Subscribe‘Gang Of 10′ Gives Away GOP’s Oil Issue
From the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal:
Members of the bipartisan coalition of Senators, known as the ‘Gang of Ten’, from left, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., discuss their energy plan during a news conference, Friday, Aug. 1, 2008 on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Republican Energy Fumble
August 8, 2008; Page A13
Politics has its puzzling moments. John McCain and most of the GOP experienced one late last week. That was when five of their own set about dismantling the best issue Republicans have in the upcoming election.
It’s taken time, but Sen. McCain and his party have finally found — in energy — an issue that’s working for them. Riding voter discontent over high gas prices, the GOP has made anti-drilling Democrats this summer’s headlines.
Their enthusiasm has given conservative candidates a boost in tough races. And Mr. McCain has pressured Barack Obama into an energy debate, where the Democrat has struggled to explain shifting and confused policy proposals.
Still, it was probably too much to assume every Republican would work out that their side was winning this issue. And so, last Friday, in stumbled Sens. Lindsey Graham, John Thune, Saxby Chambliss, Bob Corker and Johnny Isakson — alongside five Senate Democrats. This “Gang of 10″ announced a “sweeping” and “bipartisan” energy plan to break Washington’s energy “stalemate.” What they did was throw every vulnerable Democrat, and Mr. Obama, a life preserver.
That’s because the plan is a Democratic giveaway. New production on offshore federal lands is left to state legislatures, and then in only four coastal states. The regulatory hurdles are huge. And the bill bars drilling within 50 miles of the coast — putting off limits some of the most productive areas. Alaska’s oil-rich Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is still a no-go.
The highlight is instead $84 billion in tax credits, subsidies and federal handouts for alternative fuels and renewables. The Gang of 10 intends to pay for all this in part by raising taxes on . . . oil companies! The Sierra Club couldn’t have penned it better. And so the Republican Five has potentially given antidrilling Democrats the political cover they need to neutralize energy through November.
Sen. Obama was thrilled. He quickly praised the Gang’s bipartisan spirit, and warmed up to a possible compromise. Of course, he means removing even the token drilling provisions now in the bill. But he’s only too happy for the focus to remain on the Gang’s efforts, and in particular on the five Republicans providing his party its fig leaf.
Equally gleeful was Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu, the Senate’s most vulnerable Democrat. She had been sweating the energy debate, especially after her vote against more oil-shale production — a position her Republican opponent, John Kennedy, had used against her to great effect. Yet there she was, chummily standing with the Gang of 10 and boasting that she is working with “five Republicans” to “lower prices at the pump by increasing offshore drilling here at home.”
Mr. McCain, who had been commanding the energy debate, was left to explain why he, of all people, wasn’t more enthusiastic about a “bipartisan” effort on energy, especially one that includes “drilling.” His camp was forced to take refuge in taxes, explaining that their boss couldn’t sign up for a bill that included more. If this is what Mr. McCain’s good friend Lindsey Graham considers “helping,” somebody might want to ask him to stop.
And pity poor Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has been working overtime to stanch GOP losses this fall and head off a filibuster-proof Democratic Senate. His dogged efforts to highlight Democratic opposition to drilling has kept energy in the news and laid the groundwork for GOP candidates to use the issue to their advantage.
In the Colorado Senate race, Democrats had christened former GOP Rep. Bob Schaffer “Big Oil Bob” — hoping to smear his oil industry career. “Big Oil Bob” has instead embraced his pro-drilling positions and is pummeling opponent Mark Udall for his antidrilling stance. In recent weeks, Mr. Schaffer has erased Mr. Udall’s lead. Polls show Republican Sens. Norm Coleman (Minnesota) and John Sununu (New Hampshire) both climbing in the polls on the back of strong energy arguments. As two of the GOP’s most vulnerable senators, both might well have run for cover with the Gang of 10. Instead they’re fighting on the merits.
The “bipartisan” Republican senators have undercut these efforts, and boosted Ms. Landrieu. They’ve even put a smile on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s face. He’d been struggling to tamp down the energy debate through November, where he hopes to increase his majority and permanently shelve drilling. He’s now counting on the Gang to fruitlessly continue “negotiations” straight through the Senate’s short September session and solve his problem for him.
Not one of the five Republicans in the Gang is facing a tough election this year. That’s the sort of security that leads to bad decisions. And theirs is the sort of thinking that could leave Republicans in a permanent minority.
This is why they are called the Stupid Party.
Stunningly, as the article notes, Mr. McCain has so far refrained from endorsing the “Gang Of 10″ plan.
But given the presence of his best friend forever, Lindsey Graham, it is probably only a matter of time.
[This is a cross posting from our sister site: GetDrunkAndVote4McCain.com.]
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16 Responses to “‘Gang Of 10′ Gives Away GOP’s Oil Issue”
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August 8th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHY LINDSEY GRAHAM IS GIVING COVER TO THE PELOSI, REID & OBAMA??!!
(YES I AM YELLING!)
Rush is talking abou it now.
ANY BODY REMEMBER JOE PISARCHICK? We should send Picarchick jerseys to those 5 republican senators in the gang of 10.
