Video: Energy Czar hasn’t read cap & tax, either
posted at 2:55 pm on June 29, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Barack Obama’s energy czar appeared on Fox & Friends this morning to discuss the cap-and-tax bill passed by the House last week on a razor-thin margin. Carol Browner got stumped by Fox’s Steve Doocy while questioning her ability to speak to the subject, which prompted her to declare Doocy “unfair” for blindsiding her. You be the judge — should Doocy have wondered whether Browner had bothered to read the bill she was promoting on national TV, or is that “unfair”?
STEVE DOOCY: “[I] know the bill is over 1,000 pages long. Have you have read it?”
CAROL BROWNER: “Oh, I’m very familiar with this bill.”
DOOCY: “Have you have read it?”
BROWNER: “We have obviously been watching this for a very long time. I am very …”
DOOCY: “I’m sure you’ve got an idea of it, but you have read it?”
BROWNER: “I’ve read major portions of it, absolutely.”
DOOCY: “So the answer no you haven’t read it. But you’ve read a big chunk of it.”
BROWNER: “No, no, no that’s not fair. That’s absolutely not fair.”
DOOCY: “No, I’m just asking you if you read the thousand pages.”
BROWNER: “I’ve read vast portions of it.”
DOOCY: “Ok.”
“I’ve read vast portions of it.” Vast portions? That would put her ahead of the Congressional curve, where 219 people — including eight Republicans who made the difference — voted for it without reading it at all. We know that because the House never produced a complete, up-to-date, and integrated copy of the bill to its members before the vote took place.
I don’t think it’s “unfair” to ask a policy expert whether they’ve read a policy they’re promoting on national television, nor do I think it’s unfair to expect politicians to have read bills before voting on them. Will Barack Obama read the bill before signing it, assuming that it passes the Senate? Or will he just read “vast portions” of the 1300-page nationalization of the American energy sector?
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And you are correct. Trying to pass bills that haven’t been read is treason, plain and simple. It is an attempt to destroy our Republic. The fact that there didn’t even exist a complete copy of this bill when they voted makes it even worse.
All who voted “Yea” on the Crap&Trade or the Porkulus need to be thrown out of Congress and jailed. That is the only defense our Republic has. Otherwise, we are truly sunk.
It is amazing that they are not only not shamed about these insane actions they have taken in Congress, but they are proud of it – crowing about how these bills had to be passed before allowing anyone to read and digest the contents.
If the Founders were around, they would deal with these fools very, very harshly … and permanently.
progressoverpeace on June 29, 2009 at 3:38 PM
I don’t see why she said it was unfair.They asked Palin what newspapers and magazines SHE read. This clown should at least be able to read something that’s part of her job.
Jeff from WI on June 29, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Good point.
NebCon on June 29, 2009 at 3:38 PM
I might add, by the way the “Energy Czar” is dressed me thinks she was consulting with Perez Hilton on fashion tips instead of reading the bill…which reminds me of this scene (look for it at the 2:15 mark) from Airplane!
Liberty or Death on June 29, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Lots of people only read the Cliff Notes version. It’s not like it’s these people’s job to actually read the legislation that they….
Never mind. That question’s just not fair. Leave the Czarina alone!
cruadin on June 29, 2009 at 3:40 PM
P.S. By not reading bills prior to a vote, I feel they are violating my rights. I’m serious.
marklmail on June 29, 2009 at 3:34 PM
They are. John MaClane for Pres!
LSUMama on June 29, 2009 at 3:40 PM
Did she read any of the addendum? If Geithner doesn’t pay taxes, shouldn’t following this ordeal also be optional?
seven on June 29, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Funny the politicians who vote on bills they don’t read are geniuses but the people who did not read the 100 page mortgage documents written in intelligible legalize only have themselves to blame for getting into bad mortgages.
dpierson on June 29, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Heh, Strange Brew, I love that movie…classic!
Liberty or Death on June 29, 2009 at 3:43 PM
And “Vast Portions” of the United States will disappear and you can cry & whine all you want but it won’t bring them back. When you push this many people who never agreed to a socialist agenda then “Vast Portions” of society will finally say enough. Obama was not elected by a mandate and 47% voted against the ZERO.
