Energy legislation to test fractured Democrats

[biopowertoday]

Source: ap




Energy legislation to test fractured Democrats

Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Hearst Washington Bureau

Sunday, April 5, 2009

(04-05) 04:00 PDT Washington --

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The adage that "all politics is local" is especially true when applied to energy issues, said Bruce Oppenheimer, a public policy expert at Vanderbilt University, who has studied the intersection of oil and politics.
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These political dynamics will come to the forefront this month, when the Senate begins debating a broad energy bill that includes Obama administration proposals to impose a national renewable energy standard and speed a revamp of the country's clogged power grid.


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To pass any ambitious energy plan, congressional leaders and the Obama administration will have to win over some Republicans and most Democrats, a strategy that took a big hit when congressional leaders, faced with opposition from some Democrats, abandoned a plan that would have made it easier for the Senate by a simple majority vote to approve a program for controlling greenhouse gas emissions.

The change was aimed at appeasing the "Gang of 15" Democrats led by Stabenow, who have been critical of President Obama's plan to place increasingly strict caps on carbon dioxide emissions.

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But with Senate leaders needing 60 votes to advance any controversial proposal - and with just 58 senators in the Democratic caucus - just a few critical Democrats could become major obstacles for Obama's energy supporters....................

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/05/MNAS16QTJ1.DTL&type=printable

[MasonJar]

1. Just the most important legislation in the future of mankind. What is with

Stabenow? She isn't from an oil state. We need to insist that this is passed. We must press Obama to stand strong on it.

[blue_onyx]

2. No Stabenow is from MI

I'm sure the concern she has is the effects on auto industry

[bemildred]

3. "Fractured democrats" can soon become "Unelected democrats". nt

[ShareTheWoods]

4. Reality has a way of affecting votes

And the reality is that as much as we desire to move away from fossil fuels, it will take more time
than these "caps" will allow for. Once voters are forced to pay 3x for their energy costs (because
carbon emissions will exceed limits for a while until alternatives are created), those that brought us
the much higher costs will be confronted come election time.