As many know I am a Twitter freak. What’s really interesting is the insight you can gain into a person in 140 characters or less. Take Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA):

Interesting how he has these concerns today. He claims they have been on MMS for “years”, but I wonder if he tried this push 4 years ago when he voted no against extending the moratorium on new offshore drilling? Just a quick look into Issa’s voting record shows that he has been a great friend to the oil and coal industry:

• Voted NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution. (Jun 2009)
• Voted NO on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets. (Sep 2008)
• Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation. (May 2008)
• Voted NO on tax incentives for renewable energy. (Feb 2008)
• Voted NO on investing in homegrown biofuel. (Aug 2007)
• Voted NO on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC. (May 2007)
• Voted NO on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jan 2007)
• Voted NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries. (Oct 2005)
• Voted YES on passage of the Bush Administration national energy policy. (Jun 2004)
• Voted YES on implementing Bush-Cheney national energy policy. (Nov 2003)
• Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels. (Aug 2001)
• Voted NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR. (Aug 2001)
• Rated 17% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence. (Dec 2006)

With such “lax oversight” of one of the main agencies reponsibile for safe oil drilling, why is Issa so gung-ho to increase their workload with what must be considered a broken system to Issa? After all, his party had control of the White House and Congress “for years” and I never remember hearing his complaints back then.