Some GOP Senators Become Unlikely Allies Of Green Groups In Fight To Gut Ethanol Subsidies

Nathanael Greene, director of renewable energy policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the issue is beyond left and right.

"I do think when you have... politicians as diverse as Senator Feinstein and Senators McCain, DeMint and Coburn, and Al Gore, all agreeing that a tax credit is wasteful and bad for our deficit and therefore bad for our economy, and bad for our environment -- that that's got to be a wake-up call for Congress and the president that it's time to put politics and partisanship and party down and really focus on the principles and protecting the environment. What does the Tea Party say? Put principles ahead of party. That's what a lot of people are saying -- it's time to do that here."