Running Out the Clock
I believe that’s a football term although I’m not a big fan. However, it’s an apt description of the happenings in Washington, D.C. This 2006 Congress has done almost nothing except spend on things that aren’t going to matter a year from now, two years from now, or even five years from now, except for the hits to the pocketbooks of American taxpayers.
The reason for this is because they are running out the clock. History and trends over the last century show us a pattern of Republican to Democrat to Republican to Democrat presidents, usually double terms for each followed by double terms of the other, with few exceptions (Bush 1, Carter, Ford, etc.). The Democrats believe it’s their turn at the helm and they’re waiting for a new president before they do anything vital for the American people. They want the credit for saving the country even if it’s their lack of action that has put us in the position we’re in.
Once the newly installed Democrat president is firmly in office, a whole lot of things are going to change fast, most of them not for the better but you can predict they’ll release the moratorium on offshore drilling. Yes, I know it is set to expire Sep. 30 this year but who wants to bet against me as I say they’ll “extend” it for further discussion… discussions that will go well into next year?
They’ll talk about hybrid cars, alternative energy, global warming, taxes, more taxes, and still more taxes. They talk about taxing the rich but at the same time they talk about adding more to the gas tax they already collect and will add taxes to other things that Americans depend upon every day, one way or another, which belies the taxing only the rich meme. They’ll go further into the lard bucket and dip out more money for inanities such as the housing bailout which won’t amount to much of anything accomplished by this time next year. They’ll pour more money into an utterly failing education system and contribute to a growing welfare state because they want the people dependent rather than independent.
They’ll prop up the open borders crowd on our dimes as well, offering free health care to all within our borders. One wonders how they are going to stop the tide of illegal aliens when Mexico actively sends its citizens, as well as allow others from other countries, across the border to be able to send money back to their home countries to prop up an economy that doesn’t exist except for the elite. How is the U.S. supposed to pay for government health care when that happens?
Well, there is one thing that will be certain. We’ll all be equal. We’ll all have equality of opportunity: none. We’ll all have equality of socioeconomic status: poor. And, we’ll all have an equal standard of living in all other ways: lousy.
For the party that is supposed to be “of the people” they sure have a hard time putting themselves in the shoes of ordinary taxpaying Americans, don’t they?
I don’t like McCain and I make no bones about it and I won’t stop criticizing his stupidly stubborn ideals of “getting things done” and “reaching across the aisle”. Those kinds of ideals are what put us in this position. However, he’s all I have to work with because Obama will just further the socialist stranglehold on the people.
If McCain should win the election in November, look for another denial on a level above those against Bush II through both his elections. The Democrats think it’s their turn to rule and they’ll settle for nothing less. If a Republican wins the office, look for revenge legislation and more hardships for Americans in the bargain, on top of the ones they’re trying to sell us now as good things.
On the other hand, McCain just got a lesson in what it means to reach across the aisle when his op-ed was rejected by the Times. From pre-primary media darling to pariah after the primaries. We knew it was going to happen long ago. Nothing like a slap of reality to wake up even McCain. Perhaps, it’s a lesson he’ll take to heart and stop the liberal madness which seems to have afflicted him. If he learns that lesson and keeps it close to his heart, there’s hope for this country, yet, because he’ll wield a veto pen. Sure, they can override his vetoes, but it takes longer to enact legislation if it’s vetoed every time and you have to go through such a process. Remember the House of Representatives serve terms of only two years at a time.
I guess, all I’m saying is there is some hope with McCain while with Obama there is none. We can handle this for two years while we work on a way forward.
Yes, we can! (Just a little bit of snark. Couldn’t help myself.)
Posted by Stephanie
July 24th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Running out the clock is basketball, I think - not football. They’ve tried to prevent it by changing the rules so that a player only has so many seconds before he must either shoot or pass the ball, or lose it to the other team. You can still see them slowing down their play if time is a critical factor and they’re in the lead.
But that’s being picky - other than that, I agree. On the other hand, maybe Congress doing nothing is a good thing…!
July 24th, 2008 at 11:36 am
“Yes, I know it is set to expire Sep. 30 this year but who wants to bet against me as I say they’ll “extend” it for further discussion… discussions that will go well into next year?”
