We think: Partisanship has rendered this Congress incapable of ...

Why is it so very difficult for this newspaper to understand that the American People overwhelmingly agree with the notion that we need to immediately commence a multi-faceted approach to becoming energy independent. We need to commence exploration and development of any and all sources of crude oil we have access to PLUS commence a dedicated, all out program to find new renewable energy sources and to build nuclear power plants and new refineries.

Both parties know this, but the Democ-Rats know that virtually as soon as the Congress would agree to go on with this, prices would drop virtually overnight, relief would be felt by the American people and the incumbent President and his party would get a bounce from it. That is the sole reason they are not going to do a damned thing till after January 2009 so that their hollow chocolate rabbit will get the credit. The obstacle is NOT now the Republicans, the obstacle is and has been all along the Democ-Rats led by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
It is as obvious as the nose on your face that, yest, this is a partisan political ploy, but it isn't a Bi-Partisan ploy, it is quite one sided. For the Sentinel to blame in anyway the President or the Republicans is ludicrous and asinine. You've got two kids in a swimming pool, one kid holding the other kid's head beneath the water to the point of him almost drowning , so, according to the Sentinel, we should yank both kids out and give them both a thrashing? Glad you aren't my parent.

"The two parties are more interested in scoring political points than in working together to solve problems."

Got that one correct

The liberals assume the media will mask their true intentions, which is to do nothing but complain and blame GW Bush for everything.

The American people are starting to see through this farce. Call you Congressman and demand action.

Why doesn't Nancy Pelosi (and Harry Reid) get more of the blame for this fiasco of a congress? With shtick like shutting down the Capitol while there was still debate afoot, she should be thrown out of office or at least be forced to resign as House Speaker.

The simple truth is this. If anything of vlaue is to get done then then President Bush would get credit for it (just like Clinton). There is NO WAY Pelosi and Ried are going to allow that. Their position is quite clear, screw the American people George Bush is the enemy. I truly hope when the Country goes to the polls this November they remmeber who the Democrat's elected as thier leaders.

The Sentinel claims that Republicans staying in Washington and coming to work every day after Nancy Pelosi refused to allow a vote on an Energy Package is just playing politics. If those would have been Democratic lawmakers staying in Washington after a Republican had shut down the Congress, the Sentinel would have reported them as heroes wanting to actually work for the American people. Pelosi and Reid have been COMPLETE and utter failures who only work for the special interests in their party and the party itself. They don't care at all about the American people.....and the media just pander to them !!! I'm a registered Democrat who has quickly become disgusted with the "leadership" in this Congress. The extreme bias in the media has also completely turned me off. It is so blatant it has reached the point of being disgusting !!!!

The republicans in congress have blocked and filibustered everything the Democrats have tried to do. You conservatards need to stop listening to your minions and start paying attention. The voters will show you in November what happens when you put party first and country last!!!

And how many bills did the republicans fillibuster? How many times did they insist on inserting drilling legislation into every bill? How many times did they block renewable energy credits from being extended?

My old law professor always said that congress was at its best when it wasn't in session.

I think in all my heart that we've reached the point where simply going to the polls and voting will be able to set things that are wrong in Washington right. The framers of our Constitution recognized that early on and for us to consider the ultimate solution is the highest calling of any true patriots. The more entrenched that the Democrats become the more they will pass legislation that will cement their reign forever. They already have secretly set plans to do away with any and all conservative radio and TV voices and to confiscate guns from the citizens. An ignorant and disarmed peasantry is their ultimate goal, totally dependent upon government for all their needs and to do away with all individuality and religious expression. They want a "Secular Progressive" government like good little North Koreans have.

think in all my heart that we've reached the point where simply going to the polls and voting will NOT be able to set things that are wrong in Washington right.

Re read that and noticed I left a word out.

After many, many years, I have almost come to the conclusion that we should call a constitutional convention and change our formof governemnt. Then, of course, Pelosi/Reid would shut down any proceedings by turning the power off

Franklin Pierce wrote:

I think in all my heart that we've reached the point where simply going to the polls and voting will be able to set things that are wrong in Washington right. The framers of our Constitution recognized that early on and for us to consider the ultimate solution is the highest calling of any true patriots. The more entrenched that the Democrats become the more they will pass legislation that will cement their reign forever. They already have secretly set plans to do away with any and all conservative radio and TV voices and to confiscate guns from the citizens. An ignorant and disarmed peasantry is their ultimate goal, totally dependent upon government for all their needs and to do away with all individuality and religious expression. They want a "Secular Progressive" government like good little North Koreans have.

You are on the right track but you're missing 1/2 of the problem.
This is not a party problem,it's a sovereignty problem,supplemented by a brainwashed army of reconquistas.
http://www.illegalaliens.us/aztlan.htm
These folks have been led down a path to use them for an elitist backed war.

