Bush Confident Congress Will Now Expedite Energy Bill

[Emboldened Chimp]

By BRIAN KNOWLTON with MARK J. PRENDERGAST


WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 — Five days after the power failure that blacked out all or part of eight states and two Canadian provinces, President Bush said today that Congressional Republicans had assured him that a conference committee would begin work within 20 days on a final package of energy legislation.

Speaking near his vacation ranch in Crawford, Tex., Mr. Bush told reporters that he spoke by telephone Monday night with two crucial Republican lawmakers on energy issues — Sen. Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico and Representative Billy Tauzin of Louisiana — and that they had assured him they could reach an agreement on the hard-fought energy legislation.

The president said he was "very confident" that the legislation would include mandatory standards on reliability, including penalties if electricity suppliers failed to reliably provide power.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/19/politics/19CND-BUSH.html

[papau]

1. If Blackout =rape of Alaska, the Dems can forget about 04

If the Electric grid and other stuff is split from Alaska - go for it.

But, damn it, don't give an inch if Bush just uses the usual not my fault - it is the Dem's fault - logic to convince the Dems to let it pass.

I have had it with pink tutu Dems.

[seemslikeadream]

2. So has Orrin been told to lay off the judges

and get something done.

[aquart]

3. I'm laying in a supply of candles. No drilling in ANWR.

[demnan]

4. Oh we are so screwed

They'll use this bill to get everything they want, rape Alaska, rape Appalachia, rape the coast of Florida, deregulate, raise prices and give us the biggest screwing of our life.

[pfitz59]

5. Florida coast is safe (J.E.B.)

California coast will be raped!

[shanti]

9. that is their MO

put a "nice" bill out there, but fill it with pork!

[silverweb]

6. In other words...

...another GOP/corporate-manufactured crisis is meant to force through legislation they've been trying to get all along anyway.

How many times are we going to let them get away with the same manipulative tactics before we expose them for the plundering thugs they are and stop them??

:grr:

[glitch]

23. yep

wonder what cushy reward the ceo of first energy will get.

[shanti]

7. i wonder what ELSE is in this bill

that is hidden....*ush really enjoys doing this (see: amber alert bill) :grr:

[sandnsea]

15. 50 nuclear power plants

Just so's you know. And I don't think any method of storing or dealing with the waste either.

[Rose Siding]

16. More deregulation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=69638&mesg_id=69638

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. Yes let's ram it down our throats before the source is fully investigated

[ElsewheresDaughter]

10. bush*/FirstEnergy blackout plan worked....mission accomplished!

yup! if the dems fight cheney's energy bill now they will be labeled "obstructionists" AGAIN....will they rollover?

and i'm suppose to believe that iraqi terrorist killed the only man that could help end their US occupation>>>Sergio de Mello

"Never again will I trust anyone in power. I start from the immediate assumption that they are lying, and the burden is then on them to convince me that they are telling the truth." -- Michael Moore >>

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

12. Imagine the lights going out right now

what with the UN Baghdad Headquarters being bombed and yet another bombing in Israel. There could very well be panic, with no National Guard to call to the rescue.

The fixes the Bush has gotten the US into boggle the mind. It's like the country is one huge disaster waiting to happen.

[indepat]

13. Almost everything bad that happens seems to be a political gain

for this Administration. "How convenient." Now isn't that special?"

[NewYorkerfromMass]

21. that and a new tax cut

so the energy companies will have some spending money in their pockets for new power lines. :eyes:

[arcane1]

11. what a fortunate coincidence, that we just had a 'crisis'

funny how that always works for this bunch...

[brook]

17. Perhaps...

it's time for a pre-emptive strike of our own. Like letting our representaive know that we're hip to this crisis=gain game and if they roll over on the energy bill, we'll take it to the street?

[w4rma]

14. BushCo's energy bill pays the very folks who caused the blackout (n/t)

[prolesunited]

18. OK

So how do we get across to people the ties between First Energy and the Bush's to see how they're trying to play us.

It's been the same with everything. Even if they don't cause these events (Still not sure on that count :tinfoilhat: ) they certainly know how to capitalize on them. They had plans for the Afghanistan pipeline, Iraq and the Patriot Act ready to go just waiting for the right moment to strike.

[Vitruvius]

19. Once again, MIHOP does the job for the BFEE.

Like so many low-IQ thugs, the BFEE has a M.O, and they stick to it.

And that's how so many thugs get caught -- they stick to their MO, they do it again & again, and sooner or later they get caught.

And when the BFEE gets caught, I hope the Dems have the guts to pin all their other MIHOP crimes on them. From 9/11 on.

Vitruvius

[goobergunch]

20. The computer deleted my post

House bill
Senate bill

Check out Title IV of Division C in the House bill. :scared:

[librechik]

22. Trifecta Twice!

I foresee another midnight session in Congress behind closed doors with the thumbscrews. Let's see, who's the head of the Energy committee?

[Oilwellian]

24. This is such an important Bill

And you can bet this republican bunch of thugs have it set up where middle america will take yet another one up the wazoo. It's important we first learn what's against us in the Energy Bill and then write our congressmen in protest. I know last year's Bill included nationwide deregulation, tax incentives and govt subsidies to energy companies, as well as give the Feds control over imminent domain, instead of each individual state having that power. Several neighbors and I personally fought a battle a couple of years ago where the local utility company wanted to build more power lines across our land. The power lines weren't needed because demand was being amply met and the utility company was out to make more money for just themselves. If they had won, I would be seeing power lines strung across my property, and they would have been without benefit to my community. I can't imagine how difficult the battle would have been if I had to fight the Feds for imminent domain rights instead of my local officials. America needs to wake up and see what these monsters are trying to pull off.