Earth Equity News

Taking 'Yes' for an Answer. Posted by Joseph Romm, Gristmill, September 9, 2008. "It's time for enviros and progressives to get over it [about offshore drilling]... The 'Gang of 10' bill is... a whole bunch of good things... 1) [It] is the least possible amount of additional coastal drilling we are going to do. 2) The good things in the bill, most especially the five-year extension of the renewable energy tax credits, are simply too good to pass up. [And,] 3) Forcing McCain to vote for or against this bill -- or skip it entirely -- could be a genuine political game changer... Political debates are won by the people who have to do the least amount of explaining. Until now, by appearing to be dead-set against drilling, the Dems were clearly not for 'all of the above,' seemed to be against bipartisanship, and indeed were clearly against what the public has come to believe is an obvious part of the solution. [For any Republican claiming to be for an 'all of the above' energy policy,] there is no simple justification for voting against this compromise... And yet McCain's new oil industry string-pullers hate the bill. A vote against [it] would be devastating to McCain's entire energy and political message. But a vote [it] would largely take the offshore drilling issue off the table. And failing to show up for a vote might be the worst of all for him. It now appears Senate Democrats are smart enough to take 'yes' for an answer. This will be one of the most important Senate votes in a while."