This is more like it: Obama helps defeat Clear Skies Act

[carpe diem]

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday helped defeat revisions to federal emissions standards that were viewed as being favorable to businesses and the coal industry.

Sen. Obama cast one of nine votes against the Clear Skies Act in Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee. The bill failed to advance to the full Senate on a 9-9 vote. The Chicago Democrat said the measure would have rolled back emissions standards that would endanger the nation’s public health with additional air pollution. He dismissed arguments that the legislation is necessary to create industry jobs.


http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=15763

[derby378]

1. YES!

Finally, a small victory for our side. Thanks, Obama - keep it up!

[gizmo1979]

2. It's about time

Hope they didn't trade bankruptcy for it though.

[extasy]

3. when is this bankruptcy vote I keep hearing about?

[TheFarseer]

5. already happened, we lost

14 dems voted with them

[TheModernTerrorist]

9. not true

that wasn't for the bill... it was to stop the debate ON the bill...
so we'll see how it REALLY pans out soon... I personally don't know when they actually vote on it though.

[flpoljunkie]

14. Cloture vote sealed the fate of the bill. It will pass handily. Dems

passed up the only chance to stop the passage of this egregious bill which is a giveaway to banks and credit card companies. It does nothing to reign in their abuses yet cracks down on average Americans.

A vote against the final bill now means zip as there are enough Republican votes to pass the underlying Bankruptcy Protection Act" bill without one Democrati and the Republicans have marched in lockstep blocking all amendments.

The act protects no one but banks and credit card companies. Rethugs love to name things the opposite of what they actually do, i.e. "clear skies" and "healthy forests."

[TheFarseer]

19. Oh, sorry to spread misinformation

I thought it had passed but consensus here is they were only voting on cloture.

[Withywindle]

10. The vote on the bill proper hasn't happened yet!

The vote with the 14 Dems was for cloture, which limits debate time and moves it closer to a vote. Not the same thing. Someone who voted yes on cloture might theoretically still vote against the bill.

More debate on amendments are going on probably tonight and tomorrow.

[TheModernTerrorist]

11. unless I missed something...

then I could be wrong...

[DebJ]

12. IT HAS NOT YET BEEN VOTED ON. The vote to which you

are referring simply closed the bill to further debate or amendments. A vote is expected any day now.

[TheFarseer]

8. Yeah, really

I'd trade this vote for bankruptcy in a second. We would choose to stand up for the bill that I care almost nothing about, and the one titled "Clear Skies", making him look like a schmuck for voting against it.

[jayctravis]

4. Sucks that it's called the Clear Skies Act.

That headline is sheeple deceptive. "Obama is against clear skies??"

A good lesson in the importance of framing.

[xray s]

15. Rove does know how to use the language to his advantage

bastard!

[barackmyworld]

6. yay! that's my man!

What is the power of congresspeople to change the name of legislation? Anyone know?

[Cuban_Liberal]

7. It was brave politically, too.

Illinois' coal industry is the hardest-hit in the nation, and the southern Illinois 'coal country' supported his bid for senator by a wide margin. Hope he figures out some way to make it up to them.

[hatrack]

18. But his support in Chicago is such that this probably wasn't TOO tough

As friends of mine who live there say, there's Chicago, and then there's the rest of the state.

[tx_dem41]

13. What Republican on the committee voted against it? n/t

[cestpaspossible]

16. Chafee

[tx_dem41]

17. Thanks! n/t