Ezra Klein: Proposal to Hamstring EPA Nearing a Vote

[flpoljunkie]

Proposal to hamstring EPA nearing a vote

The Senate is likely to vote tomorrow on Lisa Murkowski's proposal to bar the EPA from regulating carbon emissions as a pollutant. Whatever happens in the Senate, Murkowski's proposal won't go into effect. It isn't likely to pass the House, and if it did pass the House, it'll be vetoed by the president. But if it gets 51 votes in the Senate, it's going to be another grim sign for efforts to address climate change, as it'll show that the Senate is much more united on blocking regulations than creating them.

And it may well get 51 votes. Jay Rockefeller, for instance, represents the coal capital that is West Virginia and has announced that he'll vote for the bill. He's part of the asymmetry in energy politics where states that are adversely affected are very aggressive in opposing action while politicians from states that would likely benefit from a move toward clean energy -- think the Southwest -- aren't similarly parochial.

By Ezra Klein
June 9, 2010

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/06/proposal_to_hamstring_epa_near.html

[karynnj]

1. Nice article - but very depressing

I wonder if these Senators don't believe in global warming or if they have another planet in mind to live on. :sarcasm:

Seems like they are thinking only of narrow, short term interests.

[flpoljunkie]

8. Murkowski's resolution basically says, 'We don't need no stinkin' regulators! That's worked so well

for us with Big Banks and Big Oil, hasn't it???

[flpoljunkie]

2. Senate is now debating Murkowski's resolution.

Murkowski, ranking member on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is using the Congressional Review Act, an element of the Contract With America, which allows Congress to overturn executive branch regulations with simple majority votes in both chambers. The Review Act expedites a floor vote.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/102377-climate-change-showdown

Murkowski is speaking now on the Senate floor saying the EPA is usurping Congress' authority to regulate. Problem is, Congress has not regulated carbon emissions, Senator Murkowski.

[ProSense]

3. Isn't it great that people spent time slamming Kerry's bill instead of focusing on this?

Hope it fails.

[karynnj]

10. Absolutely - it is idiotic that so many activists did not credit Kerry with

both the environmental credentials that he earned as the strongest environmentalist in the Senate and the political and legislative skills to not give up more than needed. It is good that most of the better known, more established environmental groups did back him.

But you are right that this just jumped onto the floor schedule almost as a surprise though there was a bit of talk about it earlier.

[Arkana]

14. We wouldn't be Democrats if we didn't waste time eating our young

rather than focusing on a common enemy.

[politicasista]

29. Yep. They let the real culprits off the hook

Like they always do.


Kinda sucks that the Senator's enviromental record is trashed by enviromental activists, Democrats, liberals, progressives.

[Jennicut]

4. Ridiculous...politicians protect a way of life that is for short term gain only.

Reminds me of the way politicians in LA and Alaska let the Big Oil do whatever they want.

[Kdillard]

5. Hopefully it goes down in flames.

[flpoljunkie]

6. There is a possibility resolution will pass, which would be an embarrassment to the president.

It will not be considered in the House, Pelosi has said.

[ProSense]

7. Rockefeller and Webb, ugh. If it passes, I hope the President vetoes it

<...>

Republicans don’t have the two-thirds majority they would need in both chambers to overturn an Obama veto. But Republicans say passing the resolution through one chamber would be a big win.

“Anything close to half the Senate says this is a congressional responsibility and not the administration’s, that’s a strong message from the country to the president,” said Senate GOP conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), referring to the EPA plan to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act.

Democrats suffered a serious setback Tuesday when Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce panel, announced he would vote for Murkowski’s resolution. He joined Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Mary Landrieu (La.), who are co-sponsors of the measure.

If Republicans keep their conference unified, that would give them 45 votes for Murkowski’s proposal, with a handful Democrats, such as Sens. Mark Pryor (Ark.), Evan Bayh (Ind.) and Jim Webb (Va.), in play as potential allies.

<...>

link

[Mass]

21. Web will vote NO. Just said so on the senate floor.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Blanche Lincoln now speaking for the Murkowski amendment and EPA's 'heavy handed regulation.'

Trashing those 'unelected bureaucrats' again. EPA is filling the void because refuses to do their job and regulate harmful carbon emissions.

[BlueIdaho]

16. So good to see she has been chastened by that tough primary....

Now where's that sarcasm thingie...

[flpoljunkie]

11. 'Give up freedom' to do what, Senator Inhofe, 'Pollute freely?'

[Mass]

12. Brown (MA) supports it - No surprise there. Kerry opposes it (no surprise either)

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2010/06/brown_backs_pla.html

Senator Scott Brown this morning joined a push to limit federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, saying the effort to curb the carbon-emitting gases brings unwarranted regulations that would hurt businesses.
...
“This action would give an unelected and unaccountable government agency the power to impose restrictive and damaging carbon dioxide regulations that will drive up energy prices and hurt job-creating small businesses in our country,” Brown wrote in an op-ed published this morning in the Cape Cod Times. “The bottom line is that we cannot have every restaurant owner or small farmer worried about the costs of complying with new carbon dioxide emissions restrictions.”

[Arkana]

13. Obama threatened a veto if this passed the Senate

and if he does, they will not be able to override him. No way this gets the required 2/3.

[flpoljunkie]

15. Bernie Sanders is speaking! Give 'em hell, Bernie!

[flpoljunkie]

17. Feinstein: "We have dithered, while the earth heats.'

[flpoljunkie]

18. Greedy, un-American corporations. They threaten workers' jobs when profits are their real concern.

[flpoljunkie]

19. Kerry's climate bill includes EPA preemption, but they are blocking Kerry's bill, as well!

They do not want cap and trade. Excuse, special interests do not want cap and trade.

[ProSense]

22. Kerry's bill is to prevent

future administrations from politicizing the EPA, as Bush tried to do. It does not prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases.

[flpoljunkie]

23. Ezra Klein disagrees. Are he and others wrong on this?

But let's recap. Murkowski has based her argument on "the undisputed fact that climate policy should be written here in Congress." She is not saying that climate change isn't happening and thus there's no need to regulate carbon. She's just saying Congress should do the job.

Okay. There is currently a bill called the American Power Act. It was written by Joe Lieberman, John Kerry and Lindsey Graham. It is a comprehensive -- if imperfect -- approach to regulating carbon emissions. And it includes EPA preemption. That is to say, if it passes, the EPA will be barred from acting. And as the construction of that bill suggests, liberals like Kerry are fully willing to preempt the EPA as soon as Congress commits to a path of action.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/06/its_about_carbon_not_congress.html

[Mass]

20. Web relunctantly votes NO. (which is good).

[flpoljunkie]

24. Senator Kerry now speaking!

[flpoljunkie]

25. Kerry: They are not just delaying it. They are killing EPA's ruling authority permanently!

The authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

[flpoljunkie]

26. Senators are now voting on whether to advance Murkowski's resolution to overturn EPA's authority to

regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Only 51 votes are required. Roll is being called.

[flpoljunkie]

28. Murkowski's resolution fails 47-53!

[flpoljunkie]

27. Dem ayes: Bayh, Lincoln, Landrieu, Nelson, Pryor and Rockefeller

So far.