Come crawling faster, Obey your master, Your life burns faster, Obey your master

The Republican clowns in Congress held a little circus today, so they could dance for their puppet masters:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House, turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.

Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi's refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m., and they are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess.

. . . Right at the stroke of five Georgia Rep. Tom Price announced that House Republicans were ending their impromptu protest on the floor of the chamber, ending a five-plus hour rebellion with a round of "God Bless America."

The assembled tourists, aides and members in the chamber gave Price and his compatriots a standing ovation. They left the chamber to shouts of "USA! USA! USA!"

Never any actual intent to do anything productive. Never mind that the oil companies aren't drilling on the majority of the land they currently lease. Never mind that any new drilling sites wouldn't impact the American energy needs for 10 years.

Say, what about those oil companies . . . do you suppose they were pleased by the Repub stunt today? Why do you think I called them puppet masters? It's because the Republicans on the floor have taken more than $3 million in Big Oil money.

Member Big Oil $
Blunt $362,248
Boehner $185,000
Brady, Kevin $369,797
Cole $277,050
Conaway $487,418
Culberson $301,961
Feeney $19,600
Foxx $47,100
Herger $99,425
Hoekstra $13,025
King, Steve $22,450
Lungren $38,200
Manzullo $45,965
Nunes $78,750
Pence $150,950
Poe $128,650
Price, Tom $22,450
Putnam $70,300
Shadegg $119,495
Shimkus $184,161

(source: Open Secrets)

Surprised? Shouldn't be. Here's how some of those Republicans voted on actual energy bills:


Political theater? Yes. Helping Big Oil? Yes. Meaningful energy policy? Not so much.

Here's the real tell, also from OpenSecrets:

2008: Energy Co. Contributions:
Democrats: $4,796,968 (26%).
Republicans: $13,571,049 (74%)

Bastards.