It is ironic that our esteemed Democrat Majority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, turned out the lights in Congress last week, preventing a solution for rapidly rising fuel costs.
Even Paris Hilton has a better energy plan than Jay Inslee's Congress of stonewallers. Interestingly, even she suggests that environmentally sound offshore drilling might help us gain fuel independence sooner.
While almost all of us struggle to afford driving to work or flying for vacation, Jay Inslee's Congress drags out the problem and embraces $4 a gallon gas as an ally. This is unconscionable.
In his place, Larry Ishmael would have stepped up to real leadership, aggressively negotiating a floor vote, to include those Democrats in favor of voting, regardless of the Speaker's “no vote” position.
Could it be that Paris Hilton's recent “political” ad contained some credible suggestions?
Drilling fields adjacent to ANWR with existing permits is a start. Oil could be pumping within two years, not the 10-12 years Inslee's Congress claims.
Additionally, with new, practical and environmentally-safe directions in nuclear energy, we could conservatively be on our way to energy independence within five years. As far back as 1996, nuclear energy in the U.S. displaced 62 million barrels of oil worth about $1 billion in oil purchases (SOURCE: Nuclear Energy Institute).
But what about offshore drilling? It was Left on the sea floor, without a vote. Jay Inslee's Congress has taken a five-week sabbatical without allowing a vote on offshore drilling or other Republican energy solution proposals. Meanwhile, our families, schools, hospitals, utilities and economy are all struggling due to oppressive fuel costs. Again, fuel prices welcomed by Jay Inslee and his congressional cohort.
Inslee, and his pal Pelosi, refuse to deviate from their Global Warming platform. Pelosi has gone so far as to suppress Republicans from having a say in developing sensible energy policies for all Americans. She wears her partisan colors well, accepting floor debate only on issues she has anointed as worthy.
Did Inslee and his Congress have this in mind when Pelosi shut off the lights and refused to allow C-Span coverage of the Republican speeches on the floor? Could it be that they believe darkening the chamber would offset the fuel crisis? Let's hope not.
Larry Ishmael is willing to stand up, step up and speak out with real leadership on growth-oriented, family-friendly energy policies that won't put a strain on your pocket book. Vote for Ishmael in August and November to get some real light back in Congress.
