Until now, I’ve tried focusing on what Republicans should do to press the energy fight to Democrats. I’ve focused on deficiencies in the House Democrats’ plans. It’s time to turn our attention to the Gang of 10 disaster that Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker, Johnny Isakson, Saxby Chambliss and John Thune signed onto. A contact of mine on Capital Hill sent me an outline of the Gang of 10’s bill. Let’s go through that outline. Here’s the part that bothers me the most:

Rather than using revenues from increased oil and gas production to fund competitive research into alternative fuels as proposed by House Republicans, the Gang of Ten proposal includes what the Wall Street Journal calls “a Democratic giveaway” that is funded by $84 billion in tax increases.

Why on God’s green earth would a Republican agree to these tax increases? Graham, Corker, Isakson, Chambliss and Thune couldn’t have been thinking when they signed onto this. God help us if they were.

Here’s another disastrous portion of the bill:

The off-shore provisions of this grand compromise are woefully inadequate to addressing the current crisis. The proposal only opens additional areas in the Gulf of Mexico to leasing and permits only the States of Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia to opt in to a leasing program. The proposal even creates a new “no drill zone” within 50 miles of the coast in areas where drilling would be permitted, permanently taking off-line some of the most promising areas for production. Presumably the ban on production remains in place in Florida, along the West Coast and off of Alaska.

Let’s be blunt: We could’ve gotten this deal last winter. To settle for this deal while the Democrats’ energy house of cards is about to collapse is unforgiveable.

Approximately $30 billion in new taxes will come from American oil and gas companies through repeal of the Section 199 manufactures deduction and increased revenue on oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

How dare these Republicans agree to $30 billion of new tax increases. They should be ashamed of themselves. Thankfully, President Bush and Sen. McCain have said that tax increases of any sort are a deal killer.

I just sent an email to each of the wayward Republicans on the Gang of 10. I was polite but I didn’t attempt to be overly diplomatic if you know what I mean. I told them that they’d sold their colleagues, like Bob Schaffer, down the river while giving Democrats more political cover than they deserve.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to flood the inboxes of Graham, Corker, Isakson, Chambliss and Thune. They need to know that they’d best never pull a stunt like this again.

Technorati Tags: Gas Crisis, Bob Schaffer, Saxby Chambliss, Johnny Isakson, Bob Corker, John Thune, Lindsey Graham, Gang Of 10, Tax Increases, Drilling, Republicans, Political Cover, Democrats, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog