August mOON - August 01, 2008 Group Offers Bipartisan Energy Package

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- As Democrats and GOP leaders excoriate each other's energy policies as key tenets of their election-year strategies, a bipartisan group of lawmakers may be charting a solution that could attract the majorities needed to push their energy proposal into law.

The proposal, which the politicians expect could be brought to the floor in September, appeals to both parties by taxing Big Oil and funneling those funds into alternative and renewable fuels - but opens up major portions of the Outer Continental Shelf currently closed to exploration.

Party leaders may have difficulty whipping members into line to support their presidential candidates' policy positions after lawmakers come back from the August recess, where they'll likely receive an earful from voters angry at Congress for not passing any legislation to cut record oil prices.

"Nothing gets done in this body without 60 votes, and you don't get 60 votes without a true bi-partisan effort," said Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., who along with Kent Conrad, D-N.D., led the "Gang of Ten" Senators - five Democrats and five Republicans - who formed the proposal.

"It hopefully does break down some of the barriers around here," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D.

Conrad said a number of Senators had already expressed interest in the proposal.

While Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he didn't agree with all of the provisions in the proposal, he said, "I am hopeful this plan can begin to break the current legislative stalemate on the Senate floor."

He later told reporters the package stood little chance of passing, indicating the comprehensive energy bill was unlikely to be voted into law in the run-up to November elections.(A FLIP FLOP, Harry?)

Specifically, the proposal would open up sections of the OCS 50 miles off the shores of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and off Florida's west coast in the Gulf of Mexico.

In the House, another bipartisan group of legislators has offered a similar proposal and has said they would work with their Senate colleagues to gather support.

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As a teen (decades ago-) I would spend my evenings in my room, reading magazines, and listening to the radio. Ronettes, Shirelles and Marvelettes eventually gave way to Beatles, Stones, Doors and the dozens of other bands from 1965 onward. But I always loved this sound, thought her singing was better than the others..

As time went on, so did my musical tastes- this one because of my daughter- she used to dance in her room to this song by U2

Compare that to their more contemporary songs, 25 years later!