No ‘Gang of Energy’ Bill; House Energy Bill Looks Even Worse Now
Friday, September 19, 2008This should help clarify the debate. From The Hill, “‘Gang of 20′ won’t offer energy bill“*:
A bipartisan group of senators who sought a compromise in the rancorous energy debate won’t introduce their bill before lawmakers adjourn for the elections, several Senate aides said Thursday.
Instead, the so-called Gang of 20 will offer a statement of principals outlining their agreement on a host of divisive issues, including expanded offshore drilling. They plan to offer legislation once the political season has ended, according to an aide to a Democrat involved in the discussions. The aide said that the election-year environment has poisoned the atmosphere and hampered the chances of passing a bill on such a controversial campaign topic.
May we suggest one principle, rather than a set? It’s this: The United States should encourage the domestic production of all market-viable forms of energy, with an immediate emphasis on oil and natural gas production from areas where development is now blocked.
Meanwhile, as people get a chance to read the House-passed “energy” bill (H.R. 6899), the reviews worsen. The criticism pins blame on Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for orchestrating a bill intended to provide political cover instead of energy, but the editorials do not merely declare anathema, they explain just how the House bill fails.
- Wall Street Journal, “Pelosi’s Drilling Ruse“
- Examiner, “Pelosi’s sham energy bill is an oily dodge“
- Boston Herald, “This energy bill is missing energy“
- Investor’s Business Daily, “Drill-shy Congress“
More at The Chilling Effect, which also points us to Heritage’s critique.
* Please, please, please, let this be the end of the “Gang of X, Y and Z” formulation for naming ad hoc congressional coalitions. The Gang of Four was a murderous group of totalitarian Chinese communists; we shouldn’t be naming anything after them. (One exception: The great British rock group, Gang of Four. Rock ‘n rollers always have stupid names, but that’s no reason to emulate them.)
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