I’ll buy. Anybody have their names?
August 8th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
“[This is a cross posting from our sister site: GetDrunkAndVote4McCain.com.]”
Ann!!! Inventor of “Insult a Liberal & Look Good Doing It.”
I have a fantasy of having drinks - me, Ann & the bartender I just slipped a C note to - 10 oz vodka/gin martinis railing against liberals at my favorite upper east side grille (hint, hint).
BTW - the tip to Pattie (hint) makes sure that our tab will go on the out of town liberal from Chicago’s. And they say there’s no justice.
Thanks, SG. You’re the best.
August 8th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I think this is deliciously ironic - McAmnesty has created this ‘maverick’ and crossing the aisle (i.e. sell-out of conservative/Republican values) to a fine tuned machine - and damn, if it didn’t come back to bite him in his sell-out ass. I wonder how it feels to be done unto - oh wait - he was the ‘chosen’ of the NYTs and they already turned on him - and of course Republican conservatives and, well most Republicans never joined him.
It would be laughable if it 1) wasn’t an election year with a racist, socialist as his opponent, 2) it does almost nothing to make America energy ‘independent’ and (as usual) only raises taxes and 3) once again - Republicans, conservatives end up giving up/giving in/compromising (i.e. selling out).
No wonder ‘America isn’t what she used to be’ - Obamanation in response to ‘why do you want to be President?’
August 8th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Again, as repeating on the sister site…
The article and a number of Pundits, including Rush, suggest McCain found this issue.
Nonsense.
GW Bush began correctly pushing on drilling, even when the MSM was demeaning him on it.
John McCain who opposed Oil Drilling most of his 3 Decades in Washington Pamper-dom, finally joined the pro-drill crowd probably because he read a poll.
Again, Conservative Pundits, especially the finest behind the golden EIB, should be more careful to separate the fine conservative interests in the GOP, like those in the HOUSE, vs. the McCainiacs who often reside in the Senate.
We cannot afford more undermining of strong Representation which is in the GOP.
From all of McCain’s past, it may be far more likely, that he was briefed and approved of the Gang of 10 behind closed doors.
Too bad we cannot run GW Bush again, as he would defeat McCain and Obama.
Even with poor approval ratings…
August 8th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Right now, Rush is playing McCain pushing this ‘inflating your tires issue’, but we know that the Maverick pushed TAX CAPS on Energy to address Global Warming concerns on a few occasions with JOE LIEBERMAN.
If McCain had this Global Warming version of the McCain-Feingold Bill we would be facing a depression.
Right now, John McCain wants to win an election, so he is offering lip service to drilling, at the same time he is praising Al Gore.
What will he do in the White House?
His history is quite clear, and we will end up with higher taxation, global warming regulations, etc., unless we focus on the CONGRESS.
August 8th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
A single Senator is bad enough (see our Presidential candidates). When a gang of them get together, it multiplies the damage they can do.
This 50 mile buffer zone eliminates access to the huge Destin Dome natural gas field 25 miles off the Florida Panhandle. Just how much more oil and gas would be off limits due to this brilliant
capitulationcompromise? We’ll never know if this pos bi-partisan bill gets passed.August 8th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
It has been said that Politics is the Art of Compromise.
While that may be true, Politics is also the art of highlighting the weaknesses of your opponents on the other side of the issue.
The Republicans were able to do something last week that highlighted the weakness of their Democrat rivals - a total lack of a coherent, sustainable, and popular energy policy. The Democrat’s plan was shown to be lacking leadership to solve short- and long-term problems. Further, it highlighted two facts about the Democratic nominee for President: 1) His absolute dependency and attachment to the far left in his own left-leaning party, and 2) His inability to ‘win’ against the minority party. To put it crassly, the Republicans had the Democrats by the short hairs.
This had huge ramifications for the general election and the Presidential election in specific. The Republicans were able to show that the Democratic leadership was out-of-step with the leadership of the American people. By boxing Obama in with that out-of-step group, he had to do either one of two things - buck the party line, or be bundled in with Pelosi and Reid. He chose to be bundled - which shows more about his ‘Change’ than the Republican talking points ever could. He effectively showed that he took his orders from Pelosi and Reid, and that rightfully scares the American electorate. Not just because Reid and Pelosi have such horrid approval numbers, or that they are so far left leaning that they have fallen into socialism, but because Obama showed his inability to occupy the separate branch of government called the Presidency. The American people might not like a liberal, but they damn sure want an individual in the White House. There are many downstream effects from this that the Republicans could have taken advantage of - his lack of experience, his mantra of ‘Change’ has no real meaning, his politics are antagonistic towards what’s best for the country, his inability to think strategically, etc…, but it required political courage from the Minority party.
Whenever one stands up to a bully, there is always the risk that the bully will win, further enhancing the bully’s aura of invincibility. But, at the right moment, standing up to the bully will bring the whole house of intimidation crumbling down - plus everyone loves it when the weaker stands up and beats the bully. The Republicans had such a moment last week, when that political bully Pelosi childishly took her gavel and went home, and the Republicans stayed on proving that the bully wasn’t so tough, after all. Not to take the analogy too far, but the Democrats got their nose bloodied last week, and cried like a baby (like some scene out of A Christmas Story ). It was the right moment, it was the right issue, and the bully got beat. From where I stood, the election looked like it was over - with a serious Republican win.
