It seems that a smattering of Republican US Senators don't want legislation authorizing oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge sneaked through early next session via a budget authorization bill.
Why, you ask, would something like drilling oil be in the budget authorization bill? Because under Senate rules, such legislation is immune to a filibuster and thus would be capable of passage with a 51-member vote instead of the requisite 60 needed to invoke cloture (i.e. end a filibuster). With a 55-member Republican base, ANWR oil drilling could make it to the President's desk via this technique. (The House has passed authorization provisions for several years at this point, but the measure has died in the Senate under filibusters.)
Personally, I think that kind of parlimentary maneuver is underhanded and sneaky. I wouldn't be surprised if the Dems have pulled stuff like that in the past as well. Still, it's good to read about some forms of dissent in the Republican ranks; perhaps they will start getting out of the massive group-think that they've been in for the past several years!
With luck, we'll be seeing some turnover in 2006 -- especially if the public keeps hearing about stuff like this.
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