Remember when the left was in a tizzy about Bush and a small portion wanted to leave? I wished they had, I really wish they had.
izoneguy on June 29, 2009 at 3:44 PM
A Bruce Willis character for Pres?
Daggett on June 29, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Thread winner.
Alana on June 29, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Yes. And I don’t know why everyone wouldn’t agree with me.
Alana on June 29, 2009 at 3:46 PM
“I’ve read vast portions of it” would be a pathetic excuse during a junior-high book report on Moby Dick, let alone a national TV appearance discussing legislation that will fundamentally alter our way of life. Well done.
Jim Treacher on June 29, 2009 at 3:47 PM
heh, that is what our “representatives” are supposed to do….
They are not doing there job…time to kick them all out before they
re-write the laws. Once they try a constitional re-write like Honduras it will be time for the military to take control.
izoneguy on June 29, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Why would anyone believe she has even read large amounts of the bill? As her boss said Carbon is a contaminant what else does she need to know. I vote we decontaminate the White House and Congress.
chemman on June 29, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Of course. And also in Ebonics, Arabic, etc. To suggest otherwise would be raaaaacist.
AZCoyote on June 29, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Democrat appointees have more important things to do than read legislation, like do their tax returns.
NoDonkey on June 29, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Remember, Doocy is really a weatherguy – this Czar just got pwned by a weatherguy. Imagine if they had unleashed Brian the sportsguy or Gretchen the former beauty pageant queen? I like FnF – I think it is amiable fluff, perfect to listen to while shaving and eating my Cheerios, but it is pretty funny that they are in a position to make a “top official” squirm like this.
holdfast on June 29, 2009 at 3:48 PM
A Bruce Willis character for Pres?
Daggett on June 29, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Could he do any worse ? LOL
LSUMama on June 29, 2009 at 3:49 PM
What would a woman know about needed energy. She probably couldn’t check the oil in her car, let alone know how many barrels we import/refine & need.
Jeff from WI on June 29, 2009 at 3:49 PM
Yes, Michelle Malkin wrote a column on this last week. You can find more information about this outrage over on her site.
AZCoyote on June 29, 2009 at 3:50 PM
He could smoke some cigarettes then shoot everyone.
Result!
LimeyGeek on June 29, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Speaking of dimwitted-czars, NEWSWEEK has learned that President Obama has asked Joe Biden to take the lead role on Iraq as the U.S. begins its scheduled drawdown of combat troops.
ICBM on June 29, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Our founding fathers are glad they’re dead.
guitarguy on June 29, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Simple, basic common sense should dictate that it should be unlawful for a representative or political person in a responsible position, to vote on or promote a bill they have not read, yet, in the Obama administration, this has become standard operating procedure.
This from the guy who promised unprecedented transparency and the posting of proposed bills on the internet, for five days prior to a vote.
The deceit, slight of hand, dirty tricks and manimpulation of this administration is without precedent and should be ample cause for impeachment procedings.
Star20 on June 29, 2009 at 3:53 PM
So whats new?
Benjamin9 on June 29, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Congess has not read i complete copy. I wonder whether a complete copy even exists. A final copy may be written after the bill becomes law.
burt on June 29, 2009 at 3:53 PM
It’s obvious the current administration DOESN’T LIKE BEING QUESTIONED AT ALL.
Exit question: When will the re-education camps be opened?
GarandFan on June 29, 2009 at 3:54 PM
Or they’d have died of shame.
After hanging everyone.
LimeyGeek on June 29, 2009 at 3:55 PM
08:00 tomorrow morning.
LimeyGeek on June 29, 2009 at 3:55 PM
The only thing they know about the bill they vote yes on, is how much kick back they get from special interests groups.
TheSitRep on June 29, 2009 at 3:57 PM
If it was truly unfair, then she would have simply trivialized the portions that she didn’t read.
She would have said, “The only portions I didn’t read were those regarding the financial derivative and the plan post 2015.” But she didn’t. She couldn’t even defend the parts she did read.
blink on June 29, 2009 at 3:57 PM
It’s time we go Honduran on their asses.
TheSitRep on June 29, 2009 at 3:58 PM
We are soo f’ked. Worse still, the admin supporters could care less that no one has read the bill.
