Energy opportunities

Gary Andres:

If congressional obstruction were gasoline, Americans would be awash in energy. The House Democratic leadership's gambit to protect their environmental special-interest group friends is both bold and risky. And as their constituents feel the pain at the pump, rank-and-file Democrats may face gushers of opposition at the polls this November. The gas shock of 2008 has not generated any new energy, but it has produced gallons of missed opportunity.

The current energy crisis has three implications on Capitol Hill that deserve mention. First, rank-and-file Democrats are increasingly nervous that their leadership is exposing them to extreme political risk. Second, Republicans are more unified and enthusiastic about this issue than any other since losing the majority in 2006. Third, the ongoing congressional bickering over energy deepens voter cynicism and disapproval of Congress - creating both missed opportunities for the Democratic majority and new chances for the Republican Party in an otherwise barren and hostile political environment.

The House majority leadership has pulled out all the stops to block votes on measures aimed at increasing domestic supply. The entire appropriations process has virtually ground to a halt because of Democratic leadership concerns that Republicans might offer amendments aimed at expanding energy resources. The majority has canceled markups in committee and restricted the types of bills the House considers, using its considerable procedural power to exclude amendments and other legislative ideas from consideration.

All of these efforts are aimed at blocking one thing: congress working its will. Lawmakers could come together on legislative proposals aimed at more domestic production, expanding refining capacity and investing in renewable resources. But these days, the House is more likely to name a post office than pass energy legislation. It is a pattern that reinforces Americans' worst stereotypes about the institution.

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Taken together, these actions send a clear message to voters: Congress is dysfunctional and more interested in accommodating narrow, private interests or partisan aspirations than coming together to address the big problems of the day. Circumstances rarely provide lawmakers with a chance to address the desires of a focused public. Energy policy does just that - giving the majority a chance to rise above expected patterns of partisanship. Good-faith compromise could help refill the tanks of public confidence. So far, the House Democratic leadership is running on empty.

As a matter of politics Republicans can only hope the Democrats continue their policy of strangling energy production. Voters are starting to notice and they are going to have an opportunity to hold Democrats accountable. What the GOP needs is an ad campaign to heighten awareness of the problem. While T. Boone Pickens' plan is not the same as the Republican plan his ads will heighten awareness of the problem. It would be nice if the Republicans could run some directed ads putting the responsibility for the energy shortage where it belongs on Democrats.