Thank You and Congratulations: A Drill Here, Drill Now Victory

Pastor Ed Boston received great news in an email from American Solutions.

By Tim Cameron on September 24, 2008 10:50 AM

Following the news that Congress is not going to push for the extension of the offshore drilling ban, American Solutions General Chairman and former Speaker Newt Gingrich declared a milestone victory on behalf of the American people and the 1.5 million members of the "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" movement.

Gingrich stated that lifting the offshore drilling ban is a first and essential step toward an affordable energy independent future. He went on to point out that while this was a tremendous victory for the American people who have been hurt by the high cost of gasoline and diesel, this victory was only the first step. "Congress now needs to create a comprehensive energy strategy," Gingrich said. "Lifting of the ban allows us to continue with the work of creating an affordable, self-reliant energy-independent future."

American Solutions has led the "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" movement that began with a petition drive urging Congress to allow for more drilling for oil and gas to provide Americans with relief from high fuel costs.

This petition drive, which began on May 20, resulted in nearly 1.5 million Americans signing the petition. Those signatures were delivered to the Congress and to both the Democratic and Republican national conventions.

American Solutions was able to bring together a broad coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and independents to get Congress to act. "It proves, once again, that when the American people come together, they can create dramatic and positive change," Gingrich said.

Over the course of American Solutions' effort to lower fuel costs, President Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore drilling, both presidential campaigns modified their opposition to offshore drilling and Congress, today, has concluded that in response to the overwhelming support for more drilling, decided to drop its opposition to renewing the Congressional offshore drilling ban.

In addition to drilling for more oil right here at home, American Solutions has advocated for an energy strategy that includes clean coal, nuclear, wind, solar, biofuels, flex-fuel cars, hydrogen, and prizes for technological breakthroughs for new ways to successfully toward affordable energy independence.

For more information about the "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" movement, visit www.AmericanSolutions.com/DrillNow.

Mike Pence on His Opposition to the Bailout

A Cure Worse Than The Disease - Why I Oppose the Bailout

Our financial markets are in turmoil and the Administration was right to call for decisive action to prevent further harm to our economy but nationalizing every bad mortgage in America is not the answer.


The Administration's request amounts to the largest corporate bailout in American history. Congress should act, but should act in a way that protects the integrity of our free market and protects the American taxpayer from more debt and higher taxes.


To have the freedom to succeed, we must preserve the freedom to fail. Any solution to our present crisis must preserve our essential economic freedom.


Congress should delay consideration of any legislation until the facts and competing solutions can be fully debated, consider alternatives to massive government spending and figure out how to pay for the solution through budget cuts and reform instead of more debt or taxes.


Congress must not hastily embrace a cure that may do more harm to our economy than the disease of bad debt


Before any bailout is enacted, Congress must set itself on an unalterable path to truly overhaul these Government Sponsored Enterprises from the top down and hold those accountable, in and out of government, who drove them, and our financial sector, to the brink of bankruptcy.

Some important work is already underway, but additional reforms are needed. Even now, we read that the Treasury Department is using Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase many of these bad mortgages while it seeks the authority to purchase them all.

Congress should also ensure that these GSEs can no longer pose a systemic risk to the entire economy while placing them on a brisk schedule to be fully private companies with no guarantee of taxpayer support in times of trouble. And Congress should immediately repeal the Affordable Housing Fund, which will actually siphon off capital from these under-capitalized entities, in order to fund left-wing, third party organizations.


Next, Congress must consider all available options to put our nation's economy back on its feet. There are no easy answers but there are alternatives to massive government spending.


Indexing the Capital Gains tax to inflation (which the Treasury Department can do without any help from Congress), or suspending it for one year, would release an enormous amount of capitol into our economy.

Passing an energy bill that lessens the price of gasoline at the pump through more domestic drilling, wind, solar, nuclear and conservation would bring relief to family budgets and create American jobs.

Establishing an entitlement reform commission to develop bipartisan solutions to the crushing weight of entitlements would strengthen the American dollar.


These and other alternatives to a massive federal bailout must be fully considered and debated before Congress acts.


Finally, any new expenditure of taxpayer dollars should be paid for with fiscal discipline and reform. If Congress decides to spend nearly 1 trillion dollars on a corporate bailout, it must find budget savings to prevent that cost from being passed along to the American people.


We must address this crisis with forethought, creativity and fiscal discipline. Protecting the American taxpayer from higher debt and taxes and renewing our belief in the power of the free market must be our guide.

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The New "Drill Now" Anthem

www.AmericanSolutions.com

Dear Pastor Ed,

I just finished up a radio interview with Sean Hannity and I wantedto share with you some exciting news. I was on Sean's show to debut country music star Aaron Tippin's new single entitled "Drill Here, Drill Now."

The song was inspired by our "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" movement and masterfully captures the pulse of Americans who are tired of paying too much for gas while Congress does nothing about it. You can listen to the interview here.

