Broun's Briefings

Op-Ed

Broun's Briefings

This Week: While Americans continue to suffer from high gas prices, Nancy Pelosi releases a book touting her accomplishments. Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic Leadership refuse to take the necessary steps to lower gas prices by keeping Congress on recess. Meanwhile, Russia is beginning to look more like the U.S.S.R.

Nancy Pelosi's New Priority

Nancy Pelosi is peddling her book while some Americans have abandoned their cars to pedal to work. As the House of Representatives remains in recess, preventing an up-or-down vote to lower gas prices, Speaker Pelosi is trying to rally supporters to buy her recently released book, which is barely selling.

In fact, more people watched Republicans speak on the House floor on Friday (an estimated 3,000) than have bought the liberal Speaker's new book (approximately 2,500).

Many liberals are now changing their tunes on energy even as Nancy Pelosi will not allow a vote to lower prices.

However, do not let Speaker Pelosi fool you. According to a recent Politico article citing Democratic aides on Capitol Hill, "What looks like intraparty tension on the surface is part of an intentional strategy in which Pelosi takes the heat on energy policy, while behind the scenes she's encouraging vulnerable Democrats to express their independence if it helps them politically."

The Democratic Leadership should not be playing politics with your pocketbooks. They should, for once, set aside their own political agenda and call the House back into session.

There are several bills providing a solution to high gas prices, including the American Energy Act, a bill that packages all of the previously proposed energy solutions in a single piece of legislation.

Send a Message to the Liberals

As Americans continue to suffer from high energy prices, the liberal Democratic Leadership is enjoying a vacation from their roles in the do-nothing, drill-nowhere Congress.

Polling data shows that Americans overwhelmingly support supply-based solutions to high gas prices, but liberals continue to ignore the American people. Remind them who they work for by sending Speaker Nancy Pelosi your gas receipts and a note to allow an up-or-down vote. Her office address is:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

H-232, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20515

You may also want to call Speaker Pelosi's office and demand that she call the House of Representatives back into session. The number for the House switchboard is: (202) 224-3121. When the operator picks up ask for Speaker Pelosi's office, and ask when they are going to schedule a vote on the American Energy Act.

We must pass real solutions to end high gas prices once and for all. Families cannot afford these prices. Emergency services cannot afford these prices, and our nation's transportation system cannot afford these prices.

I support drilling for more oil and natural gas, building new refineries, and promoting sensible alternatives in order to lower gas prices. Right now, America is drilling for ice on Mars, but we cannot drill for oil in America. I want to stop these high prices, and I hope you will help me send a strong message to the liberal Democratic Leadership that they cannot ignore.

Russia Looking More Like the U.S.S.R.

As you may know, Russia has begun an aggressive military campaign in the country of Georgia over a dispute between the Georgian government and a region of that country named South Ossetia. Russian forces were serving as peace-keepers until the fighting escalated and the Russian air force began bombing Georgian cities.

Not only do these attacks reflect the Russian government's desire to expand its sphere of influence, but it has also become apparent that the Russian government is much less a democracy than it claims to be.

When pressed to refute claims that Russia seeks to depose the Georgian leadership, the Russian Ambassador to the U.N. emphatically stated, "There are leaders who become an obstacle. Sometimes those leaders need to contemplate how useful they have become to their people."

Vladimir Putin, Russia's former President, also appears to have never actually ceded any power, as he has taken control of the conflict with Georgia and has eclipsed Russia's elected President Dmitry Medvedev.

It seams that John McCain was correct when he stated last year that he, "looked into Mr. Putin's eyes and saw three things — a K and a G and a B."

Though Russia has taken steps towards becoming a Democracy, the attacks against Georgia are very similar to the tactics of the former U.S.S.R. I pray that Russia will halt its attacks and allow a peace to be formed.

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