TPM: Schumer: Dems to Aim Low on Climate and Energy

[flpoljunkie]

In the latest blow to the prospects of the Senate passing climate and energy legislation, the third ranking Democrat suggested today that Dems will start small, instead of bringing a comprehensive bill to the floor.

Appearing on MSNBC this morning, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed that Majority Leader Harry Reid will move an energy-only bill next month, based on a template authored by Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, and predicted that Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) will have a chance to offer their much farther-reaching climate change legislation as an amendment to the base package.

"Kerry has a proposal that has pretty broad support," Schumer said. "He's going, in my opinion, going to get a chance to offer it in the form of an amendment."

That procedural avenue would make the chances of rounding up 60 votes for carbon pricing more difficult, but is of a piece with the noises coming out of Reid's own office. Keying off the oil spill in a letter delivered last week, Reid asked several committee chairmen to offer up ideas in time for him to put together an energy bill in July--this despite the fact that the Kerry-Lieberman bill is already drafted, and has been at the center of the energy debate in the Senate for months.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/06/schumer-dems-to-aim-low-on-climate-and-energy.php?ref=fpa

[Mass]

1. I am not surprised as it was basically what came out of Reid's letter, but it is a bad thing.

I guess however that Schumer agrees with Cornyn on that.

[Deep13]

2. "Dems to Aim Low..."

That's what they're best at.

[Teaser]

3. This is a massive fail

In light of his speech last week, I am hopeful that O will react unfavorably to this trial balloon.

[Nite Owl]

4. This is news?

They don't aim high on anything.

[ProSense]

5. Schumer agrees with Cornyn: think small.

What a joke. This is the same grandstanding he did during the Alito filibuster. I'm sure he'll express his regrets a couple of years from now.

[karynnj]

6. This really stinks and shows that the Senate leadership is not willing to push this

The only hope, I guess is that they said that Kerry gets to offer his bill as an amendment.
I guess this means that the Kerry/Lieberman bill will be an amendment where it is offered as a substitute. I assume that other Senators would be able to offer the same amendments to Kerry's amendment that they could have offered had it been the main bill. (From past bills, I think those amendments would be voted on first and then the revised (if any passed) Kerry bill is voted on. If it passes, it becomes the real bill and it then has to be voted out of committee. Either way Kerry needs 60 votes.

It would seem that the biggest negative is it shows that the leadership in the Senate is not really behind Kerry. Or it could be that they are doing it to have a contingency plan if it fails in passing something on energy and this would lead to the following possibilities:

- Kerry's amendment passes with 60 votes and it essentially becomes the bill

- Kerry's amendment fails, climate change legislation is doomed likely for at least 4 years, probably longer, and the energy only bill is passed with substantial

If this is correct, it means that the Kerry amendment's vote is the big vote. If it gets 60 votes, the remaining votes are basically formalities.

If that happens, I would bet that Schumer will be in front of the group announcing that they passed it. If not, you're likely right. He will be snoozing about how HE really should have taken the lead in passing a climate bill.

[Mr. Sparkle]

7. Lobbyists 1 American people 0.

This will only encourage the lobbyists to give millions, to the republicans in the future. If anything, the democrats should have taken the view, that the more money you spend on lobbying the more we are going to hurt you.

It also pisses off the base, when they need us even more so for the November elections.

[ej510]

9. Lobbying is killing America.

Capitalism is destroying the world.

[City Lights]

8. Junior showed us it's hard not to exceed expectations when the bar is set low.

Go Dems! :eyes:

:argh: I'm beyond fed up. :puke:

[Enrique]

10. start low and then go even lower to meet the GOP n/t

[Teaser]

11. recall our new Democratic Logo:

[Teaser]

12. If he doesn't push this

THIS is where I will fault Obama. Not the penny ante bullshit primary meddling stuff people get so worked up about.

[PassingFair]

13. Schumer and his conservadems get my Ted Rall award for ineffective

and/or destructive governance and for making democrats look weak.