McCain Would Rather Lose The War Against High Gas Prices Than Lose The Election

The Republican Party Energy Plan

For handsomely bribed Big Oil shills and congressional circus clowns like James Inhofe (R-OK- $1,076,573), Michael McCaul (R-TX- $107,934), Mike Pence (R-IN- $150,950), John Culberson (R-TX- $301,961), Eric Cantor (R-CA- $159,250), and John Shadegg (R-AZ- $119,495) the response to the energy crisis may be to dress up like Indians at the Boston Tea Party and wave an air tire gauge over your head, or to send gas receipt bills to Nancy Pelosi. But for members of Congress worried about their constituents' financial situations-- or at least their constituents' ability to take out their financial situations on them at the ballot box in November-- this is obviously a time for either something sensible or, more likely, working out a compromise that both Democrats and Republicans can accept. Senator Obama has led the way when he declared a couple weeks ago that if there was no other way to stop GOP senators from obstructing legislation that would bring down gasoline prices than to agree to some of their demands, he would be flexible.

The "Gang of 10" energy plan was described by Fox News as aiming "at producing more domestic oil via offshore drilling, reducing energy prices, and aiding the troubled economy."

The plan also would require automobiles to be more fuel efficient and would provide research money for improved batteries to move away from petroleum-products in cars: the plan calls for 85 percent of vehicles to run on non-petroleum-based fuel in 20 years.

Senators said the bill also would promote more renewable energy sources and nuclear energy, as well as carbon capture techniques to reduce greenhouse gas production through tax and other incentives.

The ten senators are mostly conservative Oil Industry shills: Saxby Chambliss (R-GA- $199,242), Mary Landrieu (D-LA- $612,244), John Thune (R-SD- $477,772), Ben Nelson (D-NE- $145,455), Lindsey Graham (R-SC- $115,525), Mark Pryor (D-AR- $133,150), Johnny Isakson (R-GA- $144,564), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR- $260,875), Bob Corker (R-TN- $273,850) and Kent Conrad (D-ND- $267,003). So the self-appointed committee has scarfed up around $2,600,000 in bribes from Big Oil. Doesn't exactly inspire my trust. And I'm not alone. McCain's not buying in either-- but for very different reasons.

Even though his own little Mini-Me (R-SC) is helping draft the compromise, McCain is worried that a solution will throw a monkey wrench into his plans to gain electorally by trying to blame high prices on the Democrats. It's a risky strategy that several endangered Republican senators-- including Graham and Chambliss-- are not eager to gamble their careers on. McCain would rather lose the war against high gas prices than lose the election, kind of like that idiotic Iranian swimmer who opted to not participate in his event in Beijing yesterday rather than swim with an Israeli athlete.

Republican Sen. John McCain is not ready to embrace a bipartisan energy plan that could complicate his presidential campaign if Democrats advance the bill weeks before the November elections.

...If McCain opposes the bill, it could appear that he is standing in the way of a compromise to soaring gasoline prices.

But if he backs it, McCain could cloud a clear distinction between the two parties on the issue that Republicans believe can swing the elections.