As a country music fan, I've always known Aaron as an outspoken artist who takes a stand for hardworking Americans. And when I first heard his song, I knew it would become the rallying cry for more American-made energy. Just read the opening lines of the song and you'll see why:

Hello.....Is anybody out there listenin' in Washington D.C.
This is the suffering voice of America crying out for relief
Now I don't know what a gallon of gas costs up on Capitol Hill
But we sure know what it costs down here in Realityville

If you're anything like me, once you hear this song you'll immediately want to forward it to your friends and family so they can hear it too.

Can you help us make this song a huge hit by downloading it today and asking your local radio stations to play it?

You can download or preview the song at www.AmericanSolutions.com/DrillSong.

A powerful collision between pop culture and politics, this terrific song is sure to take America's airwaves - and Capitol Hill - by storm.

Thank you for everything you do.

Your friend,

Newt Gingrich

P.S. In light of President Bush's July announcement to eliminate the executive ban on offshore drilling, the U.S. Minerals Management Service has decided to initiate a new plan to increase energy production on the outer continental shelf (OCS). As part of the regulatory process, the agency is calling for public comments on offshore oil and gas development through September 15, 2008.

In the meantime, unfortunately, Congress is planning votes on bills that would actually make all or part of the offshore drilling ban permanent.

Take immediate action by clicking here and letting your voice be heard in favor expanding American offshore energy production.

Lyrics to "Drill Here, Drill Now"

CHORUS:Well the winds of change are blowin’REPEAT CHORUS

Hello…..Is anybody out there listenin’ in Washington D.C.
This is the suffering voice of America crying out for relief
Now I don’t know what a gallon of gas costs up on Capitol Hill
But we sure know what it costs down here in Realityville
And the damage already done has been a mighty heavy toll
And if we’re gonna fix it we gotta start right here at home

Chorus:

Drill here, drill now
How ‘bout some oil from our own soil that belongs to us anyhow
No more debatin’ we’re tired of waitin’ everybody shout out loud
Drill here, drill now

Every time a foreign tanker pulls up to our shore
They got us over a barrel while they bleed us a little more
And think how much it costs just to bring it all that way
And how many American jobs that’d make if we were drillin’ in the USA
Oh and God forbid if our oily friends should decide to cut us off
We’d be standin’ around with our britches down now listen to me ya’ll

Repeat Chorus:

Yes and we recognize that need
But tractors, trucks, cars and planes can’t run on tomorrow’s dreams
So while we’re workin’ on the future we can’t ignore today
Cuz who knows how much time the alternative might take
Somethin’s gotta be done right now cuz friends it won’t be long
Before this great big country comes grinding to a halt

REPEAT CHORUS

Aaron Tippin/Thea Tippin/Philip Douglas/Dan Murph
Songs of Kicking Bird Music(BMI)/TCT Wind(BMI)/Songs of Windswept Pacific(BMI)/All rights obo Songs of Kicking Bird Music and
TCT Wind adm. by Songs of Windswept Pacific/Thea Later
Music(BMI)/LisaMane Music(SESAC)/Loud Hungry Lion Music(BMI)

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Democrats Go Against Public Opinion By Blocking Offshore Drilling Proposals

Cross posted from Spree's Wake Up America.

As gas prices rise, the topic of offshore drilling is rapidly becoming an issue going into the November elections. John McCain has recently come out in support of offshore drilling and Barack Obama is against it. Public opinion is favoring McCain's stance.

Gas prices have soared over the last year and as the totals at the pump become apparent to the voting public, their opinion about offshore drilling has shown that the majority, in a variety of recent polls, want Congress to lift their ban on offshore drilling.

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi and the Senate Majority leader Harry Reid have been refusing to allow bills that pertain to the issue to come up, which has caused gridlock in the Senate as Republicans fight to have amendments dealing with the issue, be heard.

Republicans, for the most part, have united behind McCain regarding offshore drilling and some blue dog democrats, have indicated that will vote for it as well, which spawned reports that Pelosi was facing a "rank and file" threat.

This forces Pelosi and Reid to use procedural maneuvers to stop the issue from coming to a vote.

This puts them smack dab against the rising numbers and the majority of Americans that are ready for the ban against offshore drilling that has been in place since 1981, to be lifted.

Starting with the June 19, 2008 Rasmussen poll, it shows that 62 percent of Americans agree that offshore drilling should be allowed, with only 27 percent not agreeing.

Zogby International's numbers, taken seven days later, show an even larger majority (74 percent) support offshore drilling.

That includes 90 percent of Republicans and 75 percent of Independents and among Democrats, the majority with 58 percent support offshore drilling.



A vast majority of likely voters, across the political spectrum are in support of offshore drilling, which pits the Democratic leadership against the will of the people.

In a recent CNN poll a plurality (49 percent) said that the environment was more important than the economy, yet in that same poll 73 percent of those surveyed said they favor increased offshore drilling for oil and natural gas.

A polling organization that have done the numbers for Florida states have also come up with a majority showing a preference for offshore drilling, even in their own state.