Agreed - they’ll say that the price of oil has already fallen with no drilling, therefore drilling isn’t necessary. Or some such. And then watch it zoom up again…!
July 24th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
IF Congress does something really stupid after the elections, like keep the moratorium alive out of vengeance for losing the presidential election, then you’ll likely see a zooming price again. But I believe OPEC and the independent oil companies are playing a wait and see game right now.
Then again, Americans have taken that into their own hands just a tad. Demand is down which also causes a price decrease. Supply and demand, supply and demand, supply and demand…
However, the fact that Congress is seeking a higher gas tax while paying none themselves is very telling about the government in this country.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:22 am
The Dems have handed this issue to the Republicans and it’s a powerful weapon in our arsenal.
People need to think about pulling the lever for their lovable rascal Democrat Congressman/woman and Senator when voting this year. If they vote for them we will stay where we are. If we can pull off a majority we can drill and get on our own feet.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Stephanie,
“I guess, all I’m saying is there is some hope with McCain while with Obama there is none.”
Have you seen the latest cover of Ebony magazine……please go and take a look…..in fact I suggest “you typical white people” (remember that is a term of endearment) that I know and love all go down to the store and read it from cover to cover……….You have to forgive me I just watched the CNN special “Black in America”…Yes I know you consider them part of the MSM but I had to watch…and it got me a little fired up so I have to vent a little……It talked about a lot of the black issues high unemployment, high birthrate of children to unmarried mothers, the disporportionate spread of AIDS among the black community, the overwhelming number of black men in our prisons and so on……but it also spoke of quite a few gains among Blacks also……We gave come a long way….we will elect a black president………..Obama is the hope not only for Black America but the hope for America………….Oh yeah I guess we were talking about drilling for oil…..drilling today will not yield anything for about another 8-10 years….why didn’t we start 7 1/2 years ago(during the Bush administration) …for that matter why didn’t we start in the Clinton administration….Drilling is not the only solution there are a lot more alternatives we should be exploring or doing including nuclear…….This is one I disagree with Obama on but one that I can live with….
Obama in ‘08………Black Cool
July 25th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Bruce, yesterday morning I was watching the morning news. They had a segment about wind power with the big windmills put up on a mountain in East Tennessee. At a fast count there were at least 20 of them shown. Each one cost $2,000,000. They were so proud of the fact that those windmills were powering about 4000 homes. Now, if we leave the count at 20 times 2 million dollars, that’s 40 million dollars to power 4000 homes. Do the math.
This is what is being touted as alternative energy along with other things like biofuels which costs more to process than fossil fuels in addition to driving up the prices of basic foodstuffs because food is being syphoned off for biofuels.
There are no easy fixes. On this we can agree. That time frame you cited doesn’t take into account technological advances nor does it take into account that the pipeline for the ANWR drilling is already in place minus a few miles. At most, it would be just a couple of years until production.
In spite of the huge technological gains we’ve made in the last couple of decades, there is no magic wand to fix this problem permanently but we could work with what we’ve got in the meantime. Our politicians don’t seem to have the courage to do so.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Bruce, just as you claim to be a simple man I claim to be a simple woman. Some might even call me a simpleton.
You say you disagree with Obama on the energy issue but you can live with it.
Can you “live with it” when prices at the pump go to $10 a gallon? Do you heat your home with oil? Even if you heat with gas or electricity the price is going up. Can you live with that?
Can you “live with it” at the grocery store because the prices are driven by the price of fuel for the truckers?
If you can live with all this you must be a multi-millionaire.
July 25th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Bruce - “It talked about a lot of the black issues high unemployment, high birthrate of children to unmarried mothers, the disporportionate spread of AIDS among the black community, the overwhelming number of black men in our prisons and so on…”
Me: Just curious, having not seen the CNN show, was whitey primarily blamed for all of this? In other words, was it all “we’re still victims of whitey”?
“…but it also spoke of quite a few gains among Blacks also…”
Me: About time! Media usually ignores such gains in favor of covering shootings & other crime, poverty, etc.
