HOUSE REPUBLICANS showed their contempt for democracy again yesterday when they refused to abide by the results of a vote that nixed the energy industry's welfare bill by two votes. The five-minute vote was forcibly held open for 50 minutes while the former House Majority Leader, indicted on conspiracy and money laundering charges, threatened and bullied the two Republican holdouts until they agreed to change their votes.

Think Progress has more on the Stalin wannabes in Congress:

The vote was held on the "Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005," a provision sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to nominally "expedite the construction of new refining capacity." But the bill is essentially a giveback to the oil industry -- Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) called it a "leave-no-oilman-behind bill."

The antics of right-wingers on the House floor today mirrored their previous strong-arm tactics in passing CAFTA and prescription drug legislation -- bills that, like today's, favored large corporations. In July 2005, the House passed CAFTA with a slim two-vote margin after holding the vote open for an hour and 45 minutes. In November 2003, in the dead of night, the House leadership passed the Medicare prescription drug vote by five votes after holding the vote open for three hours.

The Center for American Progress released a report today detailing the profiteering of oil executives while American families struggle with higher gas prices.