ENVIRONMENT — AFTER BP OIL SPILL, SUPPORT FOR OFFSHORE DRILLING HAS ‘FALLEN DRAMATICALLY’: After the Obama administration announced in March that it would “approve new oil and gas drilling off U.S. coasts for the first time in decades,” a Rasmussen Reports poll found that 72 percent of U.S. voters believed that offshore oil drilling should be allowed — the highest level of support for drilling that Rasmussen had found in nearly three years of surveying. But now, two weeks after the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Rasmussen has found that support for offshore drilling has “fallen dramatically.” Its telephone survey found that support has dropped 14 points; today, “58% of voters believe offshore oil drilling should be allowed.” Rasmussen notes that while most still support drilling, “69% are at least somewhat concerned that offshore drilling may cause environmental problems. That’s up from 49% in March.” The Rasmussen poll also found that 43 percent of voters rate President Obama’s response to the major oil leak as good or excellent while just 26 percent view the President’s response as poor. Only 29 percent “say the response of BP and Transocean has been good or excellent, while 28 percent rate it as poor.” The BP spill claimed its first ecological victim Thursday, as oil has hit the Chandeleur Islands off Louisiana’s coast. The islands encompass the Breton National Wildlife Refuge and are considered ecological “treasures.”
Daily Archives: 05/07/2010
New ad from FDL …
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Oil just hit land in Louisiana, while the well beneath the sunken oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico continues to gush more than 200,000 gallons of oil a day into the ocean. There will be untold devastation to wildlife and the environment for years to come. Offshore oil drilling is far too dangerous as it stands. Expanded offshore drilling shouldn’t be considered in light of the BP oil disaster. But that’s exactly what President Obama plans to do. We’ve got to show the consequences of offshore oil drilling to put a stop to future drilling plans. So we’re launching a TV ad against offshore drilling to air in Washington, DC, featuring images of the destruction in the Gulf, and using President Obama’s own words. Can you chip in $20 to help run our ad against offshore drilling? Click here to donate now and watch our ad: http://action.firedoglake.com/SpillHereSpillNow The world learned how unprepared big oil companies are in the case of an accident, and how few remedies exist for such massive spills. We’ve learned how much money big oil spent buying off elected officials, and in turn, how unwilling those officials are to punish and hold them accountable. It’s difficult to watch the disaster unfolding, knowing there’s little you can do to stop the inevitable destruction. It’s even more difficult to know that President Obama wants to build even more offshore oil rigs and put more of our oceans at risk. While we can’t do much to stop this spill, we can still do all we can to make sure we don’t invite another disaster by expanding offshore drilling. That’s why we’re running this TV ad in Washington, DC to make our message heard loud and clear. Click here to donate to run our TV ad telling Obama to say no to offshore drilling: http://action.firedoglake.com/SpillHereSpillNow In the wake of the explosion in the Gulf, more than 30,000 people signed our petition to end all plans for offshore drilling exploration. The Obama Administration soon announced that it would put all new offshore drilling projects on hold, pending an investigation of the rig explosion. But just putting offshore drilling on hold is not enough. We need to keep pressuring the Obama administration to do the right thing and cancel all future drilling plans. We want to run this television ad in Washington, DC to show that expanding offshore drilling is too dangerous, and delivers too few benefits. And we’re going to do it by showing what happens when millions of gallons of oil spill into our oceans. http://action.firedoglake.com/SpillHereSpillNow Thanks for all you do. Jane Hamsher P.S. Firedoglake will continue our daily coverage at our dedicated BP Oil Disaster resource page, featuring reporting, photos, video, volunteer information and action alerts. Check it out: |
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What is Fox afraid of? Veterans? Clean energy?
There’s an ad that Fox News doesn’t think you should see. The bigwigs at Fox just don’t get it, and they think you aren’t smart enough to get it either — so they’ve refused to run it.
Fox reportedly turned down as “too confusing” an ad from the progressive veterans’ group VoteVets.org — one that explained how passing clean energy legislation is good for our nation’s security. The VoteVets.org ad states that a clean-energy agenda reduces the power oil-producing dictatorships like Iran can exercise over the United States by reducing our dependence on oil.
Confused? Fox News is. It’s absolutely baffled.
Click here to tell Fox: Run VoteVets.org’s ad.
However, Fox hasn’t proved incapable of grasping the arguments of ads funded by right-wing groups, like an ad from the Employment Policies Institute featuring children pledging allegiance to “America’s debt.” And it has no problem running ads arguing that the only defense against “an economic meltdown” is a “Survival Seed Bank,” or offering convicted felon G. Gordon Liddy’s advice on buying gold.
