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Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama's Interior secretary is due for a raise, but Louisiana GOP Sen. David Vitter threatened to block that pay increase unless the Interior Department opens more access to Gulf drilling. Democrats say that Vitter's opposition amounts to coercion.
This morning, aides to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar say he asked the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to withdraw any effort to address Salazar's planned salary increase over a rare and personal dispute launched by Vitter. Salazar wrote to Reid, that Vitter's demand is "wrong" and called it "attempted coercion."
Vitter is demanding Salazar take action to open more drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico, an issue important in his home state after last year's spill. In a letter, Vitter threatened to use a procedural move that would allow him to block Salazar's pay adjustment.
Vitter wrote, "[W]hen the rate of permits issued for new deepwater exploratory wells reaches pre-moratorium levels (so 6 per month), I will end my efforts to block your salary increase."
Salazar is entitled to a raise of $19,600, elevating his salary to that of other cabinet posts now that his original Senate term has expired. In long-standing rules, senators appointed to executive branch jobs cannot be paid at the higher rate until their elected terms expire. Secretary Clinton also is under this rule until 2012.
Salazar aides say the secretary had not requested the salary raise himself, and does not want the salary related vote to occur because of Vitter's action.
Vitter's office says he will not withdraw his objection to the raise at this time and Vitter says in a written statement, "It's just my way of keeping the 'boot on the neck" of Interior until they get job the done. Surely, the secretary can appreciate that approach." That is a reference to Salazar's use of the boot-on-the-neck phrase during oil spill hearings last year.
Today Vitter responded, "I'm glad the secretary has dropped his push for a pay raise; it was truly offensive to Gulf energy workers who are struggling under his policies. Now I hope he starts earning what he already makes and properly issues new permits for much needed drilling in the Gulf."
Aides say Salazar is in Colorado today. Reid's office says he plans to work with Republicans to get Vitter to drop his opposition.
Senate Majority Leader Reid just issued this statement:
"I have worked with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on this issue for weeks and it is wrong for Sen. Vitter to try to get something in return for moving forward on a matter that the Senate has considered routine for more than a century."Ken Salazar is extremely well-qualified, hard-working cabinet secretary, and deserves better than to be strong armed while trying to do an important job for the American people."
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What a joke, how can the people allow this moron to continue this. For a senator to be doing this to a former senator is beyond dirty. republican this year have sank to a new low and i hope the people are watching this. For one person to basically be blackmailing a cabinet sec like this, just so he can get more raping of the gulf.
I blame the republicans as a whole, their leaders should say to this A-HOLE, knock it off, it is not fair to the interior sec. what are they going to do next, block clinton pay increase because she doesn't share their view on bombing every country that doesn't like us.
Shame on the republican.
How come when the democrats do this it is the right thing to do?
So you really think those in Libya "like" us very much right now. Uhhh, this one is Obama's and Clinton's.
Efrom minineapolis it's call government oversight. Under our form of government the congress has the right to oversee what the executive branch is up to and to react in whatever way they deem necessary in order to fulfill their duties of oversight.
Just in case you missed the headlines there are three branches of government in our system, it's called checks and balances. I guess you like the communist system better where there is only one branch and no oversight.
Do all of us a favor and go out and buy yourself a copy of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Then remove your political views and look at each issue as if you were an independent and come to a rational conclusion before posting one sided non sense.
And just remember what president obama said a while back; elections have consequences in 2008 he won and McCain lost as he put it; well the same holds true now elections have consequences and in 2010 the republicans took the house and they are exercising their authority under the Constitution of the United States of America. It's just a little to bad if you are upset, take an aspirin and go to bed until November 2012.
All they have to do is offer Vitter a free woman for the night and then he will go along with anything they want!
You people are crazy... LOL!! Some of you were over on the "Ryan budget killed in the Senate" carrying on about how the Republicans are killing granny and whining about how our seniors haven't had a COLA in over 2 years, now you are on this blog whining because Vitter put a halt to a pay raise for a federal employee of over $19,000/year... WTH? First of all, Vitter shouldn't have to threaten anything... Salazar is a FEDERAL employee and pay raises have been frozen, at least that's what we've all been told. I haven't had a pay raise in 2 years, why should I fork over more of my hard earned money so that this jerk can have a raise? HYPOCRITES!!!
