LET THE ENERGY GAMES BEGIN

Congress is back in session and the fight over drilling will soon come to the floor of the House and Senate, the pointless fight over meaningless drilling by surreptitious politicians primarily interested in energy as a political issue. New Energy and the nation's real future remain in limbo.

Republicans in the House kept up a drumbeat throughout the August recess for a vote on drilling, endlessly repeating the mantra that the American people want more domestic oil production, an anticipation of the “drill baby drill, drill baby drill,” chant at their convention.

Democrats are scrambling to figure out how to fight back. More drilling in protected areas is essentially meaningless in the big energy picture yet polls show 2/3 to 3/4 of the public, fixated on gas-pump-prices, are convinced drilling is the solution. With the November elections rapidly approaching, the public's opinion matters.

The Democrats dilemma: They have to convince the child the ice cream will only spoil its appetite for a nutritional supper without upsetting the child and the Republicans have been telling the child it should have all the ice cream it wants.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif), a longtime opponent of drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and in the protected offshore areas of the outer continental shelf, now says she will put it on the table.

Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barak Obama (D-Ill) tried fruitlessly to hammer home the message: “George Bush's own Energy Department has said that if we opened up new areas to drilling today, we wouldn't see a single drop of oil for seven years…"

After seeing the way the public’s inclination was developing, Obama sensibly shifted his position: "I am willing to consider it if it's necessary to actually pass a comprehensive plan . . . particularly since there is so much good in this compromise that would actually reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

The "good" Senator Obama referred to is funding for New Energy incentives that is included in proposed legislation permitting more drilling.

The Democrats real (and hard) choice: (1) Compromise and get a bill that extends the vital New Energy tax credits but also allows extended drilling in protected areas or (2) take the risk of avoiding a vote on the issue this year and face the public in November, using the issue as a rallying cry the same way the Republicans are using it against them.

Option number 1 takes an issue away from the Republicans and saves 2009 for the New Energy and Energy Efficiency industries at the cost of support from environmentalists and potential harm to the ANWR and coastal waters. It also risks creating the appearance of flip-flopping.

Option number 2, because polls show the electorate is so convinced the Republicans are right about drilling, risks success in November. Success in November, and it looks like the Democrats could achieve it, means control of Congress and the Presidency. Risking the loss of that is a serious risk indeed.

As the House reconvened, Republicans held another of their press conferences on the steps of the Capitol Building. Coming off the jubilation of the McCain-Palin nominations, it was a triumphant moment for the congressional representatives who have been staunchingly proclaiming "dril baby drill" through the heat of Washington's summer.

Tennessee Republican Representative Marsha Blackburn hit exactly the right note: “This is one of the few times the American people are excited to see Congress back in session…”

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio): “The first opportunity we get, we are going to try and force a vote on our proposal…”

The proposal he referred to is H.R. 6566, the American Energy Act. It would open the ANWR and offshore areas on both coasts to oil exploration and drilling. The Republicans describe the bill as their “all of the above” bill because it includes the incentives for New Energy.

The question of funding for the New Energy incentives remains. Even if the House Democrats accede to a compromise, it is not clear Senate Republicans or the White House will allow fossil fuel industry subsidies to be sacrificed in order to fund New Energy subsidies. Any effective action will, of course, require all these players to line up.

Throughout the recess, the Republicans have had the stage to themselves, repeatedly making the case for passage of extended drilling rights. What made the last, triumphant press conference newsworthy was an exchange that took place between the Republican sponsor of the bill, Minority Leader Boehner, and members of a crowd that crashed the event near its end. The moment provided a clear signal that recess is over and a new fight over the issue has begun.

Boehner repeated his tired diatribe about how much the American people want drilling, concluding with “The American people have spoken…”

“No we didn’t,” came a sudden, unexpected answer from one of a barrage of some 100 environmental protestors who had crashed the scene.

Chants from the crowd picked up in intensity.

A serious confrontation is taking shape. The Democrats are expected to present their answer to “drill, baby, drill” this week.

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Protestors Crash GOP Press Conference
Daniel W. Reilly, September 8, 2008 (Politico via CBS News)
and
Drilling for a ‘comprehensive’ energy plan
Derrick Z. Jackson, September 9, 2008 (Boston Globe)

WHO
Nancy Pelosi (D), Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives; John A. Boehner (R), Minority Leader, U.S. House; Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn); Environmental Groups (Environment America, the League of Conservation Voters, etc.)

WHAT
Protestors against drilling in protected areas interrupted the press conference that has been a daily “drill, baby, drill” performance by Congressional Republicans during the summer recess.

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WHEN
- August 2008: The Republicans’ call for drilling went on almost unanswered throughout the House of Representatives August recess.
- September 8, 2008: The Republican press conference was held on the first day of “Wilderness Week,” a week dedicated to the lobbying of Congress by environmental organizations.
- A few weeks in the fall of 2008: Because of the November election, the current congressional session is not expected to last more than 3-to-6 weeks.

WHERE
The press conference and protest to it was on the west front steps of the U.S. Capitol Building, where the Republicans had previously been able to hold their calls for extended oil drilling uninterrupted.

WHY
- In response to the Republicans’ “all of the above” energy policy, the Democrats have begun describing a “comprehensive” energy plan that could include extended drilling.
- Polls show anywhere from 62-to-74% of the U.S. public wants more oil drilling.
- More than a decade ago, the Democrats formed the position of a permanent moratorium on oil and gas drilling in protected areas but in recent weeks have been inclined to recognize changes in technology that could warrant a new approach to drilling.
- Republican presidential candidate John McCain has taken $1.4 million in campaign contributions from the oil and gas lobby.
- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has taken $400,000 in campaign contributions from the oil and gas lobby.

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QUOTES
- George W. Bush, President, U.S. of Oil Addicts: "This is their final chance to take action before the November elections…If members of Congress do not support the American people at the gas pump, then they should not expect the American people to support them at the ballot box."
- Speaker Pelosi: "We'll put it all on the table, comprehensive, offshore drilling, if that is worth it, but renewable energy resources so that we do not get in this situation again..As speaker, I have to put everything on the table. . . . I don't think it's a good alternative, but if they can prove that it is, and they want to pay royalties to the taxpayer, let us use these royalties to invest in renewable energy resources."