILL NOT COME UP FOR A VOTE. IF IT DOES IT WILL SIGNAL THE END OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

[repubstheirownworstenemy]

It'll come up for a vote as a part of a comprehensive energy strategy and Republicans will oppose it. Repubs will kill the bill and Democrats will force them to vote on it right before the election. Methinks they have hoisted themselves on their own petards. I can't wait.

[HallStyle]

I was listening to Nancy Pelosi on Sunday and it really don't sound like she want's this to come to a vote. I KNOW I DON'T.

[StarfishusBovinae]

THE REGULARS ARE COMING OUT! THE REGULARS ARE COMING OUT!

[HallStyle]

Que?????