Yup, Sen. Vitter meets the definition of a political weasel.
Maybe instead of raising Salazar's , drop the other ones. Just a thought.
$19,000 Dollars? It never ceases to amaze me at the absolute and complete absense of any shame or conceinse on the part of anyone in this administration or either party in congress. Donn't any of them give a rat's rear that the large majority os Americans are struggling daily just to make ends meet. Have any of them ever been poor?
those scumbag republicans will go to any lenth to take care of their bed partners (big oil) i`m sure vitter makes alot more off of the oil companys then he makes off of taxpayers. alot of people just wish they had a job let alone a f@!##@! pay raise. all you f!@#@!@ scumbag TBers republicans or what ever you want to call your scumbag party. after what you scumbags did yesterday in cutting 3 billion dollars in the federal emergency relief fund as tornados are ripping thru this country and killing people and destroying lives you f@!#@!@ scumbings take 3b dollars away. how f@!#@!@ much lower do they have to go before all you dumbasses wake the f@!# up and see that if the TB republican party ever gets control of this country we are all going to pay a huge price and it won`t just be the elderly, poor or the middleclass it will be everybody meaning you to.
Well people, there's $19,600 of the deficit right here......why does anyone in our government system deserve a $20,000 pay increase with the economy in the red as it is? My wife (her union) has conceded her longevity pay, pay raises for the last two years and for the next two years, takes 7 unpaid furlough days a year for (4) years, we pay around 17% more of her health insurance, our co pays have doubled. I'm sure there'splenty I missed. Who knows what we will give up this July when the current contract runs out. I'm sure it ain't going to be cheap, they are already talking about raising retirement requirements and more health care concessions.
In this period of economic distress when we have an out of control deficit, congress is attempting to increase the debt ceiling and cut Social Security and Medicare benefits let's put all the partician issues aside and address the real questions that should be asked!
Just why the hell is anyone in public office getting a pay raise? They should be taking a pay cut.
Stop and think about it. Somehow, Vitter's actions seem very much like simple extortion, or bribery, and not the actions of a Public employee who is attempting to rationally convince another of why permits should be issued.
Lets look at the one truly key word true patriots should focus on; "RAISE"
...nobody in DC deserves a raise with the economy in the crapper...MOF, seems a DECREASE in salaries and benefits for elected officials is in order, if not an outright pink slip dispersal...
i wonder if everyone's butt is hurting, with the F'ing DC is giving us all, I'm surprised more sheeple aren't complaaaaaAAAAaaaaaining...
cbawl-I would 100% agree with you comments if the pay raise was the reason Vitter blocked it. He is fine with the raise as long as the oil companies get more permits. I believe that was the topic of the article. Please don't even hint that Vitter is doing the "patriotic" thing by blocking the raise. It has nothing to do with that. He's blocking it because big oil told him to get them more permits or they'll cut him off from the money.
oldvet you are correct but the real issue still remains why is any public office, whether elected or appointed getting pay raises in this time of economic stress that the United States of America is in.
Perhaps the liberal press is too busy writing stories about the wrong issues.
Jon- you're correct. The press should be reporting the obvious corruption of Vitter. Much more taxpayer money is wasted by crooks like this on projects that profit their corporate donors than a pay raise for a govt. employee. A story on that issue would be great.
clemkadiddlehopper don't misrepresent what I said. I never said anything about Vitter being corrupt. If anyone is corrupt you are for attempting to place something at my door step that I never said.
You claim that Vitter is corrupt because crooks like this are areattempting to waste taxpayer money on projects that profit their corporate donors. I am assuming that all the jobs that are provided by the oil industry and in turn allow American Citizens the ability to provide for their families and oh yes pay taxes are of no importance to you because you are more interested in stopping oil drilling.
I would also assum that you walk to work every day and don't need gas to put into your bicycle for the longer road trips.
The Reality of U.S. Oil Reserves in the United States!
While this article is about a pay raise for a government employee, the real issue is about drilling for oil in the Gulf. Therefore it is requist that the reality behind proved U.S. oil reserves be illumiated so citizens can understand the real energy crisis this nation faces.
U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil and its Impact on U.S. Jobs
by Robert Pike
January 18, 2011
Does anybody out there remember the decades of rhetoric surrounding the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, oil reserves, and the claims by oil companies that developing the region and building the pipeline would lower U.S. dependence on foreign imports?
Guess what? On October 27, 2010 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), announced that the real oil reserves in NPRA adjacent to ANWR, are not the original 10.6 billion barrels as estimated in 2002 are really only 896 million barrels.(1) Based. on U.S. daily domestic consumption of 20 million barrels per day that is a 45 day supply. Additionally. based on the fact that due to technological challenges the total U.S. domestic production is only about 8 million of those 20 million daily consumption. That means that if all of the 8 million barrels produced a day came from the NPRA (which it does not), the region would be empty in 112 days.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), oil reserves which has generated so much debate about the federal government granting access to its reserves over the years has only an estimated 5.7 million barrels of crude oil. Given the USGS has reduced the NPRA from 10.6 billion barrels down to 896 million, a complete reevaluation of those reported reserves must be made immediately.
The immediate and consequences of this reduction in proven domestic oil reserves has a huge impact on the national security of the United States. Why?
Because, given that the U.S. Department of Energy's, Energy Information Administration Table of proven U.S. oil reserves, last posted on March 3, 2009 (2), reports U.S. proven reserves were at 21.317 billion barrels, our domestic proven reserves have now declined to about 11 billion barrels.
Currently U.S. domestic daily consumption is just over 20 million, of which about 8 million are extracted here in the U.S. from the proven reserves, 12 million barrels are imported with about 6 million of those coming from the Middle East.
Should another Arab Oil Embargo such as occurred in 1973 happen again over U.S. foreign policy in the region, or an attack on Iran which would shut down the Gulf for months interrupting oil exports from the region, the U.S. could use up all of its proven domestic reserves in just over 2.1 years should demand in the U.S. remain the same and if domestic production and refining could increase by 6 million barrels per day to offset oil imported from middle east oil rich nations (which it can't). Adding in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves of 727 million barrels, the U.S. would add an additional 52 days to the 2.1 year supply. (3)
Using the jump in the cost of a barrel of oil and a gallon of gas in the U.S. between October 17, 1973 and the end of January 1974, in which prices of both jumped 400% after the start of the Arab oil embargo (4), as a math model to determine what both the increase of the price of a barrel of oil and a gallon of gas would be today, my figures indicate that oil would jump from the current $91.67 ($3.10 current per gallon average price in the U.S.) to over $366.68, while the average cost of a gallon of gas would eclipse $12.00 (5)
These realties coupled with the current state of the economy, the U.S. must tread lightly in the middle east and avoid pissing off any nation in the region. Or else we are libel to have a dagger jammed between our rear shoulder blades in the very near future. That or we need to get serious about either developing and manufacturing cars that get 100 or more miles a gallon, right here in the United states which will create jobs, or get ready to head back to the rodeo way of living.
(1).USGS report reduces estimate of oil in petroleum reserve
NPRA: Area rich in gas but holds only about a tenth of previous oil estimates by Elizabeth Blumink. Anchorage Daily News. October 27, 2010.
(2).
(3).
(4).The Arab Oil Embargo of 1973-1974 by Brian Turmbore, President and Editor of StocksandNews.com.
(5).
One more point I would like to make on this issue is:
The cost of the production of a barrel of oil in the U.S. vs. the cost of production of a barrel of oil from say, Iraq is $45 verses between $4 and $6. (1) (2)
My point, backed up by both the referenced U.S. Department of Energy Information Administrations data base (a) and the United States Geological Survey report on the real proved oil reserves in Alaska (b), that the U.S. has only 11.1 billion barrels of proved reserves remaining, (Proved reserves are estimated quantities that analysis of geologic and engineering data demonstrates with reasonable certainty are recoverable under existing economic and operating conditions.), why should any American think or presume that corporate managers of any domestically located US oil company are going to ramp up production of the declining US reserves, when they can exploit the US government through political campaign contributions and lobbying by deceiving the nations citizens through televisions commercials and bribe the federal government into using its troops to attack and occupy a foreign nation which has huge amounts more oil than the domestic US and where production costs are 7.5 times less? Corporations only have one fiduciary duty ant that is to maximize stockholder profits!