It’s the thought that counts.
patrick neid on June 29, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Maybe they went a GovnMENT School and cant read.
easyone on June 29, 2009 at 3:59 PM
I wish he would have come back with questions about specific wording in the bill and asked her to explain it. I can understand not reading all 1000+ pages (in the real world, top executives don’t read every page of everything in their business), but I would expect her to be an expert on all parts, and be able to explain every specific portion. That is where they need to expose her incompetence and stupidity.
pablo5108 on June 29, 2009 at 3:59 PM
Let my resume peak at cheneymom before the words “stumped by Doocey” ever apply to me.
britneyhume on June 29, 2009 at 4:04 PM
It’s been a REALLY long time since something like this surprised me. Every single day, there’s another case of lunacy, if not several.
emz35 on June 29, 2009 at 4:04 PM
doejoemoe, I think, made a fine point on the YouTube posting of this video:
“And at the same time they vote for the credit card reform act because people don’t [sic] read the fine print.
What a stellar idea, we need a legislation reform act, so we dont [sic] need a lawyer to read the politicians the [s]mall print! (choke) transperancy [sic].”
pain train on June 29, 2009 at 4:06 PM
You got me there
Jeff from WI on June 29, 2009 at 4:07 PM
What is not fair is you and all your cronies are not doing your jobs. Read the friggin’ bills.
Wade on June 29, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Out of everything our government feels free to do, I think this kind of crap is the worst. There’s definitely a huge problem when our representative leadership doesn’t do it’s one freaking job. We put them in office because we need people who aren’t encumbered with everyday minutia so they have enough time to look at, and understand, the legislation before them. There’s definitely a breakdown in the system when they can’t even be bothered to do that…or worse, when government is so freaking big that our representatives need their own representatives in order to even get close to reading a bill before it’s voted on.
Pathetic.
Interweb Troll on June 29, 2009 at 4:09 PM
What’s really sad and pathetic is how they will argue we’re all just bitter Republicans who lost the election and now want to complain about everything and just say ‘no’.
Liberals will refuse to see the problem with a representative or government cheerleader not even reading the bill they vote on or demand we accept as law. Something as simple and important as this is laughed off as you being a whiner and denier.
These are the same people who got -5 points on a test for forgetting to put their name at the top and then bitched to the teacher about that being unfair.
Thunderstorm129 on June 29, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Depends on which woman you’re talking about. Sarah Palin did a great job on the Trans-Canada gas pipeline.
Steve Z on June 29, 2009 at 4:13 PM
When? When will be enough? When will people seriously take to the streets and refuse to leave?
And yes, it is a dereliction of duty and should indeed be an impeachable offensive. Just think, there could be a sentence in that 300 pages the Czar didn’t read that made Al Gore King of all financial derivatives and dedicated all profits to him. How do we know there isn’t a sentence that exempts all black citizens, all citizens of South Dakota or all illegals? We don’t and they don’t but it leave deniability for the Barney Franks AIG amendments hidden therein.
Again I say, we are no longer “We the People” who government was invented to serve. Government doesn’t give a hoot about We the People; they have taken over and now bargain and trade our interests as if we were playing cards.
katablog.com on June 29, 2009 at 4:14 PM
These people are frightening. They put more thought and effort into the Company luau than they do in running the actual company. In the real world they would all be fired.
BrideOfRove on June 29, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Why would they read the bill??? Our Rep. came to town on Saturday to have a “townhall” meeting. He told all of us (after much heated debate)that he read the bill, however, after he sat down with my husband, he admitted to him that he DID NOT read the bill, but that his staffers did. Yeah right………….. Was an interested meeting. There were about 60 people there and only about 6 were there to support him. They wanted the angry masses gone because we didn’t support or vote for this man. This country has gone totally nuts.
MomintheFlyOverZone on June 29, 2009 at 5:24 PM
I was reminded indirectly earlier today to read and comprehend something in its entirety prior to commenting.
This also took me back to my past:
.
I remember turning in a book report when I was 13 years old to my teacher. The book report was on the “Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, I confess to all now that I only read the first chapter then skipped through to and read the last page of the book. I had quite an imagination for my intial report according to my teacher. How was I to know that elephants were not used to cross rivers in middle America back in 19th century. That movie “The King and I” truly did not help me with insight for my book report.
.
The moral of my story was to do the homework of reading the entire book first before making a comprehensive report.
.
