Remember The Sting, Oceans 11, Entrapment?

The “marks” were a bit unsavory, or rich guys or banks that “could afford” to get ripped off. The con artists were affable rogues, administering payback or playing Robin Hood. We rooted for the good guys, enjoyed the suspense, relished the climax, and had some laughs along the way.

Fraud and theft aren’t so enjoyable, however, when the marks are you, your family, your job, your investments and pension. The fun disappears when fiction becomes reality, and the sting is engineered by lobbyists, environmentalists and members of Congress.

That’s exactly where we are on energy – the foundation of our jobs, health, living standards, and everything we eat, drive, wear and do. We’re being set up for an elaborate sting that will benefit the few, at the expense of the many, and leave families, businesses and entire industries struggling to survive.

Since publication of my book, Energy Keepers - Energy Killers: The new civil rights battle, millions of Americans have become aware that this country has vast untapped energy resources.

Three-fourths of US voters now support expanded onshore and offshore drilling. A bipartisan coalition in Congress wants to increase domestic petroleum, coal and nuclear power, while fostering conservation and wind, solar and other energy opportunities.

They have been blocked at every turn by liberal Democrats, many of whom are working with radical environmentalists to eliminate proven hydrocarbon and nuclear technologies that provide 93% of our energy, and replace them with systems that currently generate less than 1% of the energy that safeguards our jobs, homes, security and prosperity. 

However, political realities and voter outrage over soaring gasoline, food and heating costs forced House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid to devise an elaborate hoax. It had the trappings of a pro-energy bill – but was as authentic as the betting house and announcer in the classic Newman-Redford film, The Sting.

Their legislation “expanded offshore leasing” – but only beyond 100 miles off most of our coasts, and 50 miles off four states that would get no revenues from leasing or production, and thus would have no incentive to permit leasing. In other words, it allowed leasing only where there was no petroleum, or where drilling and production would be so far offshore and so expensive that no sane company would do it. The bill made 88% of our nation’s offshore oil and gas permanently off limits – along with jobs and some $800 billion in revenues that development would generate for state and federal governments.

The pseudo-energy bill also imposed new subsidies to promote unreliable wind and solar power – paying for them with higher taxes, higher electricity rates and new taxes on oil companies, which then would have less money to drill in the few places that aren’t off limits. It mandated that utilities magically increase their wind and solar electricity generation from 1.5% today to 15% 2020.

Drafted largely by environmentalists and lobbyists, the legislation would have undermined our free market system and given Congress and bureaucrats the power of Roman emperors to give thumbs up or down to companies, industries and jobs. It would have made lobbyists and pressure groups more important to business success or failure than quality products and services, innovative R&D or sound management.

It narrowly passed the House on a party-line vote. But Senate Democratic leaders knew they didn’t have the votes to override a threatened veto. So they let the bill die. However, Congressman Steny Hoyer says restoring the offshore oil drilling ban “will be a top priority” for Democrats in 2009.

They hope we won’t still be angry about this attempted swindle and soaring energy prices. I wouldn’t bet the rent money on that. 

Americans know better than ever before how important abundant, reliable, affordable energy is to our national security, way of life and civil rights. Continued...