We cannot be silenced!

By DCH

Michelle Malkin blogged the Republican revolt on the House floor here.

Thursday, the Democrats voted to go on vacation - without so much as a debate on meaningful energy development. Republicans were not allowed to offer amendments to Democrat bills and the legislation they crafted was not considered.

After adjournment, Republicans refused to leave town with the people’s business still undone. They continued to speak on the House floor as panicked Democrats turned off the lights and the microphones and ordered the Police to keep the media out of the gallery. Cameras were banned - as were recording devices.

Fox News had exclusive audio. The blogsphere is all atwitter. Literally!

It was a perfect day to visit the House gallery. I got to see Members of Congress speak — to frequent standing ovations and loud cheering from the assembled crowd.

Their message was unified:

Pelosi has forgotten that the House of Representatives is the People’s House.

Republicans are willing to compromise - to work in a bi-partisan way to pass legislation reforming the country’s energy policies and brining relief to struggling commuters.

The Democrats’ compassion is focused on polar bears, caribou and deep sea critters who might be disturbed (but not killed) by energy development. But in their zest to reduce America’s “carbon footprint,” they cannot be troubled with compassion for the working poor.

The people expect their representatives to vigorously debate the issues and make a decision. The Democrats refuse to debate; refuse to vote; refuse to address the nation’s energy crisis.

The word is that Republican revolutionaries plan to speak in shifts on the floor of the House until the Democrats come back to do business or the President calls them back into session.

I hope they do.

This is unprecedented. Who remembers such a thing happening before? It makes one proud to be a Republican. Maybe members of the GOP will rediscover the principles that make us the Grand Old Party - and remember that those principles are worth fighting for!

And, this is one more triumph for the blogsphere over traditional media. While the traditional media was silenced under the Democrat imposed blackout, Members of Congress twittered updates out to be re-published across the blogsphere. When the Dems ordered darkness over the Capitol, new media tools - operated by the agile thumbs of a few tech savvy members - provided the candlelight to get out the information the world wasn’t supposed to see.

But what will happen to these few adept members? Dark ages House ethics rules consider use of the new media to be anathema - unofficial - unwelcome - unwanted communications. While some want to change that, Pelosi and her gang have sought to drown members who want to communicate directly and quickly with their constituents - using the most current technologies - in a sea of red tape.

ACTION ITEM: call and email the White House and tell President Bush to call Congress back into session. He has lifted the Executive Ban on drilling (and gas prices have actually fallen a few cents) but that is only symbolic until Congress finishes the job. Bush should bring them back to do their job!

And, Ms. Pelosi, isn’t it the communists who call for communications blackouts - not the Speaker of the House who helps lead the free world?