Energy Bill: Democrats Vacation, Republicans In The Dark

The approval of the United States Congress from the American public is so low (around 10%), that it may be difficult for it to go any lower. Of course with House speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi calling for a summer vacation without a vote on the energy bill
and Republicans holding meetings in a dark House chamber in protest, a further decline in Congressional popularity could yet still be achieved. Republicans may even shut down the U.S. government in September to force a vote on offshore drilling. This dubious action would then delay senior citizens from receiving their monthly social security checks in the fall.

Yes, a Congressional approval rate of well below 10% could still happen. Of course, the sad reality is that this prediciment of today is exactly the problem. Democrats on vacation and Republicans in the dark is exactly the way American politics have looked on the issue of a national energy plan for several decades. Democrats don't want to look for new energy anywhere. They don't want to drill, don't want to go nuclear, don't want coal. They want a world of wind and solar power and hybrid cars. Its a world that someday may exist but doesn't today. Therefore, the Democrats live in the world of tomorrow while everyone is living through the energy pain of today. When the reality of the energy problems of today becomes too great, the Democrats blame big oil, oil speculators or Saudi Arabia. Then they proceed to go on vacation, which makes their lobby, the big business of environmentalism happy.

In contrast, the Republicans are just totally in the dark. They are energy clueless. They would like to drill everywhere. Backed by the money of big oil, they have never put forward an agenda to make America energy independent or promote real energy efficiency. Its a sad record for a party that has been in power for eight of the last ten years.

So, McCain wants to drill for more oil when he did not want to drill before. Obama did not want to drill but he may in a limited fashion now. Mccain wants more nuclear power plants while Obama only wants to release the petroleum reserve. Both are careful not to anger their Party's powerful special interests.

So, its Republican big oil against Democrat environmentalism, paid for at the pump by the average American. There is still no coherent national energy policy and despite the recent news headlines nothing much has really changed today.

The Democrats have gone on vacation and the Republicans are looking for energy answers in the dark, as public approval of their performance continues to go lower. Its the same old story just on a different day.