Grand Poobah Graham Responds....finally

I finally received a response from Senator Lindsey Graham to my letter regarding the “Gang of Ten”


It is safe to say that I am not very satisfied with the letter, however, I will note that Senator Graham has been and is on the campaign trail for John McCain and may not have had time to specifically address my concerns. I just hope he doesn’t continue that attitude around election time.

Here is the letter he sent:




The text of the letter follows:


Dear Scott:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns on rising gas prices I appreciate the opportunity to hear from you on this issue.

I understand the burden that the price of gas is having on American families. The price of gas has changed the every day lives of many South Carolinians by raising the cost of everything from buying groceries, commuting to work and summer travel. As a nation we need to produce more oil, consume less, and explore the next generation of vehicle fuel.

The first step we must take is to drill for more domestic oil and end our dependence on foreign oil. I am a co-sponsor of S. 3202 which allows coastal states the option to explore for oil and natural gas offshore and lifts a federal moratorium on oil shale in western states. It also provides incentives for plug-in electric cars and trucks so that we no longer need to use as much gasoline to power our vehicles. I am frustrated that a vote on this common sense bill to lower gas prices has been repeatedly blocked from consideration by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

Partisan bickering will not help South Carolinians pay for high gas prices. That is why I am working with a bipartisan group in the United States Senate in order to address the rising cost of energy. We recently proposed a plan called the New Energy Reform Act of 2008 which contains provisions on offshore drilling, spent nuclear fuel recycling, promotes new technologies and conservation, and requires the oil companies to pay fair market prices for oil leases and drilling rights. Our proposal is not perfect, but it is a bipartisan start on the road to a comprehensive energy strategy leading our nation to independence from foreign oil.

Consequently, I voted to stay in session during the Senate’s August recess in order to consider energy policy, however, this resolution was not agreed to. Congress should not be on vacation while Americans continue to suffer from escalating gas prices. I believe that the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader should reconvene the House and Senate to deal with this issue.

Conservation is another cornerstone in our efforts to lower gas prices. I have joined 26 senators to introduce legislation, S. 339, that would reduce our dependency on foreign oil by 10 million barrels per day by 2031 by utilizing alternative energy sources and expanding conservation programs. S. 339 sets targets for manufacturers to produce flexible fuel vehicles, alternative fueled vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles or other qualified vehicles.

In the long term we must invest in new technologies like hydrogen. I created the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus in the United States Senate and believe that with increased investment, hydrogen holds the potential to power the next generation of automobiles.

We have already authorized over $3.5 billion to mobilize our national laboratories, universities, and the private sector to research and develop new hydrogen technologies. This funding has led to major gains but much more work needs to occur before the technology is ready for the market.

I am working hard to enact a comprehensive solution to high gas prices. Only through this type approach can we reduce the burden on hard working American families. If I can be of service to you or your family in the future, please do not hesitate to call on mc.

Sincerely,

Lindsey 0. Graham
United States Senator
LOG/cf

My Letter to the Gang of Ten

After House Republicans showed the American people that we were being looked out for in Congress this past week, five Republican and five Democrat senators decided to undermine the American people by seeking a compromise on the issues of energy where one was not desired or needed. These ten senators are known as the ”Gang of Ten”
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You can listen below to a recap of Friday’s (8/8/08) activities from conservative blogger and BlogTalkRadio host, ”Joshua P. Allem”
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“After an awesome week of Republicans successfully standing up to Democrats, RINOs led by Lindsey Graham came out from under the toilet seat to muck things up. We'll play a few clips from today's noon episode of American Truth Warriors where Congressman Frank Wolf angered us with suggestions of compromise. We'll then play first reactions from Sonlit Knight, Snooper, Media Lizzy, myself and Rush Limbaugh.” – JPA Live show description for August 8, 2008.



This was an outstanding show full of interviews and conservative opinion.

I listened to most of terrestrial and BlogTalkRadio about this issue on Friday and my blood pressure had risen so high I had to step away and get myself calm again. Then I began to compose a letter to those five Republicans, including one of my state senators….LINDSEY GRAHAM!

At first I ranted and rambled with vitriol and ire that really wasn’t courteous at all. I then had to start over and present something a little more professional. Below is that letter:

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The Gang of Ten are WRONG

I won’t waste your time with telling you that there are those of us conservatives who are extremely upset at where this congress have gotten us in terms of gas prices and the future of energy in America.

I won’t waste your time by telling you that you and the other four Republican Senators in the so called “gang of ten” have been a huge disappointment to us regarding your “leftist” actions in the Senate.

I won’t waste your time by telling you that the American people, your constituents, WANT an up or down vote on the American Energy Act currently in the House.

I won’t waste your time by telling you that you are playing right into the Democrats’ hands by undermining what the House Republicans have been doing this week.

And finally, I won’t waste your time in telling you that it gives the appearance that you five want some sort of glory and are willing to kowtow to the liberals and their special interest groups to get that glory to promulgate your political legacy.

NOW STOP WASTING OUR TIME!

Senator, you are the reason that Democrats have taken the majority in Congress from the Republicans. You, as well as others, have continually voted WITH liberals on several affective issues that compromise conservative values and beliefs. Stop it.

I have heard from some of the five Republicans and several congressional supporters of your desire to reach across the aisle to expeditiously get something or anything done. Stop it.

You have been listening to several liberal leaning congressmen who have continually, yet ignorantly, stated that they believe the American people want compromise in this. Stop it.

You seem to superfluously feel that you five can simply and compromisingly achieve an end result, no matter what that may be, while sacrificing on what the American people want and need. Stop it.

And you presume that by compromising through concession after concession to the left that you will be re-elected to do it all over again. Stop it!

As a voter and constituent of Senator Lindsey Graham in South Carolina, I am imploring you to stand firm on the values I voted for. Stand by your fellow Republicans in the House on this issue and others. Forget about trying to appease your fellow senators and actually represent what the people of this great nation actually want and need. Forget about trying to build a legacy for your office and yourself. Stop working with the opposition and work to achieve conservative and Republican goals.

If you turn around on this issue and show America what a solid conservative Republican can do to strive for the nations success, I and other conservative bloggers and BlogTalkRadio hosts like me will openly and unswervingly promote you and your associates. However, continue on this path and your actions will draw ire and contempt from your constituents and no matter how hard any of us opine for you, it just won’t matter. If you continue down this slippery slope of liberal voting, the Democratic candidates you face will appear more conservative than you. And the 2006 election has shown that seemingly conservative Democrats won over moderate Republicans again and again.

It’s time for Republicans to stop being buddy-buddy with liberal Democrats on the respective floors of Congress and actually stand up for your constituents and your party.

Although I won’t hold my breath for anything other than a generic response telling me how congress and the real world works, I really would appreciate a response, a conservative Republican response, that I can post to show that you truly care more about your constituents than compromise.

With sincerest regards,

Scott from SC


C.C. Lindsey Graham

John Thune

Saxby Chambliss

Bob Corker

Johnny Isakson


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If you want to get involved, which you should, please visit the following sites to read, learn and sign any petitions.

Call Back Congress


#Don’t Go Movement


Call Nancy Pelosi at (202) 225-3121 and tell her how you feel about this.

Don’t sit by and let gas prices continue to rise by doing nothing.