Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Planet) adjourned the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday morning at 11:23am, so our esteemed representatives could go on their five week summer recess. The adjournment vote was along partisan lines, with Republicans voting to stay in session to get an up/down vote on offshore oil drilling (which Congress and 78% of Americans support), and with the Pelosi-led Democrats voting to flip America the bird. The Dems turned off the lights and the microphones. C-SPAN turned off their cameras.
But a group of House Republicans stayed right where they were and kept on talking in protest, in the dark, without microphones, and without the cameras rolling. Some news media, including Politico, stayed to chronicle the events, even though the KGB Democrats were trying to kick them out.
“This is the people’s House. This is not Pelosi's politburo,” said Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.). Amen, brother.
Democratic aides were furious at the GOP stunt, and reporters were kicked out of the Speaker's Lobby, the space next to the House floor where they normally interview lawmakers.
"You're not covering this, are you?" complained one senior Democratic aide. Another called the Republicans "morons" for staying on the floor.
Update: The Capitol Police are now trying to kick reporters out of the press gallery above the floor, meaning we can't watch the Republicans anymore. But Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) is now in the gallery talking to reporters, so the cops have held off for a minute. Clearly, Democrats don't want Republicans getting any press for this episode. GOP leaders are trying to find other Republicans to rotate in for Blunt so reporters aren't kicked out.
Update 2: This message was sent out by Blunt's office:
"Although this Democrat majority just adjourned for the Democrat 5-week vacation, House Republicans are continuing to fight on the House floor. Although the lights, mics and C-SPAN cameras have been turned off, House Republicans are on the floor speaking to the taxpayers in the gallery who, not surprisingly, agree with Republican energy proposals.
"All Republicans who are in town are encouraged to come to the House floor."
Update 3: Democrats just turned out the lights again. Republicans cheered.
Update 4: Republican leaders just sent out a notice looking for a bullhorn, and leadership aides are trying to corral all the members who are still in town to come speak on the floor and sustain this one-sided debate.
The House adjourned about three hours ago, but GOP lawmakers — outraged that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats went home for five weeks without allowing a vote on offshore drilling — have refused to leave the floor. Even though C-SPAN can't show you what's going on (C-SPAN is prevented from showing what's happening on the floor when the House is out of session), Republicans are holding an unprecedented session on the House floor. They have brought in dozens of their members, who are walking up and down the aisles making speeches. They have packed the floors and galleries with staffers. When Capitol Police tried to remove reporters from the gallery, Republicans stopped it from happening. The crowd has repeatedly broken out in chants of "Vote, vote, vote!"
Update 5: The scene on the floor is kind of crazy. Normally, members are not allowed to speak directly to the visitor galleries, and visitors are prohibited from cheering. But in this case, the members are walking up and down on the floor during their speeches, standing on chairs. The visitors are cheering loudly. Some members even brought in visitors, who are now sitting on the House floor in the seats normally filled by lawmakers, cheering and clapping. Very funny.
Democrats faced a choice here: Should they leave the cameras on and let Republicans rip Pelosi & Co. on C-SPAN, or should they leave the cameras off and let the Republicans have their "tantrum," as one Democratic aide characterized it, with the cameras off? So the cameras are off, but Republicans, and the crowd, are clearly enjoying the scene.
Update 6: Republicans are literally hugging each other on the House floor. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.), not normally known as a distinguished orator, just gave a rousing speech, accusing Democrats of stifling dissent. He referenced President John Quincy Adams, who returned as a House member after being defeated in his presidential reelection bid. Waving his arms and yelling, Manzullo brought the crowd (including a lot of staffers shipped in by GOP leaders to fill up the place), and he left the floor to hugs from his colleagues. You don't see that up here every day.
Update 7: Rep Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) just pretended to be a Democrat. He stood on the other side of the chamber and listed all of the GOP bills that the Dems killed.
He then said, "I am a Democrat, and here is my energy plan" and he held up a picture of an old VW Bug with a sail attached to it. He paraded around the House floor with the sign while the crowd cheered.
Update 8: It's over.
Right at the stroke of five Georgia Rep. Tom Price announced that House Republicans were ending their impromptu protest on the floor of the chamber, ending a five-plus hour rebellion with a round of "God Bless America."
The assembled tourists, aides and members in the chamber gave Price and his compatriots a standing ovation. They left the chamber to shouts of "USA! USA! USA!"
Call this a stunt if you wish, but I think this is exactly the type of stunt we need more of, to awaken America and to force the Democrats to do the right thing. The Republican protest already bore fruit, as Hopey McChangerson (aka Barack Obama, the Human Jellyfish) FLIP-FLOPPED on offshore oil drilling as the Republicans were protesting. Now he's in favor of it. Hopey, of course, only flip-flopped because he's losing votes as the GOP gets traction on the drilling issue, but who cares why he did it. It only matters that he DID do it. The voice of the people still works, but we can't stay silent and think everything is going to work out anyway. If we have to drag Dems kicking and screaming into the light, so be it. Way to go, GOP.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Great Post, King.
Finally some life in the GOP caucus in the House. They need to keep the pressure up.
Hey King lighten up. Nacy said she was going to run the most ethical show in the history of congress and she believes in transparancy and fairness. How could you criticize someone who does everything for those suffering and all the children?
The only difference between her and mother Thersa was that Nancy needed a bigger plane.
Hey, angry, I catch hell all the time by a Dem supporter about the plane that Nancy had to have to haul all her people. This woman says it just didn't happen.
King, your report shows just how Nasty Nancy may well have shot her bolt for November. I see the GOP winning back many seats from the drilling thing and she will be going back to minority status and crying about all the cheating. I seriously think she lost some seats yesterday. Maybe even all the Blue Dogs will have to support the Republicans to get re-elected.
I just don't think that Nasty Nancy thought the Republicans would do something like that. That was an early 19th century trick and very funny, at that.
angry c,
Yes, Nancy does SO much for the children. Just this week, as the Dems ignored the biggest issue going, energy costs, Henry Waxman was waxing on about what a great week the Dems in Congress had, due to the fact that they voted to eliminate lead in children's toys, as if there was GOP opposition to that idea, which obviously there wasn't. So, we may have $4 per gallon gas causing rising prices, rising unemployment, undermining the economy and our national security, but Henry Waxman says 'no worries' – Barbie and Ken are now lead-free.
Those Dems so deserve a vacation, don't they ?
Republican supporters are always enchanted with political stuntsmanship. It's actual governing they have a problem with.
This meaningless and desperate stunt, which failed to accomplish anything, is reminiscent of the totally phony blitz on the Floridian vote count in 2000. Republican hitmen from D.C. were sent by Rove to stage a faux-rebellion in 2000.
Sounds exactly like what happened in the House yesterday.
And by the way…..about the 78% poll for drilling. A similar percentage, influenced by the Bush-Cheney lies, thought we should attack Iraq in 2003. Drilling our way to lower gasoline prices is simply the rogue regime's new lie.
With today's radical conservatives, lying and propagandizing has become a way of life.
What is so sadly funny…..is how today's conservative cheerleaders do the bidding of a tiny handful of filthy rich industrialists. Truth has no place with these cheerleaders….they simply want to "win".
Finally….Obama said he would be willing to consider a compromise package that would possibly include drilling. That demonstrates he's willing to work with the other side to get something done.
Almost forgot.
Correct me if, you know, I'm wrong…..but I don't remember hearing any complaining when DeLay actually ran a Politburo House, excluding Democrats from all debate, and in some cases, not even telling Democrats what the bills were they had to vote on.
The Republican Party of 2008 is a desperate political party.
Hey Red, is that manner of voting you bring back up about DeLay kind of like the way Dirty Harry gets all his pork bills passed in the Senate with no debate or voting taking place? Sounds too much like what they call unanimous consent to me.
BTW, does it appear that Bush could save Pelosi by calling a special session? It sure does to me and I hope he doesn't do that as she would be able to twist her foolish action of the past week to her good.
Darn that Obama. He just flopped again, I suppose because he realized that not to do so may cost him a vote or two.
The One wants to be able to say 'there's no difference in our policies' during the debates again.
Rev,
So….when Obama okays offshore drilling, it's a sign of statesmanship, but when Republicans are for it, they are all a bunch of extremist liars ??? Sure, why not. Logic like that is what makes you the Rev.
And just for the record, Rev, drilling for domestic oil will help every American who drives a vehicle. That hardly qualifies as doing "the bidding of a tiny handful of filthy rich industrialists". It is doing the bidding of the people, who aren't impressed with the Obama 'inflate your tires and drive a skateboard with a sail' energy plan. It won't be long now until summer is over and Obama recommends that everybody wear a sweater.
Most of the time, I find myself infuriated with the lame-brain "inactions" of the R party. Finally, a bolt of lightening has inspired a handful of individuals to take on the liberal regime and force their hands before the watchful public eye.
And who thought protests were only for leftist-radicals? What is N. Pelosi and gang thinking? The five week recess will cool down public sentiment?
If the media gives this "rolling stone" some traction, the boulder will have the potential to crush all those who oppose. In an election year, one could not play a more dangerous game. If they're forced to vote on this, it'll be a no-win situation.
Mr. King,
You and I disagree on the efficacy of offshore drilling. However, I deplore this kind of hardball tactic. Neither party should prevent things from coming to a vote. It is a shame when the political parties are in control of Congress' votes rather than their own consciences. That being said, I must agree with the Rev that the Republicans practically patented this behavior.
Alex,
Pelosi is having to make repeated defenses of her undemocratic actions on this, so hopefully, America will see what an extremist she is.
frank,
I don't know which party started this type of behavior. We could probably track it back into the 1800's for all I know, but that doesn't matter. It was wrong when the Republican majority did it, and it's wrong now. We agree.