GOP Calls for Energy Debate on the House Floor

I’ve read a number of varying opinions among conservative bloggers on what members of the GOP Congress have pulled this week, remaining in a “phantom session” on the floor of the House of Representatives, calling for the Democrats to return from a 5-week August recess to debate energy policy, primarily centered around a growing call to drill domestically.

Michelle Malkin is excited about it, Charles Johnson is a bit less so. The folks in the Corner seem enthused, and I agree with them (as usual).

I think this event (or stunt, depending on your perspective), is a perfectly timed and well-orchestrated bit of revolt. Public approval of the Democrat-led Congress is at an all-time low. People are sick of sick of paying out the nose for gas and energy, are tired of members of Congress acting like the public are their servants, rather than the other way around. The public, particularly the voting public, has no sympathy for members of Congress, who apparently think they deserve a five-week summer break to take taxpayer-funded vacations instead of, I don’t know, staying in town and doing their jobs.

I don’t want the status quo in Washington. Being a Congressman shouldn’t be a cushy job. It shouldn’t come with a big salary or lots of perks. It should be a job that only those who actually care about what they are doing should be involved with. It shouldn’t be a position that comes with five-week summer vacations or six-figure salaries. It should be a grueling job that only attracts people who want to fight for what they believe is right for this country, it should be a job that burns a person out after a term or two. It shouldn’t be a job that is so easy, so rife with benefits and perks Congressmen spend their adult lives serving. It should be so demanding, in time and energy, that after serving a couple terms the Congressman should have no interest in coming back for another.

I hope the GOP finds energy in this (no pun intended), realizes that there are issues out there (drilling, immigration) that the public will get behind them on, if only they show some backbone and do what is right, rather than what the media will shower praise on them for. I don’t vote for Republicans in the hopes that they’ll compromise with Democrats, or so that they can pose for photo ops shaking hands and smiling with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. I vote for them in the rapidly-fading hope that they will spend every minute of their time in office fighting against pretty much everything that the majority of the Democrats stand for.

Right now the Republicans have a perfect opportunity to cast themselves as the underdogs, fighting against government corruption and largesse. The Democrats want to take five weeks off while the country and the people are hurting? Let them. Stay in Washington, stay on the floor of House, be the voice of the people while the Democrats are off at their taxpayer-funded beach houses or summer homes. Stay and fight and call for the Democrats to return and actually do their jobs. The American people will listen, they will identify with you.

If this is just a stunt, it’s a great one.