Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic brethren adjourned the House for the next 5 weeks. The bad news for them is that Republicans refused to leave, causing a major media opportunity to highlight Ms. Pelosi’s Politburo mentality. Here’s Rep. John Shadegg’s quote on Ms. Pelosi’s strongarm tactics:

“The speaker wouldn’t let us have the five-minute speeches because she didn’t want the day dominated on the floor by speeches pointing out she has not allowed a vote on a single measure to permit greater oil exploration for the past two months. This is our answer to the Orange Revolution and our modern day Boston tea party.”

Ms. Pelosi obviously underestimated the Republicans. It’s equally obvious that Ms. Pelosi attitude’s is that of a dictator. In fact, here’s what the Politico is quoting Rep. Thaddeus McCotter as saying:

“This is the people’s House,” said Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.). “This is not Pelosi’s politiburo.”

Ms. Pelosi has ruled the 110th Congress with an iron fist. Now that style has returned to bite her. She’s a little tyrant.

I’ll be mightily surprised if this isn’t THE NEWS STORY of the night. Here’s a great Mike Pence quote:

While Democrats have privately decried the breakdown in order, Republicans defended the protest. “You are not witnessing a revolt,” said Rep. Mike Pence. “You are witnessing democracy in action.”

Ms. Pelosi has been a picture in desperation, if not abject failure. She’s tried blocking the GOP’s legislation that would increase oil exploration and production. The overwhelming majority of people polled agree with the GOP on this issue. (BTW, if Republicans want to reach out to moderates and independents without abandoning their principles, this is the vehicle.)

Check out Kevin Brady:

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), who was on a plane headed home, went back to the Capitol, walking on to the floor dragging his luggage. He got a standing ovation.

Rep. Brady deserves a standing ovation for his actions. (Did I mention that this is great political theater?)

The bottom line in all this is that Democrats are heading back to their districts where they’ll be confronted by one angry voter after another. By the time they return after the conventions, the job approval rating for Democrats will be in the low single digits.

Ms. Pelosi’s spokesman, Nadeam Alshami, insisted that Republicans weren’t leaving for fear of having to face angry voters:

“Republicans are too scared to go home to face their constituents after voting against bills to force Big Oil companies to use it or lose it, demand that the president free our oil from the government stockpile and crack down on speculators,” Elshami said. “In a week where Exxon Mobil made the largest quarterly profits by a U.S. corporation, Republicans are staying in Washington to argue that Big Oil deserves more taxpayer lands.”

Someone should tell Mr. Alshami that the ‘Big Oil’ boogeyman won’t work this time. When the national average of gas hit $4/gallon, people decided that drilling had to start and the OCS had to be opened up for leasing. Poll after poll shows that almost 75 percent of people favor the GOP plan of opening up the OCS. Even Gov. Charlie Crist now favors drilling off the Florida coast.

I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat it again: Ms. Pelosi has a tin ear when it comes to PR. I’m convinced that Ms. Pelosi thinks that they’re winning this debate. That’s why, barring something extraordinary happening, she’ll be stunned when the election results start rolling in this November.

By 2:00 PM, in what resembled newsreels of the packed House floor on the day war was declared in December of 1941, the House floor was almost full. More than 400 visitors were in the gallery and Shadegg, having figured out the code on the panel that controls the microphones, put the sound system in the House back on, until a staffer (presumably from the speaker’s office) came and shut it off again.

“Word spread that the speaker, who was never actually here on the floor, was going to shut down the House press gallery,” a breathless Shadegg told me in a call from the floor, “But rules are clear that the gallery can’t be shut down if a Member is there. So a bunch of us have been taking turns, we’re ‘human shields,’ keeping the press gallery going.” Along with Shadegg, the ‘human shields’ included House GOP Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.), and Texas Reps. Ted Poe and John Carter.

Let these people know that you appreciate them standing up for us. If these people will stand up against the Democrats on this important issue, then it’s our responsibility to fill their coffers so they can win races all across the nation and retake the House.

The Democrats have handed us a golden opportunity this election cycle. We can’t afford to not make the most of this opportunity.

Technorati Tags: Gas Crisis, Nancy Pelosi, Politburo, Nadeam Elshami, John Shadegg, Boston Tea Party, Orange Revolution, Mike Pence, Kevin Brady, Thaddeus McCotter, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

1. Here’s a list of participants for those inclined to open their checkbook:

   Roy Blunt, John Boehner, Michael Burgess, John Campbell, Eric Cantor, Shelly Moore Capito, John Carter, Mike Conaway, John Culberson, Charlie Dent, Jeff Fortenberry, Virginia Foxx, Louie Gohmert, Pete Hoekstra, Duncan Hunter, Thaddeus McCotter, Mike Pence, Tom Price, Ted Poe, Adam Putnam, Bill Sali, John Shadegg, John Shimkus, Tim Walberg, and Lynn Westmoreland.

   She’s also got a tin ear to her own constituents. A majority of the liberal Democrats that I associate with are in favor of expanded drilling and they view using the strategic reserves in the same way they view draining one’s savings account–only a fool would do it.

   Comment by Anneke — August 1, 2008 @ 6:07 pm

2. Keep up the great work!

   Although I am worried, I just saw a local News

   report predicting that John McCain will loose his

   home state of Arizona!!!

   
   CBS 5 News: Will McCain loose Arizona?

   Is this for real??!!

   Comment by Ron09 — August 1, 2008 @ 7:14 pm

3. This little stunt is not getting the attention you hoped for, as it shouldn’t. You have mocked the Democrats energy plans since Jimmy Carter asked the country to turn down the thermostat and wear a sweater; since then, we’ve had a republican majority and executive for 20 years, and after not doing a damn thing about it, only now its so pressing as to have to pull this crap?

   The problem you’re going to face is angry constituents in republican districts who are paying for their representative’s oath of loyalty… to big oil. Good luck with that!

   Comment by Rocky — August 1, 2008 @ 9:42 pm

4. Stunt? Stunt??

   One has to wonder what stunt?
   Obama latest flip-flop.
   Pelosi’s turning out the lights, or the Rep’s candlelit session.

   Fortunately the accustics in the House are just fine without a mike

   The way I hear it Rock, there was one hell of a lot of pissed off Capitol visitors giving Shadegg a big round of applause.

   I wouldn’t count your beans yet there, bub.

   Comment by T.A Gray — August 2, 2008 @ 9:08 am

5. Rocky, I don’t know what you’re babbling about but keep it up. The polls that I’ve seen says that 70-75% of Americans want drilling opened up on the OCS. Democrats have vehemently opposed that, with Ms. Pelosi being the most vehement about it of the Democrats.

   Comment by Gary Gross — August 2, 2008 @ 11:00 am

6. Ron, There’s less chance of McCain losing AZ than there is of getting sunburn in Alaska in January.

   Comment by Gary Gross — August 2, 2008 @ 12:01 pm