The InsiderAdvantage/Poll Position asked Florida voters, "Do you favor or oppose increased exploration and production of oil and natural gas off the coasts of Florida?"

61 percent were in favor of exploring the coast of Florida for oil and natural gas.

President George Bush has stepped up the pressure on Congress by lifting the presidential ban on offshore drilling and called on Congress to lift theirs.

John McCain and many Republicans, seeing the concern of citizens and a politically winning issue, have done half of a flip flop on the issue. I say half because McCain is against the majority that believe that ANWAR should also be explored, but with the rising costs of gas, food and inflation in all areas connected with the cost of gas, rank and file Republicans united behind McCain on this issue.



Blue dog Democrats aka Democratic Blue Dog Coalition are Democratic politicians who do not always vote according to party line, but instead try for a more centrist position and they are the threat to the Democratic leadership of the House and Senate because they are increasingly starting to support offshore drilling.

This not only pits Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid against the the will of the people, but also is causing tension within the Democratic party.

To overcome the Democratic leaderships refusal to bring the offshore drilling bills up for a vote, the Republicans are countering that by using their own procedural motions to see to it that no bill will come up until Congress and the Senate allow debate and vote on their amendments for offshore drilling.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) states, "We think there is nothing more important that we can do right now than to deal with the Number One issue of the country. This is the biggest issue since terrorism right after 9/11. People are pounding on their desks, saying, Why don’t these people get together and do something about this problem?”

The battle in the House has been intense as Pelosi has failed to get the two-thirds majority needed to pass Democratic bills under a suspension of the rules, which limits debate on the issue and prevents Republicans from offering drilling amendments.

Republicans blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from bringing up the bill under regular order, where a simple majority would have been required to pass the bills, but Republicans would have been able to offer amendments calling for increased domestic drilling.

Boehner says of the Democrats, "They're hiding from a vote. They're scared to death to allow us to ... force their members to vote on drilling."

On the other side of the aisle Democratic Representative Ed Markey says, "Republicans are holding the SPRO hostage. They are not going to allow [any oil] to be released until they get everything they want. And that is a very sad state of affairs."

The tensions are also rising in the Senate and it was reported last week that Harry Reid lashed out at the media saying the medias reports on the state of the Senate's energy fight had been improperly relayed to the public and accused them of only reporting what the Republicans were saying and suggested to the reporters gathered that they should start watching the Senate proceedings.

When a reporter pointed out that she had been watching the Senate proceedings and still could not fathom what Reid was offering Republicans by way of amendments, Reid replied, "Turn up your hearing aid. It was clear for those of us who understand English."

The Politico reports that even Democratic aides are admitting that Harry Reid is "bitter".

Reid has also taken to asking liberal bloggers to help him get his message out.

With the November presidential election just months away, politically the Republicans see this as a winning issue with House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH.) stating, "I've never seen the American people as energized about an issue in my 18 years in Congress."

With the recent polling data showing that an overwhelming majority of Americans are stepping up and stating they are in support of offshore drilling, this seems to be putting the Democratic leadership in the minority by blocking amendments and votes regarding this issue.

Nozzle Rage? Comic Relief?

HT to Snooper at ANewtOne.

Have you contacted your dumb a...er...CONgress rep today? Don't you think it might be time to do so?
Fish or cut bait....you decide.

This may be funny now but how long will we be laughing?

Update on "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less

 

Dear Pastor Ed,

Our "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" campaign continues to gain momentum.  Last week, American Solutions delivered the first round of signatures - 350,000 - to the U.S. Senate urging them to take immediate action to lower gas prices by drilling for oil domestically. 

We delivered the signatures to the offices of Senators Alexander, Clinton, Durbin, Ensign, Kyl, McCain, McConnell, Obama, Reid and Schumer urging them to offer real solutions to our energy challenges, beginning with using more of our domestic energy resources.

But this is only the beginning.  It's our goal to have 3 million signatures by both parties' national conventions this fall. Help us reach our goal by forwarding this email to 10 friends and encouraging them to sign the petition atwww.AmericanSolutions.com/DrillNow.

Watch this video of the first batch of signatures being delivered:

New Research on Domestic Energy Resources

We recently released new research data on domestic energy resources.  The data clearly confirms the overwhelming response we've received via emails, letters, and phone calls during our "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" campaign:  the American people believe it's commonsense to work here at home to solve America's energy challenges.

In fact, 81% of the American people support the U.S. using more of its own domestic energy resources, including the oil and coal already here, to combat the rising cost of energy and reduce dependence on foreign energy sources.

As the chart below suggests, the agreement is widespread regardless of political affiliation.

Bridging the Technological Divide

David Kralik, our Director of Internet Strategy, was profiled in the Washington Post last week.

The article focuses on our work in Silicon Valley learning from the entrepreneurial, problem-solving ethos of Silicon Valley that is sorely lacking in Washington, DC. 

A DC resident for 10 years, Kralik now lives and works in the Valley trying to bridge the divide between the failing Washington bureaucracies and the innovative Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.

Read the full profile here.