The American Spectator

So I hear how the windmill welfare queens (and their solar panel counterparts) — industries that would not exist but for mandates, subsidies and taxes to pay for them, all courtesy of coercive government — have some Republicans on the pad to lobby for continued, and escalating, state-endowed prosperity. Meaning wealth transfers. Welfare, if you like.

That’s not unique to them, though their specific pitch is that of he who meets the above-cited description. And this is neither unexpected nor unprecedented; when former RNC chair Ken Mehlman cashed out he quickly rushed into the embrace of the global warming industry, to lobby for Big Green and its cap-n-trade — sorry, that’s cap-n-tax — agenda (the House’s registration records are available here, the Senate’s here).

The pork they seek is in Harry Reid’s list of 20 things to cram down after the elections in a lame-duck session, according to The Hill. Unfortunately, in addition to generational debt, as Europe is learning the hard way, it also means competitiveness-killing energy price hikes. Or, like President Obama’s erstwhile “renewable energy” model Denmark, you can just push it all of onto households. To crib from a certain leftist leader, how many divisions — of lobbyists — do they have?

Anyway, it seems that these Republican suits are getting heavy with Senate Republican leadership over Republican Policy Committee professionals circulating updates about the renewable energy mandate. It’s that use of the word “mandate” to describe the mandate that they’re particularly cheesed about. They prefer the term “standard”. Like cap-n-trade instead of cap-n-tax to described the tax that is cap-n-trade. Can’t be so clear. People might get it. I’ll stop using “standard”. It’s a renewable energy mandate.

As I have maintained to anyone who will listen, history suggests that watching the Republicans on these issues is going to require at least as much vigilance as opposing the Democrats. Had John McCain won the White House, some percentage of the Republicans preening in indignation about cap-n-tax would have signed on. Even on this issue of the most regressive taxes around, the evidence suggests it’s not about principle for most, but still all about giving away the goodies. Which first requires them to take the goodies that you earned from you, with a little taste for the state. If they have to moan about the other guy doing it as a way to get power, well, life is full of such sacrifices.

Until that changes, no actual change occurs.

So, that’s “renewable energy MANDATE”. That name again, “renewable energy MANDATE”.

If Republican lobbyists don’t like that, they can call themselves Democrats. Or, if they find succor among the leaders of their chosen political affiliation, the Republican Party can step aside. The evidence also suggests that people have had enough, don’t trust them, and are ready to try something different. It’s not complicated.