ANOTHER CONFLICTING GOP NARRATIVE

It seems that the internal contradictions of conservative ideology are FINALLY tearing apart the GOP Noise Machine. First, we have McCain being re-sold as a maverick who can work with Democrats and even Hannity played the audio of this ad, which concludes with Hillary's infamous putdown of Obama. Now, Nate at 538 points out that McCain may not be such a maverick because he won't join 5 of his fellow GOP senators in signing on to a compromise energy bill:

The compromise proposal -- formally the New Energy Reform Act of 2008 -- is a complicated piece of legislation, but involves three or four basic components:

-- Opens additional drilling areas in the Gulf of Mexico, and allows Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia to elect to permit drilling off their coasts. Existing bans on drilling off the West Coast, including in the ANWR, would be preserved.

-- Dedicates $20 billion to R&D on alternative fuels for motor vehicles.

-- Extends a series of tax credits and incentives, such as for the purchase of hybrid vehicles.

-- Funds the above -- at total cost of about $84 billion -- by closing tax loopholes for petroleum companies, in conjunction with licensing fees.

I heard Hannity moan about this and later I found the WSJ editorial he was apparently reading from: "Republican Energy Fumble" by KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL. She writes:

...the plan is a Democratic giveaway. New production on offshore federal lands is left to state legislatures, and then in only four coastal states. The regulatory hurdles are huge. And the bill bars drilling within 50 miles of the coast -- putting off limits some of the most productive areas. Alaska's oil-rich Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is still a no-go.

The highlight is instead $84 billion in tax credits, subsidies and federal handouts for alternative fuels and renewables. The Gang of 10 intends to pay for all this in part by raising taxes on . . . oil companies!

What's even more interesting is that one of McCain's surrogates, Sen. Lindsey Graham, is one of the Gang of 10.