Democrats narrowly passed historic climate and energy legislation Friday evening that would transform the country’s economy and industrial landscape.
But the all-hands-on-deck effort to protect politically vulnerable Democrats by corralling the minimum number of votes to pass the bill, 219-212, proves that there are limits to President Barack Obama’s ability to use his popularity to push through his legislative agenda. Forty-four Democrats voted against the bill, while just eight Republicans crossed the aisle to back it.
Despite the tough path to passage, the legislation is a significant win for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) and the bill’s two main sponsors ”“ House Energy and Commerce committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-Ca.) and Massachusetts Rep. Edward Markey (D) ”“ who modified the bill again and again to get skeptical members from the Rust Belt, the oil-producing southeast and rural Midwest to back the legislation.
Let’s hope the Senate has the rationality to vote it down. This is a disaster of a bill, that will only serve to raise the cost of energy and utilities on every American family by at least 90%, and cause massive job losses.
Plus, it would not even serve to accomplish that which it claims to do: reduce carbon emissions. It’s just another big power grab by government.
Write your senators, encourage them to vote ‘no’ on this bill.
Jim Elliott
Florida
The climate has been changing all by itself from time immemorial. It seems absurd to think that we can now control it. There might be good reasons for reducing emissions, but no one should think for a moment it is to “reduce climate change.” Better to pour our millions into being ready to respond creatively to climate change when it happens.
Besides the fact that there is strong disagreement with parts of this bill, since it hasn’t been read by most of those who voted for it is a kick in the face to the citizens of our nation. We expect that those who represents us in government would take the time to study and discern the details of such a far reaching legislation.
Actually it will raise the cost of everything. If it costs Wal-Mart three times as much money to light their store and keep it comfortable and keep the HD TVs on so customers can see how great they are, where are they going to find the money to pay their higher operating cost? Why . . . they’ll have to raise their prices accordingly so they can stay in business. Oh, and b/c the inflated energy costs will also apply to diesel fuel, the cost of getting goods to the stores will be much higher, too. Add that to the price of buying the goods we need, too. This is a disaster! I fear what’s coming if the Senate doesn’t stop this. I hate our gov’t right now.
Obama says its ok. Why bother to read it. Rubber stamps are good.
For a rational approach to climate change issues, see http://www.globalwarming.org.
What undercuts the alarmists’ case is the persistent refusal to consider the scientific uncertainties and inconsistencies in GW theory (e.g. the frequent, false claims of “scientific consensus”), as well as the frequent demonization of opponents. Indeed, these very tactics suggest that the true aim is not environmental but political. Few people realize that the Kyoto Treaty was conceived for a political purpose (transfer wealth from 1st World to 3d World), not an environmental one. (Ironically, later calculations proved that payments would actually flow the other way.)
With the growing awareness that the bill would tax such activities such as a farmer plowing fields, there is likely to be growing opposition in the Senate that may prevent passage.
Carol, its going to be much worse. But it’s change we can believe in and its what the voters voted for.
This is going to totally destroy the real estate industry. If this bill becomes law, all new development must achieve “an immediate 30 percent energy efficiency,” reach “50 percent greater efficiency” by 2015 and “at least 75 percent greater efficiency by 2030.” What is meant by this is not defined. Additionally, if states or localities cannot certify to the Department of Energy that they have adopted an energy code that meets the national targets, the national energy code could be imposed upon them. Anyone living in the real world knows no one can be called to “immediately” make a 30% change in the technology of anything, but the socialists that now control our country are not living in the real world. The building industry over time has been adopting more and more LEED (green building) techniques and standards because in many cases they make long-term economic sense, especially as resource and energy costs increase, but these standards do not begin to approach the kind of draconian changes that are mandated by this bill. Further, at least in our community, for procedural and drafting reasons it takes 2 to 3 years to make substantive changes to our building codes. You are going to see new construction completely grind to a halt if this becomes law.
Our congressman in the state of WA voted no as well as the OR congressman. We are perceived as “leaders” in environmental conservation, and also lead the nation in unemployment. For these two Democrats to vote no we need to pay attention. I wonder how much money some of these states with HUGE holes in their budgets will receive for future “development” projects?
Although many people called their representatives and voiced their outrage over this bill, most people continue to stick their heads in the sand and pretend (hope) it will all go away. It won’t. These politicians aren’t listening anymore. They believe we are all stupid and need to be told what is best for us. Our freedoms are rapidly being forfeited due to apathy and a feeling of hopelessness. God seems to be perfectly content to allow us reap what we have sown.
So many people called that the Capital switchboard shut down! I emailed my congressman, but he voted for it anyway. In fact, Alan Boyd calls himself a ‘Blue Dog Democrat’, but votes the party line 99% of the time, in spite of his constituents voicing their opposition. But he’s well connected, knows how to play nice at election time, and so keeps getting re-elected …. 🙄
Following on the heels of the “stimulus” package and soon to be followed by Obamacare – I fear that we have the makings of a very severe economic crisis.
My congressman once again voted “yes” on a massive bill which he hasn’t even read. Every representative who voted for this without reading it — and that’s all of them, because they couldn’t have — is guilty of serious irresponsibility.
I emailed David Price. I expect in a few weeks to receive a pompous note telling me how he did it for my good, as he did when he voted for the “stimulus” without reading it.
The sad thing is that economic competitors like China and India sit there cheering us on, while all the time figuring out how they can further take advantage of our foolishness.