Cazayoux needs to step up and oppose drilling ban

As the clock ticks away on the likely short-lived Congressional career of Rep. Don Cazayoux, he’s doing everything possible to send it into overtime. How he’s doing it suggests he may wish to pursue a post-elective career involving sleight of hand.

As Democrats staunchly oppose any realistic bill to increase domestic energy production but favored a bill that would reward environmental special interests with huge payouts for infeasible targets, Cazayoux was given permission by the Democrat leadership, since they had the other votes to pass it, to oppose this bill in order to boost his flagging reelection chances and because Democrats knew their effort would be largely symbolic because of Senate and presidential opposition. Nonetheless, it gave them a chance to look like they were doing something they really were not, and it gave Cazayoux a chance to try to ingratiate himself with his pro-drilling constituency.

But if Cazayoux really wants to put his money where his mouth is, he will vote down any budget bill that includes language that would continue the Congressional moratorium to allow drilling outside of three miles from the American coast. As a fallback position, Democrats want to include the renewal of the ban in one or more budget bills to try to force it through Congress. Republicans have indicated they would stall bills with this rider even if it shut down government operations, practically meaning a Senate filibuster given the Democrat House majority would ram these bills through. Even if Cazayoux’ vote couldn’t stop this, it would be good if at least one of his symbolic votes turns out to be for the good.

They will pass these out of the House because lapdogs of Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi like Cazayoux will obediently follow her orders, highlighting the fact that the only time Cazayoux is given freedom to oppose the liberal majority it is for show back home, and that he faithfully supports liberal orthodoxy the majority of then time. Actually, he’ll probably be a willing participant, given his latest articulated idea.

Cazayoux is also pushing for tax credits to homeowners who had higher insurance deductibles because the hurricanes were named storms. While this populist measure may sound good to those in that situation, the fact of the matter is it represents a subsidy to homeowner who chose to live in riskier areas being fobbed off on the rest of the state and nation. It’s a poor decision to socialize and subsidize risk, but it will play well in his district and shows he’ll be servile to the liberal leadership on anything meaningful.

He hopes to fool enough people to get reelection on Nov. 4. Whether his tactics will succeed is another matter.