More Energy Gridlock

So we all started operating with the assumption that maybe the gridlock would break like a bad fever, just before lawmakers head home on their August break.

But then Republicans refused to allow two bills to go forward, one which would extend a shield in federal courts for journalists to protect their sources, another that included special production tax breaks for wind and solar power, along with a lot of other stuff thrown in by the Democratic leadership.

That aggravated Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, so even though Republicans told him they would accept his offer, he then announced that his original offer was no longer on the table.

In other words, no dice.

Then in the afternoon, the House debated - again under special rules which require a two-thirds vote for approval - a bill on oil futures speculation.

During the debate, I got the feeling that Democrats were finally going to win one on an energy bill.  Every single time they have tried this gambit of bringing up an energy bill under "suspension of the rules" it has failed.

But with 0:00 left on the clock, there were 73 Republicans voting aye, giving Democrats just over 290 votes and a victory.

But then, there were a trickle of Republicans heading back to the Well of the House to grab a red card - meaning they were changing their votes.

"Off aye, on no," said the Clerk a number of times, just as Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR) was about to gavel the vote to a close.  More switches.

And in another five minutes, suddenly a dozen Republicans had switched their votes and the bill lost on a vote of 276-151.

Gridlock, gridlock, gridlock.

How crazy could things get after lamwakers return in September?

Well, Senate Republicans actually discussed the idea of blocking a stop-gap budget bill to keep the government running after September 30, when the fiscal year ends, unless they get votes and more on new domestic oil and gas exploration.

Shake your head with me.  The GOP is ready to roll the election year dice on a government shutdown strategy?  Don't they remember how the Dems blew them out of the water when they tried that the last time in 1995?

Meanwhile, the House was barely able to approve a resolution providing for their upcoming August recess.  17 Democrats switched sides and opposed the plan for five weeks off, arguing that work needs to be done on energy issues.

The vote for the resolution was 213-212.

There is no way the Senate will be able to approve that resolution because of the standoff over there, so the Senate will have to be in session every few days from the end of this week, all the way through the second week in September.

That means some Democratic Senator is going to have to stay in DC and miss the Democratic Convention possibly.

Maybe I should have entitled this blog, "That Wacky Congress."

Don't be surprised if lamwakers fold up their tent and head home late tonight.  We'll see.