Democrats Face Backlash Back Home After Supporting Speaker Pelosi’s National Energy Tax | Republican Leader John Boehner

Democrats Face Backlash Back Home After Supporting Speaker Pelosi’s National Energy Tax | Republican Leader John Boehner

Over the last 10 days, House Democrats faced blistering attacks back home for voting to support Speaker Pelosi’s national energy tax that will punish their constituents by increasing electricity bills, raising gasoline prices, and shipping more American jobs overseas to places like China and India. House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) echoed this point today at his weekly press briefing:


“Many of the Democrats that supported this bill are feeling the backlash at home because frankly, the American people are outraged over this job killing legislation.”



According to a Reuters report today, the Senate has cancelled all legislative hearings on the Pelosi energy tax legislation and will not hold a committee vote on the bill this summer. And Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer pointedly “did not guarantee Congress will be able to finish a bill and deliver it to Obama by December.” Will the Senate ever act on this job-killing bill?

Many House Democrats were famously “BTU’d” by former Vice President Al Gore and House Democratic leaders when they were forced to vote for a massively unpopular energy tax that the Senate completely ignored 16 years ago. According to CongressDaily, “House Democrats are starting to worry that Republican efforts to put a dent in the support of newer members who voted in favor of climate change legislation are having an impact, in part because allies on the left have left them hanging.” Here’s just a few examples of the heat Democrats are facing back home:

· Rep. Zach Space (D-OH): “Republicans and a local coal group are giving Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio) heat for his recent vote in favor of controversial global warming legislation, which narrowly passed the House before the July Fourth recess. Space represents a Republican-leaning rural district in eastern Ohio that boasts a large coal industry presence. … At least one of Space’s former supporters is not happy with his vote. Ohio Coal Association President Mike Carey said he and many members of his group supported Space a few months ago but now are ‘just beside ourselves that he would support this kind of bill.’” – (Shira Toeplitz, “Space Faces Heat After Energy Vote,” Roll Call, 07/9/09)

· Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH): “Nearly 100 people gathered on Fountain Square Saturday to protest the energy bill passed Friday by the U.S. House - particularly the "cap-and-trade" provision they say amounts to a tax and will lead to higher energy bills…..Much of the anger of the protestors Saturday was directed at Rep. Steve Driehaus, D-Price Hill, who voted for the bill Friday, which passed by a slim seven-vote margin. ‘I can’t believe how they jammed this through,’ said Cincinnati Tea Party organizer Mike Wilson. ‘What absolutely amazes me is that these guys could pass a 1,500-page bill that they couldn’t have possibly read.’” – (Howard Wilkinson, “Tea Partiers protest bill, Driehaus,” Cincinnati Enquirer, 06/27/09)

· Rep. John Boccieri (D-OH): “Sunday’s event in downtown Canton had all the trappings of an outdoor concert — folks in lawn chairs and children stretched out on blankets. But this audience was more interested in a message than music…..Jones criticized last month’s passage in the House of Representatives of an Obama administration-backed energy bill aimed at curbing global warming with ‘cap and trade’ limits on carbon emissions. ‘What baffles me,’ she said, ‘is how Congress can vote on something they never read.’ Newly elected U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, D-Alliance, voted for the bill and came in for much criticism at the Tea Party.” – (Jewell Cardwell, “Hundreds in Canton for Tea Party,” Akron Beacon Journal, 07/05/09)

“However, manufacturers like the local American Augers, say the new rules will actually make them less competitive on a global scale and the cost of complying with the regulations will hit consumers through increased pricing on their products. ‘It’s gonna make us and everyone else less competitive in a global market place where others aren’t subject to the tax,’ said Dave Hammond, vice president of operations at American Augers. Hammond said the bill is a ‘sneak attack’ by the Obama administration to impose what he says amounts to a tax increase. However, Boccieri said, regional power authorities and language in the 1,400-page bill -- which he says he read cover to cover -- protect against hikes in utility costs.” – (Courtney Albon, “Boccieri says cap and trade reduces dependence on foreign oil,” Ashland Times-Gazette, 07/08/09)

· Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL): “Hundreds gathered outside of Gulf Coast Community College to show their disapproval of Congressman Allen Boyd’s vote last week on the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Protesters voiced their opinions. P.T. Moore says, ‘This is just going to bust America. This is bad, it’s just bad politics.’ Tho Bishop says, ‘I’m here because I’m angry at Allen Boyd and Congress in general. They’re just letting us down.’ Irene Bowden says, ‘He’s no more a Blue Dog Democrat than I’m an astronaut!’…..Dan Scupin says, ‘I have nothing against saving energy, but destroying American industry, destroying the coal industry, we’re going to be more dependent on foreign oil and we’re going to destroy the country.’” – (Matt de Nesnera, “Rep. Boyd Faces Protests on Energy Vote,” WJHG-TV, 06/30/09)

“As U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd addressed a group of area business leaders inside Gulf Coast Community College on Tuesday, protesters outside voiced their opposition to the congressman’s recent vote on a controversial energy bill.…..Protesters took notice of Boyd’s action. ‘We didn’t vote for him to go up there and do what he has done,’ said Irene Bowden, who along with about 100 other sign-wielding protesters lined U.S. 98 in front of GCCC. Her sign read, ‘Blow hard Boyd’ and ‘Shame on You,’ among other things.” – (Matt Dixon, “Boyd Greeted by Protesters,” Panama City News Herald, 06/30/09)

· Rep. Harry Teague (D-NM): “Not even the intense heat stopped Alamogordoans from taking to the streets Saturday to participate in another ‘T.E.A. party’ protest. About 50 people participated throughout the day to carry signs in protest of more taxes….When Congressman Harry Teague, D-District 2, visited Alamogordo this week, he conducted a question-and-answer session with people during the grand opening of an office he established at the Otero County Administration building. Morton said he didn’t get a chance to visit with Teague during his visit to the Tularosa Basin. ‘I was working so I could pay my taxes,’ he said. ‘I understand that he voted for this cap-and-trade bill. I called his office and expressed my opinion, but it’s another example of (Teague) not listening (to his constituency).’ ‘I don’t care what he says (about cap-and-trade),’ Omey said. ‘We’re still going to get $4 gas. We’re not going into green energy; we’re going into the Dark Ages. There’s something very wrong about that.’” – (Michael Johnson, “Protesters voice their concerns,” Alamogordo Daily News, 07/05/09)

“Congressman Harry Teague, D-N.M., got an earful Friday afternoon in Silver City. Many residents were angry over the state of the economy in Grant County and the loss of jobs at the area mines. Teague held a ‘Harry in Your Hometown’ meeting at the Red Barn Restaurant Friday afternoon. One attendee said, ‘You and your party are talking green energy, and we are going in the toilet over renewable energy.’” – (Sam Conn, “Rep. Harry Teague talks about energy, economy in Silver City,” Silver City Sun-News, 07/04/09)

· Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA): “Perriello is one of 13 Democrats in swing districts being targeted by an ad blitz by the National Republican Congressional Committee because of their support of cap-and-trade. While the NRCC has bought radio ads and is making phone calls against other Democrats, Perriello is the only congressman being targeted with TV ads. ‘Tom Perriello’s vote for a job-killing national energy tax that will raise consumer costs in the midst of a recession is nothing short of appalling,’ said Andy Sere, the NRCC’s regional press secretary. ‘The fact of the matter is, Tom Perriello proved with last week’s vote that he is categorically hostile to the values of the working families of Central and Southside Virginia.’ Perriello, Sere said, will ‘pay a political price next year.’” – (Brian McNeill, “Protestors Say Perriello’s Vote Will Cost Jobs,” Charlottesville Daily Progress , 07/03/09)

· Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA): “Alpha Natural Resources will soon become the third largest coal producing company in the United States. Located in Boucher’s backyard of Abingdon, Virginia, the company admits it still has its concerns about the energy bill…[Alpha Natural Resources Chairman and CEO Mike] Quillen says the legislation still remains unacceptable. ‘We are very concerned that there could be significant job losses in the coal industry,’ he said. That is especially concerning for Alpha Natural Resources and its 6,500 employees (1,200 of those employees are in Southwest Virginia). Quillen says his employees have already shared their fears. As it stands right now, Quillen doubts the coal industry can reduce emissions without reducing coal production, meaning people will lose their jobs. ‘Our analysis is there’s probably going to be about 2.2 jobs lost for every green job created,’ Quillen said.” – (Nate Morabito, “Boucher: Energy Bill Will Not Cost Anyone Their Jobs, Including Coal Miners,” WJHL-TV, 07/07/09)