Senate Republicans, led by Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), are trying one more time to get the Bush administration’s energy bill passed, but growing worries over the massive federal budget deficit are making it difficult. You see, Domenici and crew larded the bill up with billions of dollars worth of tax incentives and subsidies (on top of Bush’s already-larded $18 billion original) in order to buy the votes needed … oops, did we say “buy”? We meant “persuade”! With deficit worries reaching an election-year fever pitch, Domenici has promised to trim the fat, but doing so may cost him the votes of the pork’s original recipients. It’s a delicate dance, but hey, you do the Domenici and you turn yourself around; that’s what it’s all about! Follow the bouncing ball in Muckraker — only on the Grist Magazine website.