Climate Politics
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Are Senate Dems going to go for it on climate?
On Thursday, the Senate Democratic caucus held a meeting and everyone emerged giddy as schoolchildren. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) called it “one of the most motivating, energized, and even inspirational caucuses that I’ve been a part of.” Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) called it “absolutely thrilling.” Said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), “It was really […]
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Senate Dems plan last-minute push on climate and energy bill
Exciting news from Senate Democrats today: They’re going to try one more time for a climate bill. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says he’s making one last push to put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions. He’ll do it by combining a cap with offshore drilling safeguards, in hopes that Republicans and skittish Dems will […]
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Yet another major poll finds strong public support for global warming action
More Americans support clean energy and carbon reduction policies than oppose it. The drumbeat of public support for comprehensive clean energy and global warming policies beats louder every day. The latest Wall Street Journal-NBC Poll [PDF] found overwhelming support for comprehensive clean energy legislation that includes carbon pollution reductions. It also registered that cleaning up […]
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Can voluntary action fix Britain’s shoddy housing stock?
Britain’s housing stock: charming but leakyPhoto courtesy UGArdener via FlickrPrime Minister David Cameron’s call for Brits to take up the challenge of government by joining what he calls the “Big Society” exists so far largely in the realm of rhetorical flourishes. The political appeal is obvious: Maybe we can get communities to do stuff — […]
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Plurality of Americans Skeptical of Pro-Drilling Congressional Candidates
The latest NBC/WSJ poll includes a number of interesting findings. Dave Weigel and Alex Seitz-Wald both took note of BP’s extremely low favorability ratings: Indeed, the poll shows that only 6 percent have a favorable rating of BP. In the history of the NBC News/Journal poll, Saddam Hussein (3 percent), Fidel Castro (3 percent) and […]
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Hoping for a shakeup at the G8/G20
I arrived in Toronto yesterday and, along with thousands of activists, media and government officials arriving for the upcoming G8 and G20 summits, was promplty greeted by an unusual earthquake centered a few hours away outside of Ottawa. Unfortunately, it seems that if the Canadian hosts have anything to do with it, that could be the only groundbreaking event I'll see this week when it comes to climate change.
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The GOP has forgiven Joe Barton, but here are six reasons not to forget him
Rep. Joe BartonRep. Joe Barton’s latest apology paid off big-time. Wednesday, the Texas Republican groveled before House GOP leaders behind closed doors, telling them that his impassioned act of contrition to BP CEO Tony Hayward last week was a mistake. All was forgiven and Sorry Joe was allowed to keep his post as lead Republican […]
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We need real relief, not a junk shot, to solve the energy problems that led to the BP blowout
BP couldn’t stop the oil gusher with a junk shot of golf balls and tire shards and Congress can’t solve the energy problems that are the root cause of the gusher with a junk shot of unenforceable goals and unfunded subsidies. Eventually the gusher will be plugged by drilling a new well that can be […]
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G20 may punt on fossil-fuel subsidies in Toronto
Among the highlights of last fall’s G20 summit in Pittsburgh was a joint pledge to phase out wasteful fossil-fuel subsidies (which amount to a dizzying $550 billion worldwide). Now ClimateWire reports that change may not come as fast as greens would like: President Obama and other heads of state are poised to water down a […]
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The real options for U.S. climate policy
The time has not yet come to throw in the towel regarding the possible enactment in 2010 of meaningful economy-wide climate change policy (such as that found in the Waxman-Markey legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in June, 2009, or the more recent Kerry-Lieberman proposal in the Senate). Meaningful action of some kind […]