The congress pulled a similar whopper of a mistake by not reading and comprehending the C&T bill in its entirety prior to voting up or down on it. If they did actually read it and did not vote it down then we truly are in trouble ladies and gentlemen.
Americannodash on June 29, 2009 at 5:29 PM
We need to start Recall and/or Impeachment proceedings for all “Representatives” who voted for a bill they had not read!!! Prosecution for fraud (for continuing to collect a salary while deliberately failing to perform the work) should also be on the table.
We need provisions in every State to declare that our elected Representatives (including Senators) are no longer eligible to serve and subject to automatic recall when they fail to read every word of the bills before voting on them.
If we can’t get this done, then let’s bring a test case to the Supreme Court to establish that “ignorance of the law is a valid defense” since under the current system it is impossible to know what the law is.
landlines on June 29, 2009 at 5:40 PM
+1 (or probably +100 since I’m late to the party)
It is absolutely unconscionable that an elected official would vote on something they’ve had not the time/opportunity to read. It’s like those morons who sign a contract with shady fine print that they failed to read and then get mad when they are left holding the bag.
We, the citizens of the United States, are gonna be left holding the bag in a big, big way from 219 idiots who chose to vote and sign on for something they had no clue about if, and it’s still a big if, the Senate does the wrong thing and makes this calamitous bill law.
Oh and Doocy, whom I’m no huge admirer of, was absolutely not unfair in expecting someone who is pushing a bill to know what the ‘F’ is actually in the thing. At least someone in the media is pushing them.
MannyT-vA on June 29, 2009 at 5:45 PM
I spoke to Rep. Betsy Markey-D CO 4th office earlier today. They told me that all the bill was available including Waxman’s amendment before the vote and that she and her staff read it fully. Ya, right.
Earlier in the day I had also asked about why she voted for the bill. They said that she voted for it because it would help us reduce dependancy of oil from Iraq. I asked what does oil in Iraq have to do with the coal we are mining in the US to fuel our coal fired power plants. He couldn’t explain that one. Instead he said it really wasn’t going to raise taxes that much. Only about $40.00 per year per individual taxpayer. I said no that can’t be. He countered that the corporations had to pay the rest. I said no, they will pass on the cost and our utility bills are going to skyrocket. No, he said, the law doesn’t allow them to pass on the tax. I laughed and said you can’t do that, you can’t increase their overhead that amount and not let them pass it on, it will break them. He stumbled over his words and i added, or is that what you want? To break the companies so you can take them over like you did the car companies?. He really started to stumble over his words then. When he regained his train of thought he went on to say that in our district alone we would gain 28k jobs in green energy jobs. I asked how and he said in manufacturing wind turbines and solar array’s and hydro electric turbines. I told him we couldn’t rely on those types of energy because they were not yet efficient enough to fuel our demands. He said well that’s why we are doing this so money will be invested in this sector. I asked him where is the money coming from. He said the tax and elsewhere. I asked where else. He got mad and said it’s coming from everywhere sir, the money is coming from everywhere.
These people don’t have a clue what they are doing.
boomer on June 29, 2009 at 5:48 PM
No news here!
these damn fools are star struck on bambi and only need to hear the lies from his mouth. PASS THE KOOL-AID TO THESE JERKS
bluegrass on June 29, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Oh btw he had no idea how long and difficult the permit process was to build a hydro electric dam nor did he have any idea what the position of the EPA or other environmetal whackos was on building a bunch of hydro electric dams.
boomer on June 29, 2009 at 5:50 PM
boomer on June 29, 2009 at 5:50 PM
.
Good job. I am afraid that I would have gone balistic on that witless.
Americannodash on June 29, 2009 at 6:06 PM
*ballistic
Americannodash on June 29, 2009 at 6:07 PM
You know, I’m kinda liking this “vast portions” thing. O’bammy could get a lot of mileage out of it. Let’s see…
Vast portions of Gitmo will be closed….
Vast portions of healthcare will still be available….
Vast portions of ACORN are law abiding citizens….
Vast portions of the world do not require US meddling…..
Vast portions of Iran voted for Ahmendinnerjacket……
It really is a handy term for this administration.
bloggless on June 29, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Did they ask Browner which of the 3 bio-mass definitions included in that bill was accurate? And did they ask her which one would be used by the EPA as a bio-mass definition?
