From The Hotline for Monday, June 29, 2009

Running Out Of Steam?

Monday, June 29, 2009


The next step for Pres. Obama's energy bill is unclear. If he can't get it through the Senate - or if he does it by dropping a key priority of House Rust Belters - some Dems will feel like they've been left out to dry. Will this sour them from helping the WH on its #1 priority (as Axe told Gregory on "Meet") of health care reform?

-- Many are making the comparison between the 6/27 energy vote and the '93 Btu issue. Back then, lots of marginal Dems voted for a version of Clinton's budget bill that contained a tax on energy consumption, which the Senate ultimately dropped. And, like '93, the margin of victory came in part from vulnerable freshman like MI's Peters and Schauer and MD's Kratovil.

-- Even so, the enviro today (no pun intended) is different than '93. Back in 5/93, Clinton's job approval was just 36%. Plus, the GOP had effectively cast the budget as a tax-spend bill. Today, it's doubtful most Americans know much about the energy bill.

-- Still, these Dems are just as vulnerable to being cast as tax-spenders. Between the stimulus package, bank bailouts and now this, GOPers have a pretty easy contrast to make in '10 on spending and deficits. Will it work? That much depends on just how convinced Americans are that this legislation was worth the cost.

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