Congressman Kline Conference Call
Congressman Kline returned to DC last night to demand that the House be called back into session. This is the 2nd time he has returned back to DC for the House Rebellion. This morning he held a conference call for bloggers to talk about the American Energy Act, the Republican Rebellion and anything else that was on our minds. We started with statements from the Congressman.
Congressman Kline then opened the floor to questions from the bloggers.
Rob Napell of Kithbridge.com asked - do you think she is softening her position?
John Kline - I think the pressure is coming to bear on her. She knows that if the American Energy Act were brought to the floor it would pass. She knows that the American people want it. However, I am skeptical from her statements that she will allow the bill to come to the floor...it just shows that she is feeling the pressure.
Ed Morrissey of HotAir.com - Do you think there will be a shut down if the OCS drilling moratorium is added to the CR?
John Kline - We have only passed one spending bill this whole session. Rep. Steny Hoyer said that the Congress might not get to the spending bills due to the majorities aggressive legislative agenda. The congress is not doing their Constitutional business. If they put the OCS on the CR I would encourage the President to veto it and work hard to get the votes to sustain the veto.
John Hinderocker of Powerlineblog.com - do you think that the democrats will put forward bills that appear to be promoting drilling that actually prohibit or curtail drilling?
John Kline - They did it before with the Drill Act they will likely do it again. That is why we are pushing for a vote on the American Energy Act.
Unidentified blogger on the call - Do you think that the Gang of 10 is that a valid compromise? John Kline - No it is not. I consider these guys to be friends and pretty solid but I think their ideas are usually fine but this quickly gets watered down so that it is so timid (one of my colleagues called them the "Timid 10")that it would fall into the category that that John Hinderocker suggested.
Janet Beihofer from SCSU Scholars - my question tails off of John H's - I am sure that the environmentalists will tie this up in court for years. While bloggers are helping to push this agenda forward is there any plan to pull the media into this?
John Kline - passing lawsuit proof legislation is hard to get. We are getting the word out to local radio media. I have a reporter from the Star Tribune here in my office as we are doing this call and I have been on WCCO, KSTP, with Jason Lewis on KTLK and we are reaching out every way that we can to get the word out.
Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota Democrats Exposed - are you the only member of the MN Delegation doing this? What about the Democrats in softer districts - like Congressman Tim Walz?
John Kline - As far as I know I am the only Minnesotan. When we adjourned we did let Michele's (Bachmann R - 6th Congressional District) office know our schedule. I don't know what her schedule is - whether it will allow her to come out here. What about Congressman Walz? There are democrats who want a vote on this bill - some of them have been very outspoken. I know that Congressman Walz has said he is leaning toward supporting more drilling. We think we have 40-50 Demcrats who support us but they are unwilling to confront the speaker on it. They refuse to sign the discharge petition and take on their speaker
Jerry Ewing from Freedomdogs.com - I'm still concerned that Republicans have not learned to play the "game" of politics. I understand that it is our nature to solve problems, but isn't there a way that we can use this to retake the house in November. I am afraid that we will get a bill passed that will take this issue out of our arsenal.
John Kline - it has always been our nature to compromise in order to get things done. All we are asking for now is an up or down vote. The Speaker, however, does not want to put her members in a position of making an up or down vote. She does not want her "vulnerable" members on the record of making an unpopular vote so nothing is getting done. We are now insisting that is what she do.
That was the last of the questions. Congressman Kline noted that they would be liveblogging today's floor action at his website and that he will be on the floor in 30 minutes (that was at 8:25 MTN). You can expect 5 or 6 updates through out the day. That ended the call. All I can add was that it was good to see the heavy hitters (Powerline, Kithbridge and Hot Air) that were on the call and engaged in this. I know Ed lives in Congressman Kline's district and he has posted on this subject and poor Rob has been neck deep in the #dontgo movement from almost day 1. However, their readership will bring the movement to more people and make the numbers so that the Speaker ignores the movement at her peril. I guess we will see what happens in the next few days.
90 Congressmen have returned to the floor to discuss the policy and to demand a return to session. A little over a week ago, the Speaker gaveled to adjourn for 5 weeks (for vacation and politics) - this is normal. What is not normal this year is the high price of fuel...I don't know if any of you saw the Speaker on "This Week" last Sunday. George Stephanopolous put her words (as then Minority Leader) out for her. When she was Minority Leader she promised a common sense plan that would bring down the price of gasoline but she never delivered. She has blocked consistenly moves to bring energy bills to the floor...When she said the miniority "had to use their imagination" in order to get a vote I don't know what she meant...did she mean we have to trick her into allowing a vote? This is not just something the Republicans just picked up there were 6 bills (see this post) put up by Republicans that the Speaker has blocked this session.
American Energy Act is an all of the above solution. We think the American people deserve a vote on it. I was heartened to hear that the speaker suggested that she might be open to more drilling provided certain conditions were met. We don't know what that means yet but we would love to know.
Congressman Kline then opened the floor to questions from the bloggers.
Rob Napell of Kithbridge.com asked - do you think she is softening her position?
John Kline - I think the pressure is coming to bear on her. She knows that if the American Energy Act were brought to the floor it would pass. She knows that the American people want it. However, I am skeptical from her statements that she will allow the bill to come to the floor...it just shows that she is feeling the pressure.
Ed Morrissey of HotAir.com - Do you think there will be a shut down if the OCS drilling moratorium is added to the CR?
John Kline - We have only passed one spending bill this whole session. Rep. Steny Hoyer said that the Congress might not get to the spending bills due to the majorities aggressive legislative agenda. The congress is not doing their Constitutional business. If they put the OCS on the CR I would encourage the President to veto it and work hard to get the votes to sustain the veto.
John Hinderocker of Powerlineblog.com - do you think that the democrats will put forward bills that appear to be promoting drilling that actually prohibit or curtail drilling?
John Kline - They did it before with the Drill Act they will likely do it again. That is why we are pushing for a vote on the American Energy Act.
Unidentified blogger on the call - Do you think that the Gang of 10 is that a valid compromise? John Kline - No it is not. I consider these guys to be friends and pretty solid but I think their ideas are usually fine but this quickly gets watered down so that it is so timid (one of my colleagues called them the "Timid 10")that it would fall into the category that that John Hinderocker suggested.
Janet Beihofer from SCSU Scholars - my question tails off of John H's - I am sure that the environmentalists will tie this up in court for years. While bloggers are helping to push this agenda forward is there any plan to pull the media into this?
John Kline - passing lawsuit proof legislation is hard to get. We are getting the word out to local radio media. I have a reporter from the Star Tribune here in my office as we are doing this call and I have been on WCCO, KSTP, with Jason Lewis on KTLK and we are reaching out every way that we can to get the word out.
Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota Democrats Exposed - are you the only member of the MN Delegation doing this? What about the Democrats in softer districts - like Congressman Tim Walz?
John Kline - As far as I know I am the only Minnesotan. When we adjourned we did let Michele's (Bachmann R - 6th Congressional District) office know our schedule. I don't know what her schedule is - whether it will allow her to come out here. What about Congressman Walz? There are democrats who want a vote on this bill - some of them have been very outspoken. I know that Congressman Walz has said he is leaning toward supporting more drilling. We think we have 40-50 Demcrats who support us but they are unwilling to confront the speaker on it. They refuse to sign the discharge petition and take on their speaker
Jerry Ewing from Freedomdogs.com - I'm still concerned that Republicans have not learned to play the "game" of politics. I understand that it is our nature to solve problems, but isn't there a way that we can use this to retake the house in November. I am afraid that we will get a bill passed that will take this issue out of our arsenal.
John Kline - it has always been our nature to compromise in order to get things done. All we are asking for now is an up or down vote. The Speaker, however, does not want to put her members in a position of making an up or down vote. She does not want her "vulnerable" members on the record of making an unpopular vote so nothing is getting done. We are now insisting that is what she do.
That was the last of the questions. Congressman Kline noted that they would be liveblogging today's floor action at his website and that he will be on the floor in 30 minutes (that was at 8:25 MTN). You can expect 5 or 6 updates through out the day. That ended the call. All I can add was that it was good to see the heavy hitters (Powerline, Kithbridge and Hot Air) that were on the call and engaged in this. I know Ed lives in Congressman Kline's district and he has posted on this subject and poor Rob has been neck deep in the #dontgo movement from almost day 1. However, their readership will bring the movement to more people and make the numbers so that the Speaker ignores the movement at her peril. I guess we will see what happens in the next few days.
Labels: #dontgo, Energy Policy, John Kline
posted by The Lady Logician at
9:03 AM
7 Comments:
You know what? Nobody cares. CNN and MSNBC haven't covered this in days. The Olympics are on, and there has been a war too. Sorry.
By
rmwarnick, at 10:27 AM
Of course you don't care. It wasm't in your weekly talking points e-mail.
Nancy should call the house back. With 400+ members she could potentially double the sales of her book!
By
Kermit, at 4:00 PM
Oh well if CNN and MSNBC haven't carried it......
Never mind that ABC, NBC and CBS has, you don't care because YOU (like the rest of the LIBERAL wing of the Democrat Party) don't care that your radical environmental agenda is killing PEOPLE AND JOBS. As long as Gaia is saved from evil mankind it's ok to kill people....
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 4:39 PM
Tell me again how drilling on one side of the planet-- the careful side-- is an environmental disaster, while drilling on the other side-- the expensive side-- is perfectly OK?
J. Ewing
By
Anonymous, at 8:31 PM
How many of the people on the call were actual constituents of Rep. Kline? When WAS the last time he took open questions from non-screened constituents? Wasn't it after he took some heat because his District Director called the police when constituents came to the office to ask that Kline hold a town hall meeting?
Softball questions from a group of adoring right wing bloggers is just what we have come to expect from Kline.
By
Anonymous, at 10:06 AM
Karl Rove doesn't send me talking points-- I'm not on his list like some people!
By
rmwarnick, at 10:10 AM
rmw - I'm not either so that is something else we have in common. However, unlike you I DO my research. I don't rely on either party for my talking points....can you say the same?
Gee Anonymous.....so brave to throw out an accusation like that without putting your name to it. As a matter of fact MOST of the bloggers on that call were constituents. The reason that the police were called on those "so-called" constituents is that they were not constituents (they were anti war activists from Minneapolis which is in a different CD) and they were preventing REAL CONSTITUENTS from getting into his district office. I got that from people who work in the same building. They tell a story much different than the TALL TALE you tell....
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 10:57 AM
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