So, what do those idiots go and do? They go and cow-tow back to the bully!!! That’s not how you win, folks - that’s how you stay a frightened, slobbering cry-baby in fear of the bully! I think that this will be the day we look back at this election and say “On this day, the Republicans gave this election to the Democrats.” This is truely the day the music died.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Seizing defeat from the jaws of victory is something the goobers of the Republican Party(not the conservatives) have been doing for years. We have McCain to thank for this reach out, lets all get along bs that has gotten them nowhere. The only time Democrats of this day are accommodating or bipartisan is when they are standing on someone’s neck. It is beyond my understanding why Republicans will not fight. They are wimps. When they can win, they choose not to by making some foolish agreement to do exactly what the Democrats want them to do. If we allow it, they will be the death of us.
It is for that reason, if we have the luxury of survival, that we must develop a viable Conservative Party and dispense with these weak appeasers.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Enthalpy,
I say we get as many people as we can and re-start the Federalist party - fiscally, culturally and politically conservative.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I haven’t posted for a while but couldn’t resist this one. It confirms my “cynical” opinion of our politicians. They don’t work for us and our empty votes can’t compete with the power and money available from special interest groups and deep pocketed foreigners. Republicans are useless and Open Borders McCain is still a liberal who will listen to foreign invaders before U.S. citizens. Even if he regrets these five republicans (maybe, maybe not) it would only be due to the timing. Any other time he would be the first to join a gang like this.
When gas gets to $6.00 my business is done for. For me picking the lesser of two evils won’t do. Honestly, if I had my way, I would line the entire congress up against a wall and do this nation a huge favor.
BTW – I like the new party ideas. A strong party with real American values and not intimidated by cheap commie tactics.
August 8th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE!!! Poised to do what was unthinkable until just a week or two ago when the Republicans stood up and started to fight, these guys throw it away. Arctain is correct, this is the day the Republicans threw away the election. I thought Graham, Thune and Chambliss were smarter. Don’t know the other guys. Well, I was fooled. Won’t happen again. What a bunch of utterly incompetent dorks. Gotta get back to work. Tough times ahead. Been actively following politics for decades. I have come to the belief this election is important for our country and that the nutcase socialist/communists are at the gate. I know its been said in the past but this group of Dems and Obama are, in my mind, dangerous for our country, our individual rights, and personal liberties. So here was an election dutifully framed by an obedient press as a mere formality to unbridled Dem control of our government. The Repubs have the simplest and greatest economic issue, ripe for demonstrating why the Repubs should be in charge of our government, and these guys throw it away. And for what? For what? To say they got along with people who were negotiating with them in bad faith and, come November, will never deal with them again. Not one more single penny from me will the Republicans get. Not one. This is a dispaly of no leadership, no plan, and no strategy. From Wisconsin, I’ll vote for McCain and for anyone running against my idiot Senators and fool of a Congressman. Don’t know about anything after that.
August 8th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
I am with you Arctain, I’m all set to join up to the Federalists. It just further proves out pathetic the Republican Party has become. I was so happy last week to see them stand up to the Soviet Pelosi and now coming home from work and seeing this disgrace.
With the price of oil dropping again today, these pinheads will think that their announcement has the “speculators” shaking in their boots. Maybe the “10″ should go to India and China and see that those people are not riding bicycles over there any more. They are driving cars and more of them are getting cars every day. Two countries with expanding car ownership = continued increased oil consumption = more demand = less supply = $8 gal/gas = US economy destroyed within 10 years. I don’t think there is one politician that ever took an economics course in college, let alone pass it.
McCain should have learned by now that he should have avoided another “gang”. I’ll be sending a letter to the RNC later to ask them not to ask for another penny from me as if this is how the RINO party is going to be run, then I want no part of it.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
The sad part of this whole thing is, that as South Carolina voters we had a chance to get rid of Sen Graham in the June Primary. We failed to do that –Now here he is today stabbing every American in the back again. It’s not just the Republicans that lost with this deal. It is every American.
August 8th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
“as South Carolina voters we had a chance to get rid of Sen Graham in the June Primary”
No good deed goes unpunished.
August 9th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Nooooooo….what is Grahamnesty thinking? Why is he interupting the momentum that the Republicans are experiencing with the energy policy? WE DON’T WANT A WATERED DOWN/COMPROMISE RIDDEN/LIBERAL STRUCTURED/LAME ENERGY BILL! WE DON’T WANT TO COMPROMISE AND SELL OUR SOUL TO MAKE THE DEMOCRATS LOOK GOOD AND TO LET THEM “SAVE FACE”! AND YES, SG, I AM YELLING. (Sorry). This is an outrage!
Sheesh, I go out of town a couple of days and all hell breaks loose……I am sooooo disgusted. :-(
Sigh……………………….now, I have to go write a few emails……….sigh.
August 11th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Arctain– I believe your idea for the re-starting The Federalist Party is any excellent one!