I promised on The Corner to supply more details about the re-hashed command-and-control socialism and populist demagoguing masquerading as an Energy Bill in the Senate. Here is CEI’s analysis of the Bill:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to bring an omnibus energy bill to the Senate floor after the Senate finishes debate on the immigration bill. This is likely to happen by the middle or end of next week. S. 1419 was put together by Reid from other bills that have been marked up in committee or introduced. The result should be titled the Making Energy Less Affordable Act, but truth in labeling is not required in the Congress. The various sections of the bill will raise gasoline and food prices, auto prices, appliance, consumer electronic, and industrial prices, and electricity prices. The text of S. 1419 can be found here. Title 1: Alternative fuel mandate for vehicles. Increases the current ethanol mandate of 7.5 billion gallons to 36 billion gallons per year by 2022, but does not repeal the 51 cents per gallon federal subsidy. The first 15 billion could come entirely from corn, but the remaining 21 billion gallons would have to come from miracle fuels (that is, advanced biofuels, which are defined as produced from anything other than corn kernels). This would raise gasoline prices considerably and also food prices. The current 7.5 billion gallon ethanol mandate is already raising food prices. The rising cost of corn tortillas, which provide the bulk of calories for most Mexicans, has already led to protest demonstrations in Mexico. On the other hand, it won’t do much to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is why most environmental pressure groups are supporting the even crazier Boxer-Sanders bill. For more on the ethanol madness, go to www.factsaboutethanol.org . Title 2: Higher efficiency standards. Many things such as washing machines and air conditioners are already required to meet federal efficiency standards. Many of these standards have already reached the point where the higher costs of the appliance outweigh the benefits of electricity saved. This title would broaden and deepen federal control of consumer choices. It would also raise prices. Consumer Reports recently studied washing machines that meet the new 2007 efficiency standards and found that unless you can pay over $1000 for a washing machine you can no longer buy one that will get your clothes clean in just one wash. This title would apply that approach to just about everything from light bulbs to industrial boilers. Title 5: Higher Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. The mandated targets are beyond anything the auto industry can achieve through the normal rate of technological advances. The result would be higher vehicle prices and smaller and less safe vehicles. For further information, check out the CAFE cafe. Title 6: Anti-price gouging on gasoline prices. Every time the price of gasoline goes up, grandstanding members of Congress call for an investigation of possible price gouging by the Federal Trade Commission. The result is always the same: no price gouging found. Now, if this bill is enacted, they won’t have to worry about the facts—“unconscionably excessive” prices will be subject to fines ranging from $500,000 to $5,000,000 per day and criminal penalties of no more than five years in prison. This should convince gas station owners in times of declared energy emergencies to avoid prison time by simply stopping selling any gasoline. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) plans to offer an amendment on the Senate floor to require that utilities produce 15% of their electricity from renewable sources. Some States already have Renewable Portfolio Standards. These States, mostly in the Northeast and on the West Coast, on average have much higher electricity prices than the Mid-American States that rely mostly on coal-fired power plants. This provision would force up electricity rates dramatically in America’s industrial heartland and thereby also push many industrial jobs overseas. If you want to pay more for energy, you should love S. 1419.

There is a letter to Senators from a host on non-profit groups going out soon that makes these points even more vividly. I’ll post it here when it has gone out.