BUT THE FAT LADY HASN'T SUNG YET

So, the budget resolution with provisions for drilling in the Arctic Refuge passed, the Cantwell Amendment didn't, by a margin of two votes. And I drove to my afternoon gig yelling obscenities as I listened to the news on NPR, "outrage and sorrow" indeed, John Adams has it right - in the NRDC email I've copied at the end of this post. This is only the beginning of a long battle, I'm pretty sure.  I'm particularly disappointed in Mary Landrieux of Louisiana, a Democrat who voted with the majority in favor. But there's oil under themthere offshore waters of the Gulf, and she wants her state to get in on the action.  She probably did vote for her constituents' interests, insofar as oilrigs and all the jobs they bring are important in a state with not much else going for it.

So, now go back to this site and send a thank you to your senators if they voted against the resolution, or a letter of disappointment in them if they didn't.  We need to keep up the barrage of public opinion on this, because it ain't over til it's over. On the front page of this site is a list of things you can do, choose the appropriate one and go there.  On the letter of disappointment page there is a list of the senators to whom we say "shame on you."  The usual suspects, and you probably already know how your own reps voted.  I'm lucky to live in a state with two Democratic senators, who usually vote as I'd hope to have them do.  Although Biden did just vote for the Bankruptcy legislation.  Well, how could he not.  Every credit card company that matters is headquartered in Wilmington, haven't you noticed?  That's a Big Money source Delaware could not afford to lose. Yep, that's who runs the world, Big Money, we are but their lackeys and servants.

And, from the NRDC, this email tonight:

Dear NRDC Member,

As you may already know, our campaign to save the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge suffered a major setback in the U.S. Senate today.

The Senate is about to pass a budget resolution that calls for oil development
in the refuge. An amendment that would have stripped the Arctic drilling
provision from the budget bill was defeated by only two votes, 49-51.

This fight is far from over, however. To become law, the Senate budget bill
must still be "reconciled" with the House budget bill -- something Congress has been unable to do the past few years. You can be sure that we will be battling at every opportunity -- and there will be several -- to remove Arctic drilling from any budget that actually winds up on President Bush's desk.

I am not going to soft-pedal today's defeat. It is distressing that pro-oil forces, significantly strengthened by last November's election, were able to pass this terrible bill in the Senate, where we've blocked them before. It is a sad day indeed when the White House and Senate leaders are able to bypass public hearings and debate by tying the fate of America's great wildlife refuge
to the federal budget bill, where it does not belong.

I want you to know one thing: we fought our hardest to defend the Arctic Refuge in the U.S. Senate. Our legislative staff worked day and night to win over critical swing votes. They were aided by the more than 450,000 emails and faxes you sent to Congress. In the last few days, thousands of our supporters in 10 key states flooded their senators' offices with anti-drilling phone calls. And an outpouring of contributions enabled us to run hard-hitting advertising in the most critical states.

We gave it everything we had. But in today's vote we just could not overcome a White House that was shamelessly trumpeting the need to sacrifice the Arctic Refuge for the sake of America's energy security and national security -- an argument that is as erroneous as it is destructive to our natural heritage.

Congress must still pass two different budget measures to complete its assault on the refuge, and I can assure you that we will battle every step of the way as these bills play out over the months to come. That's why, in the wake of this most recent setback, I would urge you to convert your outrage and sorrow into action. We're going to need your redoubled commitment to our cause in the fight ahead. I know we can count on you.

Thank you for all you've done.

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
President
Natural Resources Defense Council