Squaring the Culture

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tried last week to quell single-handed the entire nation’s impulse to release drilling for oil on America’s outer continental shelf, by calling for a summer recess for Congress. She might not be able to do it; Friday, in an unprecedented move, dozens of Republican Congressmen refused to leave for the recess, remaining instead as a protest to call for immediate measures to relieve gas prices above $4/gallon. According to ABC News, the number has reached 30 Congressmen who will be returning to Washington this morning to debate energy policy.

Reporters were kicked out of the House chamber, but Representatives grabbed hand-held camcorders and posted the films on the internet, using Twitter to get the word around. Conservative bloggers are thrilled at the Republican Representatives’ use of alternative media to sidestep the Democrats’ attempt to keep this rebellion quiet.

Hot Air delivers the money quote, quoting Politico:

Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the dimly lit chamber is a “vision of the future by the Democrat Party: The lights are out, there’s no power, and the air conditioning is gonna go off soon.”

Meanwhile, Speaker Pelosi expressed irritation last week at the Republicans’ interruption of her Mission From God:

…after promising fairness and open debate, Pelosi has resorted to hard-nosed parliamentary devices that effectively bar any chance for Republicans to offer policy alternatives.

“I’m trying to save the planet; I’m trying to save the planet,” she says impatiently when questioned. “I will not have this debate trivialized by their excuse for their failed policy.” (my emphasis)

Mark Tapscott of the Boston Examiner offered what he supposed would have been a longer-term, more effective demonstration, including perhaps daring DC police to drag Congressmen off in handcuffs. He ends by noting that this is just one tentacle of a larger octopus:

Sure, $4 is too much to pay for gas, but bringing the price down is just one reason for supporting drilling – it’s the first crucial step to rolling back three decades of Democrat/trial lawyer/environmental regulation, litigation and bureaucracy. The price of gas is the marginal, but highly symbolic, issue. The fundamental issue at stake is whether Republicans really want to strike genuine blows that severly wound and ultimately kill Leviathan.