Also, did people on CNN talk solutions…or were solutions centered on everything will be OK if an empty suit is elected president just because he’s the right race? (Sorry, the more I see Obama and hear him talk and also act like he’s already president, the more I thoroughly dislike him. I already don’t have much shine for McCain, either. Both of them leave a sour taste. Obama’s campaign tour through Europe REALLY REALLY irks me. I’d say the same thing if McCain or another candidate did the same thing.
Bugs Bunny ‘08 - Because we can do far better.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
>>why didn’t we start 7 1/2 years ago(during the Bush administration)>>
Any one of the below links will probably explain why we didn’t. Add to that the lawsuits by environmentalists to prevent drilling and you have a pretty good idea why we haven’t.
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2008/06/who-in-hell-is-behind-5-gas.html
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2007/07/democrats-support-higher-oil-prices-and.html
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2008/07/energy-policy-timeline-helpful-guide.html
July 25th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
“Instead of dealing with the issue on the merits, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a staunch opponent of offshore drilling, has simply decreed that she will not allow a drilling vote to take place on the House floor.”
from:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/24/AR2008072403506.html
From the same article:
“When they took the majority, House Democrats proclaimed that “bills should generally come to the floor under a procedure that allows open, full and fair debate consisting of a full amendment process that grants the Minority the right to offer its alternatives.” Why not on drilling? ”
In the 110th Congress, there have been 384 bills passed. Of those, 50 have been open to debate.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
In line with the “open, full and fair debate” issue, not oil. Still, if you haven’t read this yet, you should. I expect Bush to reject it…but will they pass it over his veto? Good glory. What a disaster!
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/07/post_19.html
July 26th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Stephanie,
“They were so proud of the fact that those windmills were powering about 4000 homes. Now, if we leave the count at 20 times 2 million dollars, that’s 40 million dollars to power 4000 homes. Do the math.”
You are right it is expensive but so was that 52″ plasma TV a few years ago what used to cost $5,000 is quickly coming down to a price point everyone can afford. All new technology is expensive at first but as things are learned about the technology development cost come down. It will be the same for the alternatives the price will come down to something that is more affordable……
Obama in ‘08
July 26th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I can’t afford one but I get your point. However, that was done by shipping the production to China and allowing them to mass market at slave wages. These windmills are components of mass marketed items already, so the cost factor won’t be affected over time that drastically, either. They’re also going to be dependent on the price of metal which fluctuates wildly at times but almost always costly as does wood, which would could be alternative method of building.
But you also said a few years. A few years could be three or five or six. So, even if the cost of building them came down drastically, what do we do in the meantime while inflation outpaces wage increases by a wide margin?
July 26th, 2008 at 7:10 am
Stephanie,
The only ones who get a full cost of living increase in this country are the folks on social security. Everyone else gets none or a small fraction of the increase.
BTW, could you folks add a cookie so we don’t have to sign in every time we make a comment? A small thing but I’m just a simple woman.
July 26th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Stephanie,
“what do we do in the meantime while inflation outpaces wage increases by a wide margin?”
Isn’t that the whole argument……..who ever is president is going to inherit a big mess and he has to figure out what we do in the mean time….the answers are long term this president may not be in office long enough to see any of the work he has done “in the meantime” come to fruition…….Drilling is not the be-all answer to the problem but the republicans would like to make it out to be….If we start drilling gas will go down in the near future ploy is just not true……..taking the bus, train or riding a bike is probably a more simple solution (me being the simple man that I am) for the near future…….I have a 30 mile commute each way to work it costs me about $13 a day at todays gas prices taking the bus cost me $5…..Yeah it makes my commute more than an hour compared to 30 min in the car and I have to walk about 1/2 a mile after the bus stop and I loose some of my freedom to travel when I want but it save me about $8 a day…….Its summer and the days are nice so its not so bad but in the winter I will probably go back to driving the car…..but that was just to say there are things we can do “in the meantime”
Obama in ‘08……..Is that Black enough for you
July 26th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Bruce
Oil speculation controls the price.
As soon as the dems won back the congress, speculators started driving the price up and it has continued until Pres Bush signed an exec. order to drill offshore.
