Move by EPA spoils holiday for Congress (won't honor states' fuel-emission standards; "sandbagged")

[Barrett808]

Source: Seattle Times

Move by EPA spoils holiday for Congress
Alicia Mundy
Seattle Times Washington bureau

WASHINGTON — As members of Congress fled the Capitol this week for the holidays, congratulating themselves on their landmark energy bill, they got an unwelcome Christmas present from the president.

The Environmental Protection Agency unexpectedly announced it will not honor tough fuel-emission standards set by California and 11 other states, including Washington. This sets up a major confrontation between Congress and the White House next year.

The move that most outraged Democrats was the way the administration dropped its bombshell, waiting till nearly 6 p.m.

"They waited just so there would be no way to block them," said Rep. Norm Dicks, who runs the House Appropriations Committee that funds the EPA.

"We were sandbagged," said Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/letterfromwashington/2004087221_aliciacol22m.html

[aquart]

1. "No way to block them"?

Uh, cancel your reservations and DEAL WITH IT. OR RETURN and do your job for your country.

Real sorry if you have to disappoint the little kiddies.

[gratuitous]

2. Sandbagged again, were you?

How many times do you have to get bent over the barrel before you quit "cooperating" and "negotiating" with these thugs? My default setting moved to "Don't trust" years ago. Now, I realize that we only have one president at a time and you have to go with the administration you have, not the one you want to have. But after the fifteenth, or fiftieth, or five hundredth time of getting dicked over, you'd begin to see a pattern.

But no, every day's a new day and every bill comes out of a cellophane wrapper with no history and no antecedents in the spotless minds of our congressional representatives. Come back from your recess in the new year and pass a bill that orders the Environmental Protection Agency to (take notes so you get this right) protect the environment.

Is it so hard?

[rockybelt]

3. How many freaking times before you realize

it is going to happen EVERY time!!! This is the same dip-shit president you have been dealing with for seven years and yet you seem surprised when he does this shit. You people make me sick.

[uppityperson]

7. which "you people" do you mean?

[rockybelt]

8. Congress

[xxqqqzme]

4. sandbagged? I would think they would expect that by now. (I'm

certainly not surprised).

How fucking THICK are these 'elected' representatives? I hate to think they are really representative of the people they supposedly represent. If they are, we are in bigger trouble than I thought.

[rocktivity]

5. "This sets up a major confrontation between Congress and the White House next year."

It's not too late to do anything, apparently--but will they cave again, as usual?

:headbang:
rocknation

[rodeodance]

6. ha--don't tell me the leaders didn't know!!

[boricua79]

9. they sangbagged you...then do what I do when I get pusshed

pUSH BACk!!! INVESTIGATE, IMPEACH, IMPRISON!!!!!!!!!!