Energy Pimping
By Kevin Drum

Aug 4, 2008

(Political Animal) ENERGY PIMPING....From the LA Times this afternoon:

    Democrat Barack Obama called today for tapping the nation's strategic oil reserves to help drive down gasoline prices, a shift from his previous position on the issue. The reversal is the second refinement in Obama's energy policy....

Every single story I've read about Obama's energy speech today has the exact same lead: it's yet another switcheroo from the Democratic candidate. Flip flop, flip flop.

And we can't blame this one on the media, folks: Obama really is flopping around on energy policy, and he's doing it in the most craven possible way, switching from correct but politically risky stands to dumb panders. In fact, between the two of them, McCain and Obama have now pretty much written the handbook on idiotic energy pimping: a gas tax holiday, offshore drilling, opening up the SPR, a windfall profits tax, and nukes for all. I don't think either one has come out for a massive coal liquification program yet, but since that's about the only thing left that's worse than what they've offered so far, I assume it can't be more than a few days away.

And yes, I know that underneath the BS Obama has a pretty good energy policy and McCain doesn't. Big deal. That energy policy isn't going to see the light of day unless Obama starts building public support for it. So far he isn't even trying.



Copyright 2008