Ask yourself this question. If you were a corporate US oil company executive making billions in profits each quarter, given the math metric would you continue to spend money producing declining US oil reserves, diminishing the profit margin between US domestic oil and say Iraqi oil?
No where in there articles of incorporation or company charter does it place patriotism above corporate profits.
(1). Peterson raps bill that delays regulation of oil speculators by Jim Tracy Star Tribune May 11, 2011.
(2). FactBox: Oil Production Cost estimates by Country July 28, 2009: Reuters.
(a). US Departmeent of Energy Information Administration: March 3, 2009
(b). USGS Oil and Gas Resource Estimates Updated for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA). 10/26/2010. h \
Oh boy... automatic pay raises for politicians. Who's the genius that came up with that. Cut salaries of those suits by 10% instead of raises... that's what happening to us in the real world.
And he's done so much to bring down gas prices so the economy can improve... wow.... can't believe ANYONE is defending giving these fat cats another penney.
Various forms of extortion are alive and well in politics. This is nothing new. Rude comments will not change it.
You write like a child, what we need now are serious people. Stop whinning and stop living like a sheep, you are being led to the slaughter and all you have is wise remarks. You don't want extorsion in office, you don't appreciate rude comments that don't change your vision of reality. Well, it won't change because you don't demand it. BAAAA.
who votes for this fuk face wimp
All Mr Salazar needs to do is put on a skirt and blouse and Vitter will revert to his real GOP political position and reach in his pocket and pay her as has been his Practice when he is around people in skirts and dressers, usally in a motel room but as a GOP politician he may be at his best anywhere he is without his wife around.
After reading so many comments I have arrived at the following conclusion.
1. It is OK, as a senator, to sell pot out of your house just say, my woom mate must had done it because I know anything abwout it.
2. It's OK, as a senator to run a male prostitution ring out of your house just say my woom mate must have done it because I know nothing abwout it.
3. With democrats you can do anything you want except run with female prostitutes.
I agree with Vitter, the man doesn't deserve a raise.
This is so typical of democrats. Yes, Yes, I know. That murderer Ted K. is your hero. As usual you are the party of hypocrites.
This is the perfect example of how rotten the government has become. Salazar gets a raise for aiding and abetting the effort to keep America's own resources from benefiting the American people. Who got a raise this year? Many government types did. Where did your raise go, or if you didn't get a raise or lost your job or find it difficult to buy gas so you can work, did anyone in Washington rescue you. Salazar is a elite expecting an elite pay raise while you and I and the economy suffer under the "fundemental transformation". Vitter may be a weasel too, but on this he is right. When Obama and Salazar decide to open up American resources to Americans, when jobs are available for the people that Obama's oil moratorium has put out of work, the we can talk about those in power getting more. Like more time off, like unemployment, like getting out of the way and letting the American public clean up the mess they have created. Oh yeah, Harry Reid, shut up, like you care for anyone other than Harry. The last time we listened to you, we got stuck with a health care plan that you and your fellow inmates at the Congressional Correction Institution are not bound to join. Justice is far, far from us. No raises, less privleges and no favors from the working people who pay, and pay, and pay for your hope and change.
Although Vitter's opposition to raise is misguided, he is right to oppose it. There have been TOO MANY permits given without providing factual basis for improvement in disaster planning or safe drilling.
These States that are trying to increase drilling for companies must have more at stake; I hazard to guess that there is more in it for them personally than for the State's workers.
Diversifying the State economy to provide for jobs in new sectors is an absolute must. We MUST start readdressing our energy needs and these States could be on the ground floor for developing new technologies that will provide for jobs that will courses us through this century and beyond--fossil fuels (or nuclear power) will not provide for future economies.
Why are these governors not lining up behind restructuring their economies around other more environmentally safe mfg and more future-friendly energies that will not take only a few down the path to riches--including governors who work so desperately hard for these oil companies who lack conscience and compassion for those that they put in harms way?
How many must lose their lives for these companies? Too many innocent workers have lost their lives providing for the wealth of companies who care little for the Earth and its future while plummeting workers to their deaths in mines and on platforms? Because there are no company executives in jail for these deaths of negligence, they will continue to abuse the workers who only wish to provide for their families.
--The families of these workers would be much better off in a new, clean industry for which the government helps train them in these emerging industries.