Did they ask her how Barney Frank’s add on trading regulations would be voted on? Seems like just letting Barney Frank add legislation without any review, or vote, might be a bit irresponsible.
Freddy on June 29, 2009 at 6:14 PM
They already have. Where were you this past week?
katablog.com on June 29, 2009 at 6:38 PM
oh beweave me im still tawking funny fwum biting my tung so hawd.
boomer on June 29, 2009 at 7:46 PM
FOX actually reported on this, I think earlier today. Surprised the heck out of me that anyone was even covering it. The rest will ignore it though.
Miss Molly on June 29, 2009 at 7:53 PM
Congresswoman Markey’s office told me that they read the whole bill, even Waxman’s amendment before they voted on it. It was supposedly available just not all bound together.
boomer on June 29, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Interesting to note that Gov. Palin just tweeted about her stance on this bill. Could it be that the Gov. of Alaska is more in tune with what the bill says than the Czarina of Energy there?
From AKGovSarahPalin “I dont support Waxman-Markey bill; I’ll work w/AK Senators & others to address concerns, lacks flexibility needed to protect enviro & develp”
unwashed minion on June 29, 2009 at 8:42 PM
This is clearly taxation without representation because the representatives abdicated their responsibility. Seems this caused a revolution that was bloody a few hundred years back. How long will the people tolerate these traitors?
wepeople on June 29, 2009 at 8:51 PM
Hey, there’s no surprise here. This entire Presidential Administration is about advancing a pure ideological inaccurately labeled “progressive” agenda. The inaccuracy is that you cannot “progress” from the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, thus the “progress” is towards greater governmental power and control over the rights and freedoms of the individual.
All Browner needs to know is that the cap & tax bill is one more plank in the “progressive” agenda that will enable government to take away more of our individual rights and liberties and make us more dependent upon government for everything.
Wildcatter1980 on June 29, 2009 at 9:32 PM
Bills like this are the reason we need the Enumerated Powers Act (H.R. 1359/S. 3159) ratified.
Send_Me on June 29, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Goddamn right that’s a good point. I saw this live this morning as I was getting ready for work, and by the time I left the house I was so fired up I could barely see straight.
Browner is the A-hole that pushed to mandate MTBE as a fuel additive years ago. Remember that? It was supposed to make gasoline burn cleaner or something, which it did not. After it was proven to be a dangerous carcinogen and was found to be leeching out of gasoline tanks and into our waterways, it quietly went away. Now she’s pushing this POS cap and trade bill, and gets upset when someone questions whether or not she has actually read the bill.
We need to ask every one of our representatives who voted for this bill if they have read it, too. I am willing to bet that 99% of them have not. I will be on the phone tomorrow to ask Mike Castle if he read it before voting in favor of it. Frigging RINO
UltimateBob on June 29, 2009 at 10:18 PM
I would’ve been really happy if he had asked her about something specific that he knew wasn’t in the bill, then waited for her to take the bait.
James on June 29, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Here’s a new saying from my 10 year old, while we were watching this interview on F&F. “Dad, that czar lady was served by Doocy!” Indeed she was!
I have had enough of the czars already. Maybe O’s cabinet could actually do some work and read what they are supposedly in support of! Does everyone in this administration have to be like Joe Biden?
Atlanta Media Guy on June 29, 2009 at 11:41 PM
When you hear “Czar”regarding an Obama illegal position appointment,just think Reich’s Minister.
Jeff from WI on June 30, 2009 at 6:46 AM
Perhaps these “czars” have a problem with reading comprehension; They wouldn’t be setting any precedent.
Cybergeezer on June 30, 2009 at 8:38 AM
She needed da Evelyn Woodhead sped readin’ course.
Her sped and komprenshun bee bettur.
Jeff from WI on June 30, 2009 at 9:19 AM
At least she’s honest enough to not flat out lie. Who’d call her on it?
If it was me I’d even claim I read the 300 pages dropped on the floor at 3:00.
“Damn right Steve. I think I was the first to read it.”
rcl on June 30, 2009 at 1:52 PM
On second thought that would mean I’d have to stand behind every lunatic fringe fascist oversight these clowns have packed into it.
She’s playing it as well as could be expected.
rcl on June 30, 2009 at 1:54 PM
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