Herseth Sandlin Does Big Oil Bidding, Votes No on Energy Bill

H.R. 3534, the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act, passed the U.S. House Friday on a 209–193 vote. Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin voted No. Rep. Herseth Sandlin apparently doesn't like...

1. boosting safety standards for offshore drilling (because we can trust BP not to cut corners?);
2. removing the federal cap on economic liability for oil spills (because what, BP is only responsible for a fraction of the damage it causes?);
3. imposing new fees on oil and gas production (hmm... wouldn't fees like that help reduce the deficit? or at least help restore damaged ecosystems?);
4. adding "Buy and Build American" guidelines for offshore drilling;
5. imposing a two-year moratorium on uranium mining leases on federal lands;
6. boosting solar and wind power production on federal lands;
7. expanding geothermal energy production;
   
8. fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund;
9. establishing permanent funding for the National Historic Preservation Fund.

Now I know Kristi Noem would likely have voted the same way for worse reasons (if the BP gusher stays capped, she'll bring Bachmann and Palin here in October to shout "Drill baby drill!"). But for Pete's sake, can't a South Dakota Democrat look at the Gulf oil disaster and recession-bucking oil profits and see the good darn sense in removing liability caps, making Big Oil pay for the damage it does, and advancing alternatives to fossil fuels?

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Update 2010.08.03: Related: Mr. Woodring points out that South Dakota is not the most conservative state in the Union. We place fourth, behind Wyoming, Mississippi, and Utah. Self-identifying South Dakota conservatives outnumber us self-identifying South Dakota liberals almost four to one.

I love being the underdog. Really.