Republican Energy Plan: Have They No Shame?

Just when you thought federal energy policies couldn't get much worse, Senate Republicans-- led by the usual suspects including Charles Grassley of Iowa, Ted Stevens of Alaska, Pete Domenici of New Mexico, and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania --have introduced a bill to provide $100 refunds to all taxpayers to help "ease the pain" of high gas prices. Nice gesture guys-- but two free tanks of gas for America's SUV fleet will not solve the growing energy crisis. Neither will opening ANWR for drilling or any other attempt to increase supply in the short term. We need a conservation plan and a windfall profits tax on Big Oil, not more election-year pandering to voters. CNN has the details.

States Move to Impeach Bush While Historians Consider His Ranking

The anemic congressional response to a litany of complaints about the Bush adminstration-- the Plame affair, Iraq, wiregate, etc. --and Bush's sinking popularity have become an issue of debate in state capitals. This week legistlators in Vermont, Illinois, and California all introduced impeachment resolutions aimed at forcing the US House to take action via a virtually unknown rule from "Jefferson's Manual," an unofficial set of rules long followed by the House. The states are being joined by county and city bodies as well. Though there is little expectation any of this will lead to action by the House, it cannot easily be ignored by the mainstream media and will likely be source of significant distraction for the adminstration in coming weeks.

Meanwhile, The current issue of Rolling Stone features a cover story titled "The Worst President in History?" written by famed historian Sean Wilentz considering Bush's fate in history. The article does a pretty good job of explaining how and why historians rate past presidents, and while it doesn't outright label Bush as the worst it makes a good case for historical comparison.

Has the tide turned? While polls show only four states now actually "red" (i.e. where Bush's approval rating is above 50%) the midterm elections will certainly be the key indicator. If the Democrats are able to capitalize on discontent over Bush, high gas prices, and Congressional behavior we may be in for an historic midterm shift in the balance of Congress that leaves the Bush agenda dead and will likely result in major investigations of events related to the Iraq war, Katrina, and related events. But given the ~95% success rate of incumbent candidates in recent years, a "throw the bums out" campaign may well fizzle as voters continue to support their local congressmen despite concerns over the overall Congress.