John Barrasso (R-Wy.) has proposed about seven of his own amendments. Most have been either withdrawn or defeated. The others are fairly weak — so forgive me for skipping them.
Sanders, on the other hand, is trying desperately to strengthen this thing, and is meeting with almost no success. He wants to limit the total tonnage of carbon that companies are allowed to offset (in lieu of direct reductions). But Lieberman … does not.
He also wants to increase the mandatory emission reductions under the cap — to require 80 percent reductions, mandatory reductions, by 2050.
This is key. The numbers we’ve heard from Senator Lieberman — that his bill will lead to emissions reductions in the neighborhood of 65 percent — are based in large part on projections. ACSA’s mandatory emissions reductions — the ones under the cap — are really very weak.
But not too weak for Joe Lieberman.
Sanders has said this is his most important amendment. It’s going to die. So, possibly, will the chances that he’ll vote yes on the bill.
