Nancy Pelosi has been blocking an energy bill from coming to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote on opening off shore oil drilling. It has been reported that there is significant bipartisan support for the bill. Passing this bill would provide some immediate relief from the high gas prices at the pump. The long term benefits would lower gas prices even further and greatly reducing our dependence on foreign oil. The passage of the bill would also help save a lot of jobs that are now being lost as a result of the high gas prices. All good.

There are only two reasons Speaker Pelosi has been able to articulate for single handedly denying a vote on the energy bill: 1) She will not allow President Bush to have his way. 2) She cannot go back and face her constituency in San Francisco if she allowed the vote.

If I understand her first reason correctly Nancy Pelosi is so blinded by rage from her hatred of President Bush she is willing to let the entire country continue to struggle financially because of the high gas prices in order to stick it to Bush.

The second reason she gave also demonstrates her short sightedness. Last week I came across a poll conducted by the Sacramento Business Journal which showed that 66% of the people support off-shore oil drilling to 31% that don’t, with 2% undecided. This is in line with other national polls. I thought it would be important for the speaker to see this, so I logged onto her web site and e-mailed it to her. I received, what I consider, a strange response and one that surprised me. Since I do not live in California’s eight district (Pelosi’s district) I am not one her constituency and therefore, Nancy Pelosi is not interested in my opinion.

As an elected representative of her district she can and should vote the will of her constituency. However, as Speaker of the House, we are all her constituency and her obligation is to serve the entire nation not just her district. It should not be a case of how San Francisco goes so does the nation. That is nothing more than wagging the dog.