“Al Gore says support it. Paul Krugman says support it. Two Nobel Prize Winners. Who am I to question them?”
That is a question received, in more than one space, when it comes to the Waxman-Markey American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act.
Well, with all due respect to the infallibility of a Nobel Prize Winner (Kissinger, ’73, James Watson, ’03, etc.), we should be clear that the bill, as drafted, falls far short of what is necessary and quite likely falls short of what is possible.
How can this be? How can a bill driven by two of the most passionate and knowledgeable House members fall short of the possible?
For one, perhaps it is because of a fundamental failure of those advocating serious action in regards to climate change. In short, as per Gore’s and many environmental organizations’ praise for the draft bill, there is a clear impression (if not reality) that those advocating for action are prepared to take scraps from the table rather than fight for and demand adequate legislative action.
In short, the mainstream reaction to the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s passage of ACES last week h... Read more
