Why isn't Speaker Pelosi getting things done on the Energy Bill?

[conservdem]

Is she a leader? Can't she control Dingell? How can she let that Democrat, automaker lackey, who's wife works for GM, out maneuver her. In case its not obvious, I am very frustrated by Congress's efforts on the Energy bill. How can I help kick them in the ass to get their job done on this topic?

[unhappycamper]

1. Why isn't Speaker Pelosi getting things done on the Iraq occupation? n/t

[AndyA]

2. Why isn't Speaker Pelosi getting things done about Bush's power grab?

Or the price gouging by the oil companies at the gas pump?

Or any of the other important issues that she should be addressing. :shrug:

Honestly, I wonder what she IS doing. Yes, there has been some good legislation this session, but more often than not, the GOP seems to still be controlling the agenda.

I was once very impressed by Pelosi, but with each passing day I am more and more disenchanted with her performance as Speaker. She seems to be a very weak Speaker of the House.

[conservdem]

3. Is Henry Reid much better?

As a whole, what accomplishments can Congress be credited with since Pelosi and Reid ascended? Aside from the minimum wage increase, I can't think of anything right now. Am I wrong to view this Congress as nearly useless?

[Greyhound]

5. Even the minimum wage increase is just a political facade anyway, so no,

you're not wrong.

[onenote]

9. always good to know the name of the person you are criticizing

That would be "Harry" Reid.

[conservdem]

21. Thanks for the correction.

[Greyhound]

4. Why isn't Speaker Pelosi getting things done on election fraud?

I'll let others continue...
:kick:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. because K street owns her soul

and she will do nothing to upset them

[TreasonousBastard]

7. Why doesn't she get the potholes here fixed...

Why doesn't she get me a raise, dredge the inlet, lower my elctric bill...

Sheesh-- does anyone here actually know what the job of Speaker actually is?

[OHdem10]

8. We cannot have it both ways. How often have I heard

people on this sight say it is a good thing that Pelosi permits
people to vote their conscience. We do not like them to be
lockstep like the GOP.

You give the members free reign to vote as they please
or you reign them in and require all votes on certain
issues

[onenote]

10. well, since she got the bill passed by the House last August, what should she be doing?

You must've been busy that day and didn't notice.

[conservdem]

12. I watched it that day on CSpan. What has she done on it since then?

She's failed to even name House members for the conference committee yet. As far as I can determine, she and Reid have failed to set a date for that committee to start its much needed work. Don't forget she failed to have the House bill address mileage standards. Are you really satisfied with her efforts and results on this? What about Reid, you satisfied with his weak efforts and weaker results? Under Reid, the Senate's version on the Energy Bill has provisions to encourage construction of Nuke power plants. Perhaps it's you that's been too busy to notice their poor performance on this topic.

[WhiteTara]

16. well if nuclear power plants are on the agenda

I hope she never gets the committee pulled together.

[onenote]

25. and there you have the crux of the problem

The energy bill is going to end up being an uneasy compromise if it can get done. It divides not just along House/Senate lines and repub/Democratic lines, but also within the party there are divisions. I'm not sure why Pelosi gets singled out for not doing enough -- given the divisions, getting a bill passed through the House was itself an accomplishment and Congress has only been back in session for less than three weeks since the bill passed, so its not surprising that the conference hasn't commenced. However, work on the bill is continuing: http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=235369&Month=9&Year=2007&Party=0

[conservdem]

26. Thank you onenote for the link.

I singled out Pelosi and Reid because I think they are the ones who should be leading this effort. But Congress as whole has had a rather dismal performance for a while now.

They have been back from recess for over two weeks and still have not even announced a date for the conference to begin. If there is someone else I should be singling out, please let me know. For now, though I place the blame on the "leaders" and on Dingell.

Do you know if staff discussions like this are treated seriously and actually advance the legislation?

Also do you know how long conference committees usually take to hammer out a bill?

