While Nancy Pelosi works frantically to cobble together enough support for their latest version of a non-energy energy bill, Mary Landrieu has already declared the bill DOA in the Senate. This is how Sen. Landrieu specifically delivered that message:

Even if the bill reaches the Senate, he said, the bill is in trouble, given strong opposition by Sen. Mary Landrieu, (D-LA), who calls it “dead on arrival” since it fails to provide revenue sharing between the states and federal government. “The Senate will never pass a bill without revenue sharing, in my view,” she was quoted as saying.

The House bill hinges on that provision. Ms. Pelosi won’t sign off on a bill that gives financial incentives to states to opt in. The minute the bill has financial incentives in it is the minute that states opt in. It’s estimated that Virginia would get an estimated $200 million annually by opting in. The chances that they wouldn’t opt in are minimal at best. Louisiana would likely get a healthy chunk of cash from such a bill, too. There’s no way that Bobby Jindal would bypass that type of cash flow.

Putting out his best spin, Rep. Nick Rahall, (D-WVA), offered this timid defense:

Rahall has defended the bill’s provision that permits states to permit drilling within 50 miles of a coastline, saying even though no revenues are pledged to them, benefits would be manifested in jobs creation, additional equipment purchases and the like. Moreover, the measure encompasses renewable and alternative sources of energy, with a strong emphasis on clean coal technology, Rahall said last weekend.

TRANSLATION: We don’t want states benefiting directly. We only want them benefiting indirectly. (Doesn’t that sound alot like trickle down economics?)

If you take a deep breath, you’ll notice that there aren’t alot of worthwhile options available to the Democratic majority. That’s what happens when you’re on the 30 percent side of a 70-30 issue that’s also the biggest issue with voters.

Brian Schubert, communications director for the House Republican Conference, wasn’t letting Democrats off the hook:

“We called repeatedly on Rahall and Pelosi and the Democratic leadership to hold an open, full and fair debate and vote, up or down (on the Republican measure) and they refused,” he said. “The House plan would leave 88 percent of America’s offshore energy reserves under permanent lock and key.”

Nancy Pelosi wants to avoid voting on the AEA. The minute the AEA is offered as an amendment is the minute the Democrats’ levee of obstructionism breaks. Once that happens, I’ll bet that alot of scared Democratic freshmen will vote for the AEA rather than risk defeat this November.

Technorati: Gas Crisis, Nancy Pelosi, Nick Rahall, Environmentalists, Revenue Sharing, House Democrats, Mary Landrieu, Senate Democrats, American Energy Act, OCS, House Republicans, Election 2008

Cross-posted at California Conservative