So maybe “too confusing” is a laughably thin excuse for Fox to block a message that contradicts its own political activism. Maybe what it’s worried about is presenting a message that counters its outright political advocacy and the myths it sells every day on foreign policy and energy policy.
So it’s been decided: Fox News just won’t run the ad.
That’s not acceptable. If Fox wants to contend that it’s a news organization and not a political machine, it needs to treat all advertisers equally, not pick and choose based on transparently political motives.
Click here to tell Fox: Run VoteVets.org’s ad.
Thank you for your efforts to hold Fox News accountable.
Eric Burns
President, Media Matters for America
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Primaries matter … 2010
How often do we all hear how the GOP will be picking up a significant amount of seats in Congress … we have a special election coming up for Hawaii. And to make it even more complicated, in the Hawaii election not only is there a Republican on the ballot, but Republican voters will be voting too. That means, it’s two Democrats vs. one Republican but only one winner takes it all.
The Democratic Party needs to get out in front of any election, plan for transportation and do whatever helps to GOTV, which goes without saying but then …
This morning a Msnbc host stated that his party(Republican)…should do whatever it takes to win but do it quietly and behind closed doors… Dems need to give all the Community Organizers available the tools to win any and all elections …special or not. My take is that most Democrats get involved in major elections but it’s a new day, now everyone should get involved at every level to keep Democrats in office on track to getting our broken down system back on track. We all know what happened and who shoved us toward an enormous ditch; they bet and spent, spent, spent money without enforcing regulations. While it’s possible a lot of people saw the problem no one did a thing until it was too late and passed it on to the next Administration.
So, what’s my point to Primaries matter? This is not the time to move away from Democratic ideology, move away from getting things done unlike Republicans, it’s not the time to give up. We have to demand action from Congress. We need to move into the 21st Century; while Republicans fight to keep us from progressing into a country that has health care for all, climate change because we care about our earth, our children. We need to demand regulations and financial reform for a failed financial system that they took advantage of. Congress needs to make a good faith effort to reform the way people come into the US … immigration is not going away and the Arizona laws definitely are a catalyst
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it’s Friday and we’re following Congress …
Updates when needed
The Senate will convene at 9:30amET and will resume consideration of S.3217, Wall Street Reform.
There will be no roll call votes during Friday’s session of the Senate.
Unanimous Consent:
The Senate adopted the following resolutions by unanimous consent:
– Cal. #261, S.Res.297, (Webb-Warner) Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve
– Cal. #262, S.Res.275, (Kerry-Kirk-Brown) Minute Man National Historic Park
The Senate passed the following bills by unanimous consent:
– Cal. #261, S. Res.297 (Webb-Warner) Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve
– Cal. #262, S. Res.275 (Kerry-Kirk-Brown) Minute Man National Historic Park
– Cal. #287, S.1053 (Murkowski) National Law Enforcement Museum
– Cal. #291, S.1405 (Kennedy-Kerry-Kirk-Brown) Longfellow National Historic Site
– Cal. #295, H.R.689 – Administrative Jurisdiction of certain lands (Feinstein-Boxer)
– Cal. #297, H.R.1121 – Blue Ridge Parkway (Burr-Hagan)
– Cal. #300, H.R.1442 – Mount Olivet Cemetery (Bennett-Hatch)
– Cal. #305, H.R, 2802 – John Adams Memorial (Kerry-Brown)
The committee amendments, where applicable, were agreed to, and the bills were passed as amended, if amended.
Passed Calendar #195, H.R.3619: Coast Guard Authorization w/ substitute amendment
Adopted S.Res.480: Burma w. Gregg amendment
Adopted H.Con.Res.247: Use of Capitol Grounds—Soap Box Derby (June 19, 2010)
Adopted H.Con.Res.263: Use of Capitol Ground—D.C. Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run
Adopted S.Res.503: Discharge Judiciary, Endangered Species
Adopted S.Res.515: Physical Education and Sports Day
Adopted S.Res.516: Americorps
Adopted S.Res.517: Train Day
Adopted S.Res.518: Nursing Home Week
Passed S.3333: Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act
The Senate confirmed the following nominations:
– Calendar numbers 849 to and including 879 (all militar promotions), and all nominations on the Secretary’s Desk in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy.
CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF MAY 7, 2010
111TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION
- 10:01 A.M. –
- The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on May 11, 2010. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Clete Kiley, Faith and Politics Institute, Washington, DC
- 10:00 A.M. –
- The Speaker designated the Honorable Steve Driehaus to act as Speaker pro tempore for today. The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
Be a Seed for Change 
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