Guess what happened the next day. Price started falling and has continued to fall.
Pres. Clinton vetoed the vote to start drilling in Anwar in 1996. The excuse was the same as now “it will take 10 years to get the oil out of Anwar. Guess what!!! That was 12 years ago!!! Same ole tired excuse.
Dims will pay a price for that in November.
Republicans have found the golden egg.
July 26th, 2008 at 9:59 am
Let’s talk about mass transit here for a minute. Okay, let’s say we don’t do anything about gas prices or anything else and just let things keep going in the direction they’re going.
What if it’s impossible to use mass transit as it would be in my case and I’m not in the country, I’m in metropolitan Nashville, Davidson County?
There are no sidewalks here and the streets are narrow, barely wide enough to hold two cars going in opposite directions. There are no bus stops here. There is nowhere to safely ride a bike. The nearest store is two miles away with no safe way to get there.
And if I got a job away from home? How, pray tell, would I get there without a car, which we don’t have but one? On top of that, there is no way my husband can take mass transit to work nor ride a bike nor walk considering his field of electrician. His jobs take him all over the surrounding area, even at times 100 mile commutes back and forth.
So, okay, let’s leave things as they are and I’ll just start a class action suit against the Nashville government and the state of Tennessee for sidewalks and bicycle paths and more bus stops. Let’s see how well that is going to go over since they are looking at budget cuts because Bredesen is more concerned with his $700,000,000+ bomb shelter /banquet hall than anything else. On top of that, Congress is set to try and raise the gas tax further than it already has while blaming everyone but themselves with the economy.
The reason Republicans lost the 2006 elections is because they acted like Democrats, Bush included since he didn’t do a thing to stop them, not even try. But that doesn’t mean that it’s right because it is actual Democrats now.
There is no alternative energy available that will make up even 1% of the energy needs of this country, even in combinations. The technology for a viable alternative energy is simply not here or not perfected yet.
Tell me why drilling for our own oil is a bad thing other than the “it will take 10 years” mantra which was what was said 10 years ago and 10 years before that. If they’d done it 20 years ago or the last 10 years of that, we wouldn’t be having this conversation now, would we?
Bush repealed an executive order and lifted the ban on offshore drilling. The immediate effects were a reduction in the price of crude oil. Unlike you and Obama, I don’t believe the rest of the world has our best interests at heart. They have their own interests and their interests don’t include the U.S. being competitive in the oil market, which is what would happen if we open up our own resources for exploration.
We opened up trade with China and other newly industrial nations which made goods cheaper all the way around and that’s not necessarily a bad thing but stagnation because of it is, and that’s the situation within which we find ourselves. We’re not doing anything here except becoming more and more dependent upon a government who looks to other countries to decide what is best for us instead of doing for ourselves. The world wants us dependent upon them so they can exploit our vast resources to their benefit, not ours.
Jeannette, this site does use cookies and you shouldn’t have to log in everytime. You might want to check your browser settings which may be set to automatically delete cookies when you close the browser. Or it could be some other security software you are running on your computer.
July 26th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I have to sign in everytime as well. However, there _is_ a “login” clicker…and I haven’t registered as a user. I could probably register, do a “remember this” and maybe not have to sign in. I’ll try it - maybe Tuesday…!
Jeanette - have you registered?
July 28th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
This sure burns me up…
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/07/28/the-donkey-congress-is-allergic-to-debate/
July 28th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
yeah, me, too. I read that this morning. I suppose people really don’t believe politicians anymore and the Democratic victories in 2006 really were to teach the Republicans a lesson. It’s a pity they didn’t learn it very well because the Democrats who are winning local elections are using the conservative message better than the Republicans who are supposed to be representing the conservatives.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Steph
Great post.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Bruce, it’s great that you are able to use a train or a bus to go where you want to go. What about the places that don’t have public transportation as you do? I don’t live in a large city and no public transport is available to me. What’s your solution to the problem of gas prices people like me have to endure?
July 29th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
More on Obama…
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=302137342405551
July 29th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Yet another…
http://sweetness-light.com/archive/afl-cio-mailer-debunks-obama-rumors