Oh YIKES. Kerry and the Gang hold humanity's future in their political hands.<\/p>\n
U.S. Senators now hold a large portion of humanity’s future survival prospects in their hands.<\/p>\n
I’m very grateful for political climate news from ClimateWire. (A subscription-only service that recently bestowed on me a trial subscription.)\u00a0 There is a very welcome push by the Obama administration lately to get some climate legislation passed this year, but what President Obama means by “climate legislation” is not necessarily what many people would define it as.\u00a0 But if it doesn’t do a lot of harm with giveaways to coal and oil (like many people fear it will) then maybe, possibly, like the health care bill, it’s best to get something passed, crack the door open and later it can be amended and strengthened.\u00a0 But what John Kerry and Lindsey Graham are working on reportedly has a lot of allowances in it for coal, oil and other undesirable energy.\u00a0 Here is some of the latest.<\/p>\n
President Obama yesterday huddled at the White House with more than a dozen key senators in an all-out push to pass stalled legislation that would put a price on greenhouse gas emissions. (E&ENews\u00a0PM,\u00a003\/09\/2010)<\/p>\n
Partisan gridlock has largely kept the Senate climate and energy bill on ice, with Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) trying to find a sweet spot on a plan that would limit carbon dioxide pollution from power plants and other major industrial sectors.\u00a0 [This group is not necessarily going to do what is necessary, but at least they are pushing something forward].<\/p>\n
The Senate trio is trying to get a draft bill out before the end of the month, but they face resistance from moderate Democrats and Republicans who are urging a slower, “energy only” approach. . . . .<\/p>\n
Among those expected at the closed-door meeting in the Cabinet Room were Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), George LeMieux (R-Fla.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska.). Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) also got an invitation but said he could not go because of a meeting on health care with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).<\/p>\n
Heading into the meeting, several of the Republicans showed little interest in tackling such a sweeping proposal.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Surprise, surprise.\u00a0 Of course Republicans and “blue dog” conservative Democrats aren’t interested, because they take a ton of money from Big Oil, Big Coal, and Big Gas, and Big Ag, and everything under the sun that pollutes a lot and is Big.\u00a0 When they are being bought and paid for, they won’t show much enthusiasm for biting the hands that feed them.\u00a0 I also question the value of input from Republicans in that group that are actively trying to kill climate legislation, like Lisa Murkowski.\u00a0 President Obama is taking his attempts at bi-partisanship\u00a0 too far.\u00a0 That is clear at this point.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, an [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Oh YIKES. Kerry and the Gang hold humanity's future in their political hands. U.S. Senators now hold a large portion of humanity’s future survival prospects in their hands. I’m very grateful for political climate news from ClimateWire. (A subscription-only service … Continue reading