So, it turns out that Sen. Domenici’s statement on climate change wasn’t so huge after all, at least in terms of current Senate debate over an energy bill. From Reuters UK, details of what happened in regards to carbon emissions:
An ambitious bipartisan plan to slow U.S. greenhouse gases with an emissions trading program collapsed in the Senate on Tuesday after a key Republican threw his support behind a weaker, voluntary plan.
The Senate approved, 66-to-29, a plan by Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel to offer generous tax breaks to U.S. utilities, refiners and manufacturing plants that develop technology to limit emissions of carbon dioxide. It would not cap U.S. emissions of carbon, which are linked to the global warming blamed for melting polar ice caps and rising oceans.
The Bush administration opposes mandatory cuts in emissions as too costly for U.S. industry…
Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Republican chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, said last week he might co-sponsor Democrat Jeff Bingaman’s more stringent plan to slow the growth of U.S. greenhouse gases with an emissions trading program beginning in 2010 tied to U.S. economic growth.
But after talking to the White House and other Republicans, Domenici said he would not support the Bingaman measure.
“This is just too tough to do quickly,” Domenici said. “I expect we will have a series of hearings and I hope we can reach some sort of accommodation on all aspects of a climate proposal. But that will take time.”
Yawn, Pete… Just go back to being a good puppet and spout the White House’s mantra of “we need more time…” One could argue that recent statements and actions by some corporations shows that a voluntary plan like the one passed could have some benefit, but I’m not sure how much effect they can have without a cap on emissions. Wouldn’t a cap-and-trade mechanism jump-start market mechanisms to deal with climate change more quickly? I’m still not convinced that enough corporate boards and CEOs are far-sighted enough to take some of these steps without a cap…
And as an interesting, laughable side note, check out how the clowns at “Blogs for Bush” spin this:
In spite of continuing attempts by McCain to slip a de-facto Kyoto Protocol upon the American economy, the Senate voted to follow President Bush’s market-driven program for energy efficiency and pollution control…
Its pointless to try and cap our emissions when nations like China don’t – its additionally pointless when the proposed emission reductions don’t do anything to solve the alleged problem of global warming. President Bush’s way is better – use market forces to create more efficient means of producing energy which will in turn reduce all manner of pollution being sent into the environment.
Yadda, yadda, yadda… keep saying the same thing over and over, regardless of its inanity… ignore the fact that we’re responsible for 25% of global carbon emissions… use “market forces” as a code phrase for “letting corporations do whatever the hell they want…” All hail the wisdom of Dubya… I’m getting sleepy… very sleepy…
Technorati tags: energy, climate change, politics, economics, US Senate
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