Republicans defend Congress from ‘liberal coastal elites’

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) and his fellow House Republicans held a press conference today to, according to the congressman, “defend the Congress from liberal coastal elites” that he says are responsible for the suffering of American people today, resulting from high energy prices. Davis and others continue delivering speeches on the House floor calling for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to bring Congress into an emergency session to pass energy legislation.

Davis went on to say that the views of the Speaker do not represent the views of our nation as a whole, and she should not continue to put energy reform on the back burner. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) said that the one thing Pelosi has been unwilling to do is pass legislation that would bring immediate relief to the American people–drilling for oil in coastal and protected regions.

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) said that in his home district, many Americans have told him they will vote Republican in this upcoming election, some of these constituents being lifelong Democrats. Shimkus went on to say these partisan switches can be contributed to several reasons, in particular because they feel the Democratic Party has not, and continues to not do enough to help the American people.