Yesterday, RNC chairman Ken Mehlman sent an email to supporters (PDF) with the subject line “The Democrat Plan: $3.98 Gas, $955 More Per Year at the Pump.” The email refers repeatedly to what “Democrats offer,” “the Democrat’s (sic) energy proposals,” “how much more Democrats want you to pay at the pump,” “how much more Democrats (sic) plan would cost you,” “what a Democrat-controlled Congress would cost you,” and “the Democrat plan for higher energy prices.” The email features links to a website with a scare video and a “gas prices calculator” for the supposed Democratic plan.

But if you actually read the “research” supporting the GOP’s claims, you’ll discover that the Democratic “plan” consists of votes to increase the gas tax and create a BTU tax in 1993, plus their support of the Kyoto Treaty. That means the “plan” was cobbled together by RNC opposition researchers using two votes from 13 years ago. Even by DC standards, that’s unconvincing. (To be sure, I support a much higher gas tax combined with an offsetting tax cut that would be administered by an independent agency. But unfortunately the recent increase in the price of gas has scared most Democrats away from this position.)

More importantly, our Constitution has a little feature called the separation of powers. In theory, at least, President Bush can veto bills passed by Congress. There’s no way a Democratic Congress could pass a huge gas tax increase or get the Kyoto Treaty approved while he’s in office.