Politics

Climate Vote Shows Gulf Gusher Changed Nothing In Senate

If you thought one of the biggest oil spills in history would automatically propel strong legislation to cap carbon emissions and avert a climate crisis, think again. Democratic Senate leaders beat back a conservative attempt to kneecap the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, but not without six Dems defecting. Only 53 Senators backed […]

Bill Scher Politics

Murkowski resolution goes down to defeat in stupid episode that means nothing

Lisa Murkowski, source of the stupid.[UPDATED WITH RIGHTEOUS BERNIE SANDERS VIDEO] The Murkowski “Resolution of Disapproval” to overturn the EPA’s endangerment finding on carbon pollution was defeated in the Senate today by a vote of 53-47. Every one of the Senate’s 41 Republicans — including “moderates” considered possible “Yes” votes for climate legislation — voted […]

David Roberts Politics

Chairman Rockefeller knows better

Sen. Jay Rockefeller.On Tuesday, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) issued a statement saying that he will vote for the Murkowski resolution because it is “a vote for a strong West Virginia economy.” I don’t doubt Sen. Rockefeller’s commitment to West Virginians, but it’s simply appalling that the Chairman of the Senate Science Committee plans to vote […]

Dan Lashof Politics

Rahm Emanuel persuaded Obama to play it cool on climate bill. Post-spill, will the game plan change?

Rahm Emanuel: barrier to climate progress? Engulfed by the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, Barack Obama is trying to change the subject. On May 26, the president pledged to “keep fighting to pass comprehensive energy and climate legislation,” and on June 2 he declared, “The time has come, once and for all, for this […]

Eric Pooley Politics

What’s up with Murkowski and Graham? Formerly climate-conscious GOP senators flail around

He’s the senior senator from South Carolina, a smooth-talking one-time Air Force attorney and JAG instructor whom a lot of Republicans don’t trust and call a RINO (Republican in Name Only). She’s the senior senator from Alaska, first appointed to the Senate by her father, considered “squishy” on social issues like abortion by right-wingers, and […]

Randy Rieland Politics

The Murkowski Resolution is a political assault on science

Cross-posted from the Wonk Room. The Senate is now debating Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) resolution to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s scientific finding, mandated by the Supreme Court, that manmade greenhouse gases endanger the American public. This is nothing less than a crass political attempt to defuse an existential threat by pretending it does not […]

Brad Johnson Politics

Call Your Senators Now to Stop Big Coal, Big Oil in Murkowski Vote

Today will see a major vote in the U.S. Senate – one that could hugely benefit Big Oil and Big Coal if it passes. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will introduce her disapproval resolution that would block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from taking action to limit global warming pollution – even from the biggest polluters […]

Bruce Nilles Politics

Will the EPA score the true costs AND benefits of the climate bill?

This afternoon, the EPA is said to be sending its economic analysis of the climate bill proposed by Kerry and Lieberman to the Senators’ offices. It’s a scoring of how the legislation would affect the American economy. Hopefully that analysis will include the benefits, not just the costs of the measure. The agency has not […]

Michael A. Livermore Politics

New poll shows (again) that public likes clean energy, doesn’t like taxes

I guess I should have something to say about the big new poll/survey from Jon Krosnick’s Political Psychology Research Group at Stanford. The results, in sum, are as follows: large majorities believe in climate change and want the government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, make polluters pay, and support clean energy. The one thing they […]