Joe Lieberman says that comprehensive climate legislation in the Senate is more likely this session than people think (sub. rqd.), and that debate will probably get underway later this year or early next. But the reason he gives isn't exactly comforting:

The Connecticut independent said U.S. industry has shifted on the global warming debate and is ready for regulation.

"They want the rules of the road to be set by a Congress with the current political makeup," he said. "And they want the rules of the road to be set by an administration that is viewed as a friend of fossil-fuel industries. As a sign of this shift, several of the large, carbon-heavy businesses that have remained aloof for years are now coming into my office to engage on specifics."

In other words, climate legislation's going to pass because industry is worried that Congress is going to get more progressive after the 2008 election, so they want to act now while they still have a sizeable corporatist bloc there to advance their interests. Awesome.