Gang Of Ten Bill Tips Scales in Obama’s Favor?
According to this article, the compromise bill brought forth by the Gang of Ten has just given Sen. Obama the advantage in the energy debate. It’s true that Senate Republicans have done something stupid in compromising with desperate Democrats. That doesn’t mean that their bill tips this issue in Sen. Obama’s favor. Far from it. Here’s where the mask slips:
The $84 billion New Energy Reform Act would fund an effort, which its backers liken to the Apollo moon landing program, to transform the nation’s cars and trucks, with a goal of having 85 percent of new vehicles on the road run on nonpetroleum-based fuels within 20 years.
Consumers don’t care about whether 85 percent of the vehicles will be using “nonpetroleum-based fuels within 20 years.” They care about cheaper gas today. Something that Mr. Keating isn’t factoring in are some of the provisions in the New ERA. If Sen. Obama wants to hitch his energy wagon to this bill, then he’s itching for some trouble. Here’s one of the provisions that won’t be popular:
Responsible, Targeted Domestic Energy Production
To help meet our energy needs until our economy transitions to advanced alternative fuel vehicles, the New Era bill increases domestic energy production in environmentally responsible ways. The legislation:
• Provides a CO2 sequestration credit for use in enhanced oil recovery to increase production from existing oil wells while reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
TRANSLATION: New ERA imposes a cap and trade provision.
Let’s remember that the cap and trade bill couldn’t make it on its own. In fact, it collapsed because the American people hated the idea of a job-killing tax increase. Democrats refuse to let that die so they insisted that Cap and Trade be included in this ‘compromise bill.’ The 5 Republicans in the Gang of Ten should be ashamed of themselves for agreeing to this provision.
Here’s another provision that’s sure to make people angry:
Opens additional acreage in the Gulf of Mexico for leasing (in consultation with the Defense Department to ensure that drilling is done in a manner consistent with national security) and allows Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia to opt in to leasing off their shores. Retains an environmental buffer zone extending 50 miles offshore where new oil production will not be allowed. Requires all new production to be used domestically. Creates a commission to make recommendations to Congress on future areas that should be considered for leasing. Provides for appropriate revenue sharing for states that allow leasing off their shores;
With all due respect, screw that. there’s no reason not to open up the entire OCS. That eliminates the need for a commission. Appointing a commission is a waste of time and money. It’s a way for politicians to avoid making difficult decisions. It’s time they developed a spine and started making decisions based on what their constituents want, not what the environmental lobbyists convince them of.
This bill doesn’t represent the will of the American people. This bill represents the will of the environmental lobbyists and Democrats everywhere. That’s why it’s DOA the minute the American people catch wind of its short-sighted provisions, longterm goals and job-killing tax increases.
It’s time Washington started listening ot what the American people want. If they don’t, they’ll find that we’re an extremely cranky bunch. They’ll find that we don’t care about living in a carbon-free world. Anyone getting in the way of opening up the OCS will be political roadkill this November. Democrats attempting to pass legislation with cap and trade provisions in it will also be political roadkill this November.
Republicans must step away from the Gang of Ten bill. Let’s correct that. Senate Republicans should run from that bill as fast as their feet can take them. It’s a capitulation to the Democrats at a time when Democrats are desperate. It’s signing onto a disastrous bill.
Sen. Graham, Sen. Chambliss, Sen. Isaskson, Sen. Thune and Sen. Corker, it’s time you pulled your collective heads out of your backsides. Bipartisanship doesn’t mean signing onto bad legislation that will kill jobs while raising taxes. Bipartisanship means hammering out a bill that actually benefits the American people.
Bipartisanship means acting on your constituents’ biggest concerns. I won’t believe that raising taxes on carbon-based energy sources is in the top 100 of your constituents’ biggest concerns.
Sen. Graham, Sen. Chambliss, Sen. Isaskson, Sen. Thune and Sen. Corker, it’s time you threw your support behind the House Republicans’s American Energy Act. Tell Senate Democrats that that’s the starting point for negotiations on a comprehensive energy bill. If that’s unacceptable to Sen. Lincoln, Sen. Landrieu, Sen. Pryor, Sen. Conrad and Sen. Nelson, then they’ll have to defend their inaction to their constituents. I suspect that Sen. Landrieu isn’t anxious to do that. I’ll bet that there’s dozens of other things that she’d rather do.
Here’s where Mr. Keating is wrong:
But McCain’s ground game was working in the pre–Gang of 10 environment, and he was looking forward to keeping Obama uncomfortable on drilling. Because he has supported tax breaks for oil companies, and has opposed repealing them to pay for investments in clean energy, McCain now faces an uncomfortable choice. He can oppose the Gang of 10 plan, which will force him to defend his past votes and to explain how his stance fits into the “all of the above” approach on energy that he says he advocates. Or he can change his position and support the plan’s tax increases and limits on drilling.
None of that is necessary. All he has to do is stick to his guns. Almost 75 percent of Americans support lifting restrictions on drilling. I’ll bet that blue collar workers, like the people who are currently unemployed by Detroit’s layoffs, support lifting the ban so they can get back to work on building cars. Anyone care to bet that the UAW will be thrilled with a cap and trade tax increase?
I’ll bet an equal amount of money that blue collar workers in Pennsylvania and Ohio will side with Sen. McCain on drilling on the OCS. I’ll further bet that these folks won’t like the cap and trade tax increases.
That’s why, when you take the time to analyze this situation, Democrats are rightfully nervous about getting their heads handed to them this November. That’s why Gang of Ten Democrat were so anxious to put a bill together.
It’s shameful that the Gang of Ten Republicans didn’t exact more concessions from their Democratic cohorts.
That’s why I urge people in Georgia, South Dakota, South Carolina and Tennesee to call their temporarily wayward senators and register your disapproval of this legislation.
If we speak passionately, if we speak loud enough and long enough, our leaders will follow our instructions. That’s the only way we’ll get the results we want.
Technorati Tags: Gas Crisis, Gang Of Ten, Cap And Trade, Tax Increase, Drilling, United Auto Workers, OCS, John McCain, Barack Obama, Blue Collar Workers, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Election 2008
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog
August 14th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Any time you have a gang, whether it’s 8, 10, 14 or whatever, you probably have a criminal enterprise. The odds of that are significantly increased if the gang is comprised of politicians.
And as for the elephants giving away the farm in the “compromises”, how do you think “compromise” is defined by the donks? Surely you can’t think that it is anywhere close to an equal give-and-take! Especially when it is elephants starved for the love of the media.