[onenote]

27. conferences can often be very slow moving

I went back and checked on a bill that I worked on back in 1999 -- this was copyright legislation that was not partisan, although it was hard fought between the interested industries and did cross the jurisdictional lines of two committees. The bill passed the House in late April. It was around a month later that a slightly different version passed the Senate. The Senate promptly named conferees around Memorial Day, but the House didn't get around to naming its conferees until later in the summer. The conferees didn't meet for the first time until the end of September and the bill didn't end up being enacted until the end of November. However, from the point when both the House and Senate had acted, staffs were working on the bill.

Just one example, but I think anyone who has ever worked on a bill that goes to conference recognizes that patience is part of the process.

[conservdem]

28. Thanks again onenote.

Do you think the Energy Bill will move faster than the copyright bill you worked on? Given your experience and knowledge on this process your estimate will be better than mine.

[onenote]

29. my guess is that it won't move very quickly

for a couple of reasons.
Its a much higher profile bill. There are divisions not only between the House and Senate, and between repubs and Democrats, but also within the parties. That opens the door for a lot of "horse trading" and that equals time in the congressional universe.

Also,my copyright legislation dealt with a law that was "sunsetting" and was thus "must pass" legislation in that it would've been very disruptive had the law been allowed to expire. Of course, that also permitted folks to play a game of "chicken" with the bill in that they could push as late in the session to get agreement in hopes that the other side would "blink".

I really don't know if energy legislation will ever emerge from conference. I certainly hope so, and if I had to bet, I think the odds are that something will get done. But I wouldn't be surprised if takes a while and if the result is not particularly satsifying to those of us who would like to see real progress.

[Oldenuff]

11. Good luck

Getting her to do ANYTHING of any merit or real value,but she'll show up for the "cave in" parties.

[gateley]

13. Government spying on citizens, collapse of the dollar, homeland security abuses

Iraq, Iran, health care, the national debt, global warming, the world's view of the U.S., civil rights outrages -- here and abroad, the plight of NO and other Katrina hit areas, import/export deficit, treatment of vets... and I could go on.

There are SO MANY issues in our faces right now -- it's overwhelming. All are crucial to our survival and to who we are.

In all fairness, where does one start?

But I often cite a Mother Teresa quote stating "if you can't feed a hundred mouths, feed one." And they've not fed one, yet. They can't even get an amendment okayed that would allow our troops in Iraq a little more time off -- after stretching them to the limit!

What are we to do?

[stimbox]

14. The DLC owns her ass that's why.

Her biggest advisors are Steny "mad at the base" Hoyer and Rahm "elect blue dogs" Emmanuel.

They won't let her do anything.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3528617

[conservdem]

15. Is the DLC against a good Energy Bill?

Does it want us to remain dependent on foreign oil?

[stimbox]

17. you may have answered your own question.

they didn't pass stronger cafe standards so what does that tell you?

[conservdem]

19. But the Senate included stronger cafe standards in its Energy Bill.

So please be more clear, is the DLC against a good Energy Bill?

[stimbox]

20. Here's a link.

http://www.dlc.org/index.cfm

You may have to do some research.

But if it's bad for business you can be sure that the DLC is against it.

[tom_paine]

18. Why isn't Pelosi getting things done on safeguarding the Constitution

and Liberty for future generations who might otherwise live under BushPutinist Totalitarianism?

[Norrin Radd]

32. Good question.

[Hawkowl]

22. Useless Git

Pelosi is the weakest dem Speaker in at least 70 years. Unprincipled AND incompetent. Disgusting.

[conservdem]

23. Don't hold back now, tell us how you really feel.

Please forgive me Hawkowl88 I couldn't resist. I do not know of all her short comings, but she seems to have done very little since her election.

[jmp]

24. "We don't have the votes!" (nm)

...

[hughee99]

30. Unfortunately, just like milk, "dry powder" has an expiration date. n/t

[Imagevision]

31. Speaker Pelosi should be re-evaluated when it comes time to elect her, AGAIN?!!