Bill Manzi.com

The new ad from we can solve it, urging a conversion to renewables in ten years.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Speaker Nancy Pelosi is offering to include drilling in currently prohibited areas as part of an overall energy compromise package. But lo and behold it appears that Republicans are now balking at that compromise. From the Wall Street Journal:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s proposal Saturday to make expanded offshore drilling part of a new Democratic energy bill got a skeptical reaction from Republicans, who said they suspect it will contain other provisions unacceptable to the minority. The result may be that Congress remains deadlocked on the potent election issue.

What do you imagine the Republican opposition centers around? Well I know it is hard to believe but the Republicans are up in arms over Democratic proposals to get rid of tax breaks for oil companies. No, I did not say impose a windfall profits tax, but rather the Dems are now floating proposals that would eliminate some ridiculous tax breaks for oil companies, who are reporting record setting profits.

The most troubling provision for the GOP is the proposed repeal of tax breaks to oil companies, such as the manufacturing and foreign-earned income credits. Republican leadership, presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) and President George W. Bush have made clear the tax issue is a deal-breaker.

Well now, who is now obstructing the wishes of the American people. The Democrats have shown a willingness to compromise on drilling, but the Republicans want to protect tax breaks for Exxon-Mobil? Where do you think the American people will stand on allowing some drilling and promoting alternative energy by eliminating those tax breaks? The Republicans have demanded that Speaker Pelosi allow a vote on an energy bill. They are about to find out that sometimes its not so good to get what you wish for.

The Pelosi plan, while still evolving, appears to rely on the so-called “gang of ten” negotiations in the Senate.

According to people familiar with Ms. Pelosi’s proposal, her plan borrows from a bipartisan plan proposed by a “Gang of 10” senators — five from each party — that allows several East Coast states to opt into drilling off their shores. It doesn’t allow drilling off California or the eastern coast of Florida, the people said. Just a few weeks ago, the House speaker said Republican calls for a vote just on drilling was “a hoax on the American people.”

Both sides, if they are to move an agenda, must give something up. That is how things get done, and the only way they get done. But the Republicans only want a vote on more drilling, anathema to many Democrats. They don’t seem to want to include anything that the Dems might covet, like renewables. That is not movement towards energy independence. That is obstruction.

The Republicans have been relentlessly criticizing Speaker Pelosi for failing to allow a vote on drilling for oil in the areas where such drilling is now prohibited. See my post above that gives the Pelosi answer.

Senator Barack Obama continued his record setting fund raising, reporting contributions of $51 million in July. Obama raised almost two times the amount raised by McCain, who reported $27 million in contributions. From the Washington Post:

Based on the figures the Obama campaign made public yesterday, the senator from Illinois has now raised about $400 million in his campaign for the White House, and his top aides believe funds could come in at an even faster rate when voters are paying closer attention to the contest in September and October. McCain’s campaign announced Friday that the senator from Arizona raised $27 million in July, bringing his total to just over $170 million for the campaign to date.

The fundraising success has spilled over to Democrats in general.

And Obama’s strong financial position has been accompanied by a broader wave of support for Democrats in other federal, state and local campaigns. On Friday, the Federal Election Commission released a review of party fundraising over the past 18 months that found Democratic Party committees have raised 25 percent more during this election cycle than at the same point four years ago. Republicans, by contrast, have seen a 12 percent decline.

Obama is on course to raise over a half billion dollars in contributions, a stunning number. But despite that the fundraising news for Republicans is not all bad.

The trend lines for Republicans are not all bad. The Republican National Committee reported yesterday it had $75 million in the bank at the end of July, less than four years ago but substantially more than the $28.5 million that the Democratic National Committee had in the bank at the end of last month. The DNC released numbers yesterday showing the party raised $27.7 million in July.

Republican officials point out that, when the RNC totals are combined with the $21 million in cash that McCain held at the end of July, they actually have slightly more money available for the White House contest than do Democrats. (Combined figures show Republicans with $96 million and Democrats with $94.3.)

Obama, whatever the final outcome, will not be wanting for funds coming down the stretch. It is financial parity, which is new ground for Democrats.

The Michigan Democratic Party has unveiled an ad taking on the real issue of job losses in our industrial heartland by slamming Romney, McCain, and Bush. With Romney a potential VP for McCain I am sure that the Michigan Democratic party wanted to help him along with some “home cooking”.

As many of you know I am a fan of Chris Cillizza, who writes “The Fix”, the political blog, for the Washington Post. Cilizza has written a column handicapping the VEEP selection as he sees it. Good fun, with no science involved. He has ranked the candidates in the order that he currently sees them, with some comments on each. A slight analysis of each candidates likely thought process is included. Good stuff. On Obama:

For Obama, the general sense is that he will opt for a “safe” choice — a known commodity along the lines of either Sen. Joe Biden (Del.) or Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.).

For McCain:

For McCain, it’s clear that — all things being equal — he would like to pick someone with whom he has a personal rapport — hence the re-emergence of McCain friends like former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and the decline in buzz around former governor Mitt Romney (Mass.).

McCain’s decision to float the idea of a pro-choice running mate in a sitdown with Weekly Standard’s Steve Hayes was no accident either, and is rightly read as a trial balloon for the possibility of eithert Ridge or Lieberman as the nominee.

And so lets start with the Republicans, as Cillizza sees it. (1 being the most likely to be selected)

5)Bobby Jindal (prior Cillizza rank 5)

4) Mitt Romney (prior Cillizza rank 1)

3) Joe Lieberman (Prior Cillizza rank n/a)

2) Tom Ridge (Prior Cillizza rank n/a)

1) Tim Pawlenty (Prior Cillizza rank 2)

And now the Democrats:

5) Kathleen Sebelius (Prior Cillizza rank 5)

4) Jack Reed (Prior Cillizxza rank 4)

3) Tim Kaine (Prior Cillizza ranking 2)

2) Evan Bayh (Prior Cillizza ranking 1)

1) Joe Biden (Prior Cilizza rank 3)

My two picks are stll in the hunt, at least according to Cillizza. I have chosen Kaine and Pawlenty in the VEEP Sweeps. Check out the Cillizza piece at this link.

The latest Obama ad, pointing to McCains favorable pronouncements on the economy while many citizens suffer. The Obama attempt to portray McCain as not well versed on economic matters as well as out of touch with reality on that subject, in my opinion, can have positive impact for Obama. Good ad for Obama, but more of the same needed to drive the point home.

A new McCain ad attacking Obama as “the taxman”. Does not say what taxes will be raised. Same old mantra on taxes, with more “celebrity bashing” thrown in.