Can you say "Desperate to be Re-Elected?" Sure you can!

Senate Republicans are floating a proposal to solve America's energy woes: Cut every American taxpayer a $100 rebate check to help with gas prices.

There are so many things wrong with this idea I don't even know where to start. But at least the chicanery is transparently obvious: Rather than deal with the structural problems attendant to the end of cheap oil, they're hoping to buy some goodwill (and thus votes). Republican policies (brazen giveaways to oil companies, wars, completely dropping the ball on mileage standards) have led us into this mess. Now they're hoping to cheer up the voters so they won't have to pay the price at the polls.

My only hope is that Americans, by and large, aren't that dumb. A lot of 'em sure are, but maybe not a majority.

The sponsors for the bill read like a Toxic Who's Who of the Right: Charles Grassley of Iowa, Ted Stevens of Alaska, Pete Domenici of New Mexico and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

From CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Every American taxpayer would get a $100 rebate check to offset the pain of higher pump prices for gasoline, under an amendment Senate Republicans hope to bring to a vote Thursday.

However, the GOP energy package may face tough sledding because it also includes a controversial proposal to open part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil exploration, which most Democrats and some moderate Republicans oppose.