I’m Barry Welsh and I am the Democratic Candidate for Congress running for a second time against Mike Pence for the privilege of serving the people of Indiana’s 6th District.
You might have heard Mike on CNN saying they were going to be staying indefinitely, as long as it took for The Honorable Speaker Pelosi (My words not his) to bring the House back into session and have an up or down vote on drilling.
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Mike first called on President Bush to call the House back into session, forgetting how much Bush likes vacations and not recognizing that Bush would not shorten a vacation for a hurricane with mass casualties, he sure wouldn’t to try and save a few careers. So with a "uh, not gonna do it." From Bush, Mike and 23 others I have been calling "The Oily Two Dozen" took the House floor hostage and were going to stay Indefinitely as you can read in this link from WISH-TV 8 Indy CBS Affiliate.
Pence is one of a handful of Republicans organizing the protest that, they say, will go on indefinitely.
That quote was from yesterday, and tomorrow morning Mike Pence is speaking at the opening day of Indiana’s State Fair with Mitch Daniels the Govauctioneer at the Ham breakfast sponsored by The Pork Association.
I ask you, which is more amusing, ending an indefinite protest in two days, or ending it to speak at a breakfast that is all about Pork?
And No, Democratic Governor Candidate Jill Long Thompson nor I were asked.
Our press release below and after that the VP race.
For Immediate Release
From : Barry Welsh, Democratic Candidate for Indiana 6th Congressional District
Reply To: Barry@BarryWelsh.org
PENCE SHOWS TWO SIDES IN WASHINGTON
Representative Mike Pence from Indiana's 6th District has been leading a charge from the GOP-minority to recall the Congress from its traditional August recess to take a vote on expanding outer-continental shelf oil drilling. Mr. Pence claims that "Congress shouldn't take a vacation until we vote on lessening our dependence on foreign oil".
I agree that Congress should stay in session, but not to consider drilling in the Artic Natural Wildlife Reserve and other environmentally sensitive areas. Congress should be working full time to develop an energy policy that encourages and supports development of alternatives to oil, not more dependence on it. When elected to Congress I will support legislation that encourages the development of oil independence and new industries that will bring "green collar jobs" to the 6th District. Even if we began drilling and found oil, which is never guaranteed, it would have an impact of only a few cents and that impact would not occur until 2018. By that time, American workers could be making the American vehicles of the future. This is one of my top priorities when I am elected this November, creating new jobs from green technologies and affordable renewable energy sources.
I was surprised my opponent has embraced such a bold move as to want Congress in special session, given the 37 times this year he has motioned to adjourn Congress. It seems like the only thing he does want to talk about is more oil, and that is exactly the opposite direction I think we should take. I think we should be talking about what we can do to help individual homeowners make their homes more energy efficient and less expensive to heat and cool. Most important we should be talking to our communities to find out what they need .
That is what I will do, in each of the 19 counties of the 6th District I will hold community meetings to exchange ideas and work together to develop a plan to become oil independent.
Mr. Pence was not willing to help the American people while Congress was in its legislative session, and is still not serious about finding real solutions that will help average Americans cope with skyrocketing energy costs. We Hoosiers are not interested in grandstanding on an issue that should have been resolved earlier in the legislative session.
These are critical times and we need a Congressman who will step up and find answers not sound bytes. As the next Congressman from the 6th District I will work with the next President to find other solutions that do not require us to further pollute the environment and destroy our great natural resources.
Barry Welsh
I am proud of my staff for putting that together.
Now for Senator Evan Bayh and tomorrow’s VP announcement, as I said in comments earlier.
• At this time I do not think it will be our State's Junior Senator. The time the press is in Indiana is not necessarily the same as the time the candidate is in Indiana. I imagine Senator Obama is spending as much of that 20 hr segment as possible in nearby Chicago with his family.
The speculation is creating a media and politican frenzy wanting to be at the event because of an anticipated announcement and from our campaign communications, we do not believe there will be a VP announcement.
Obama is in Indiana because Indiana is in play and we are all on the ground making certain it is bluer by the day.
Here are Senator Bayh’s words from the Indianapolis Star;
Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., told The Indianapolis Star today that Sen. Barack Obama has not asked him to be his running mate and that he's not expecting Obama to announce his vice presidential pick when Obama is in Indiana Wednesday
As for our campaign, we need ever dollar we can get to end the career of Mike Pence. We need one viral day and 25,000 $5.00 donors from the netroots community with everything else we are doing this last quarter and we will win.
