Democrats Complain of Exclusion from Talks on Energy Bill

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 — They had hoped in the wake of the biggest power failure in the nation's history to work as partners with Congressional Republicans to write a new national energy policy. Instead, Democrats say they are being relegated to spectators.

"It is an optical illusion that Democrats are involved," said Bill Wicker, a spokesman for Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

As Congress tries to complete its first major energy bill in a decade, Democratic lawmakers and others say they fear that the bill is being too tightly controlled by the Republican chairmen of the House and Senate energy panels, sidelining most members of the special 58-member conference considering the bill.

"To this point, they have not sought involvement of Democrats at all," said Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California and a member of the conference committee that is supposed to reconcile the House and Senate energy bills. "The Republicans are talking among themselves."

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/12/politics/12ENER.html?ex=1063944000&en=9f775141555d60b3&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[Flying_Pig]

1. S'whats new?

We live in a dictatorship, plain and simple.
:mad:

[KittyWampus]

2. But Having Democrats Involved

Would mean that many more campaign contributions to be made by the Energy Conglomerates.

[mbperrin]

3. After we're all sitting in the dark

they may be glad that no one can accuse them of being involved with the "plan".!

[Nottingham]

4. Before long we won't need a Congress!

:bounce:

[Democat]

5. Payback is going to be a bitch for these Republicans

Wait until we control the House. Even if it takes 20 years, just wait.

What they are doing is lowering the bar further and further.

I hope they enjoy their stay in the majority because it won't last forever.

[Ganja Ninja]

6. I hear ya!

They get in control again and they should just pack the whole Bush clan up and drop them by parachute over Bagdad.