Max Baucus
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Grass people invade Congress as Senate hearings wrap up
The third and final day of the hearings on the Kerry-Boxer climate bill wrapped up in the Senate Environment and Public Works committee today. We’ve been collecting the best reactions an d analysis on our aggregation page. Here’s a quick rundown of where things stand. The wrap: Really, not much exciting news came out of […]
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Who’s who on the EPW: Senate committee begins landmark climate hearings
Cross-posted from the Wonk Room. John Kerry testifying.This week, hearings begin in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733). This comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and committee chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), will establish a mandatory global […]
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Bingaman hearing on pollution allowance allocation; progressive greens beware
When Kerry and Boxer introduced their clean energy bill earlier this month, it contained a huge gap: it said almost nothing about the allocation of pollution allowances under the cap-and-tr… er, pollution reduction and investment program. The reason for the omission is simple: Doling out what is effectively a huge new pot of money is […]
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Boxer-Kerry climate bill: what to watch for
Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) plan to introduce their climate bill tomorrow. Here are a few brief notes on what to watch for. Just as a reminder, for the non-wonks, here’s how the process works: 1) House passes bill, 2) Senate passes bill, 3) House and Senate bills reconciled via conference committee, […]
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Memo to Congress: Don’t dawdle on climate bill
Even though the Senate hasn’t even begun debating a specific climate bill, naysayers at home and abroad are already declaring as dead on arrival the effort to pass climate and energy legislation in the United States this year. And who can blame them? Like health-care reform — and bad teenage slasher movies — the whole […]
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Is Sen. Baucus of Montana standing in the way of swift, strong climate action?
Sen. Max BaucusPhoto: Center for American Progress Action FundIf you read one story about climate politics today, make it Lisa Lerer’s account of the Max Baucus factor in Politico. It explains why the Democratic senator from Montana–more than any Republican, dirty energy flack, or right-wing blowhard—has become the thorn in the side of those working […]
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Netroots Nation frustration and the impediments to progressive change
I just returned to Seattle from Netroots Nation, the yearly gathering of progressive bloggers, journalists, and activists. Last year, in Austin, the atmosphere was absolutely electric, with the election approaching and a clear sense of battle lines drawn, victory within reach. Also, lots of great parties. This year, at least from my limited perspective, the […]
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The senator from Montana and the middle class
This morning, the Senate took its final step on climate change before its summer vacation—a hearing pulled together by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus from Montana on how carbon allowances are allocated under the Waxman-Markey bill. The main takeaway: Under the House bill, the middle class does the heavy lifting to pay for the […]
