I can't say it enough times: this energy issue is a winning one for the GOP.

Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) released a letter signed by 60 national and state advocacy organizations, think-tanks and others calling for the "Gang of Ten" Senators to revise their energy compromise by removing "potentially fatal flaws."

In order to pay for the $84 billion energy plan, these 10 Senators are calling for the repeal of the domestic production activities deduction (Section 199) - but only for energy companies. "This is a tax on energy production that will raise the price of oil for all Americans at a time when they can least afford it," says Grover Norquist, President of ATR.

"Republicans that vote for tax increases like this are rat heads in Coke bottles," says Norquist. "They ruin the brand for all other members and undermine the current efforts in the House to bring Pelosi back and vote on drilling -- which will actually help."

The large coalition argues there are additional fundamental problems with the "Gang of Ten's" energy compromise. "Their plan not only raises taxes, but it only allows four states to opt-in to a government run drilling program in the Continental Shelf, has no mention of ANWR or shale oil, and places choke-hold restrictions on auto-manufacturers that they realistically cannot meet," Norquist adds.

Much focus has been on drilling and the expiration of the moratorium on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) drilling that is set to expire on October 1st, 2008. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) have been circulating a petition to their colleagues urging them to let this ban expire; dubbing October 1st "American Energy Independence Day." Grover Norquist and Americans for Tax Reform are urging Members of Congress to sign on to the petition.

The coalition includes: Alliance for Worker Freedom, American Conservative Union, American Legislative Exchange Counsel, American Property Coalition, Americans for Prosperity, Americans for Prosperity of Colorado and North Dakota, Americans for the Preservation of Liberty, Americans for Tax Reform, American Shareholders Association, Asora, Caesar Rodney Institute, Center for Fiscal Accountability, Center for Individual Freedom, Citizen Outreach, Citizens Alliance for Responsible Energy, Citizens for Limited Taxation, Clean Oceans Technology Coalition, Club for Growth, Coalition for a Conservative Majority, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Freedom Foundation of Minnesota, FreedomWorks, Frontiers of Freedom, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Illinois Policy Institute, Institute for Global Economic Growth, Institute for Liberty, Let Freedom Ring, Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research Inc., Mississippi Center for Public Policy, National Legal and Policy Center, National Taxpayers Union, Ocean State Policy Research Institute, Property Rights Alliance, RedState.com, RepublicanPac.com, RightMarch.com, Rio Grande Foundation, Rule of Law Committee, Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Small Business Hawaii, Taxpayer Association of Oregon, Taxpayers League of Minnesota, Texas Eagle Forum, The James Madison Institute, National Center for Public Policy Research, Tradition, Family, Property, Inc., Utah Grass Roots, 60 Plus Association and DontGoMovement.com.

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