Franklin Pierce wrote:

I think in all my heart that we've reached the point where simply going to the polls and voting will be able to set things that are wrong in Washington right. The framers of our Constitution recognized that early on and for us to consider the ultimate solution is the highest calling of any true patriots. The more entrenched that the Democrats become the more they will pass legislation that will cement their reign forever. They already have secretly set plans to do away with any and all conservative radio and TV voices and to confiscate guns from the citizens. An ignorant and disarmed peasantry is their ultimate goal, totally dependent upon government for all their needs and to do away with all individuality and religious expression. They want a "Secular Progressive" government like good little North Koreans have.

What a load of horse shit hey buddy better take it easy on those meds.

We need change.
Congress fiddles while Rome (The US) burns. the Oil rich countries will take over the US and all Congress will do is say it's the other parties fault. We have meet the enemy and he is us.

Being fairly new to following politics, it seems to me that the style of politics is changing. No longer is a congressman reelected based on what he or she stands for, but is based mostly on familiarity. Its how often has the voting populous seen or heard their name and then voting for it while at the polls. That being said, in election season image is everything, and politicians seem to play the media like a bugle. Its all about getting their message out first and forcing their opponent to retort; controlling the game.

Should Congress have left for a 5 week "vacation" while in the middle of debate on important laws such as energy initiatives? No. However, when you have a president like Bush in office who will veto whatever he sees fit, you cannot blame the Democrats for not getting anything done in Congress. The Republicans are playing partisan politics and then are trying to whine about how the Dems are not getting anything done. Its pathetic to watch.

This is precisely why our government was not set up having political parties in mind. It was set up to have a large group of individuals make independent decisions about the direction our government should take. Not a bunch of puppets who get a new string every time some special interest group throws them some cash during election season. That is why laws take forever to pass, or die between party lines.

As vile and hateful as I think conservative ANYTHING on the public airwaves is, anyone who seriously thinks that the Dems are trying to do anyway with conservative voices on TV and radio needs to put down the pills and turn off those talking heads! All conservative radio and TV does is instill paranoia and hate for anyone who doesn't think just like they do. You're creating an enemy where one doesn't exist!

The most ridiculous claim you make is that the Dems want to do away with individuality and religious expression!

It's nuts like you that make me fear for the future of this country.

Franklin Pierce wrote:

I think in all my heart that we've reached the point where simply going to the polls and voting will be able to set things that are wrong in Washington right. The framers of our Constitution recognized that early on and for us to consider the ultimate solution is the highest calling of any true patriots. The more entrenched that the Democrats become the more they will pass legislation that will cement their reign forever. They already have secretly set plans to do away with any and all conservative radio and TV voices and to confiscate guns from the citizens. An ignorant and disarmed peasantry is their ultimate goal, totally dependent upon government for all their needs and to do away with all individuality and religious expression. They want a "Secular Progressive" government like good little North Koreans have.

Republican obstructionists are scared to death that if the Democrats are allowed to pass bills that benefit the American people, instead of just certain corporations, the American people will see the GOP for what it really is....tools for corporate profiteers that act against the interests of the People.

Skeptic wrote:

As vile and hateful as I think conservative ANYTHING on the public airwaves is, anyone who seriously thinks that the Dems are trying to do anyway with conservative voices on TV and radio needs to put down the pills and turn off those talking heads! <quoted text>

Lessee..."ANYTHING" conservative is "vile and hateful."
Gotcha.
I think what's being referred to is what is usually known as the "Fairness Doctrine." It's an FCC regulation, now defunct, that required media outlets to present controversial, social, and/or political issues in a fair, balanced, and neutral way. One way that would be (and was) accomplished is to mandate equal air time to proponents of differing viewpoints - where an outlet provides time to one side, it must therefore create an opportunity to opponents.
The Fairness Doctrine has been re-introduced back into Congress for approval, but was turned down; significantly, though, it was introduced by Democrats. More recently, such Democratic/liberal luminaries as Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin, Dianne Feinstein and John Kerry have suggested that it be resurrected as federal/FCC policy.

The assumption, or the danger, of such a policy is that yes, it could in effect force conservative talk off the air, if stations could not produce any one on opposing or liberal sides to provide the balance. That is, if a station airs blatantly conservative talk like Rush Limbaugh, but cannot provide any balance, then they would be obligated to remove the Limbaugh broadcast in the interest of "fairness." Stations might also eliminate political talk altogether if forced to air left-wing broadcasts that historically are not as popular and therefore not as profitable as conservative talk.(It's all about selling ad time: when advertisers know an audience is smaller, they won't pay as much for air time, and the radio station makes less money.) It is this suspicion, a suspicion that seems quite reasonable, that leads to the accusation of trying to silence conservative voices. It has been demonstrated repeatedly and overwhelmingly that talk radio, for instance, tends towards conservativeness and attracts conservative audiences.
Democratic leadership knows that, and knows that the Fairness Doctrine could help eliminate that. It's no coincidence that the Fairness Doctrine has been championed by liberals and Democrats.

This is all documented history. Please don't claim or pretend that it's not.

You can't beat an Idaho potato for taste, We'll never see a Russet Potato Day