A taste of the fight ahead

GOP circulating at least 90 weakening amendments to Climate Security Act

Posted by Kate Sheppard at 3:45 PM on 03 Jun 2008

Muckraker: Grist on Politics Senate Republicans are already circulating at least 90 amendments that would weaken the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. Here's a complete list of those we know about already, including measures that would add nuclear subsidies, lower emissions targets, and introduce a safety valve.

And fight is only just beginning ...

For story: A taste of the fight ahead
4 Comments | Post a Comment

2012 before caps take effect?

The way I read the bill, it would be 2012 before any caps take effect. Why give polluters three years and a half years to ramp up pollution before their greenhouse gas output is capped?? Democrats should propose an amendment to have the bill take effect ASAP!

A 'cap and trade' bill can become a 'pollute and collect bill' giving legal authority to the folks who want delay and business as usual.
The longer we wait, the higher the cost of trying to slow the climate changes, and the greater the permanent damage to the living resources that support us.

by Zephaniah at 3:01 AM on 04 Jun 2008

2012 ok

The cap doesn't take effect until 2012, but its still set at a level defined by law whenever the bill passes. I'm pretty sure thats at the 2005 level, but even if it were projected 2012 level, point is passing it before lets everyone see it coming and so already internalizes the cost. So if polluters use the three intervening years to ramp up pollution, they have to cut down all the more to reach the preset cap in 20112. On the other hand, it gives companies 3 years to try and ramp down pollution before they get hit with a hard requirement to pay otherwise. There are plenty of problems with Lieberman Warner, but this isn't one of them.

by Max8806 at 6:51 AM on 04 Jun 2008

How can you weaken a weak flabby bill?

The energy bill in congress is not worth saving and the Democrats pushing it need to get a message: get tough and get real. Citizens should not accept a bill that does not do these things: phase out coal plants and ban new ones; end fossil subsidies and tax breaks; make 2020 the target date for reducing CO2 emissions by 80=90% and 2050 for a carbon-free economy. Legislation needs to be science-based. With luck the Republicans will defeat this bill, after which we need to send the Democrats a message: don't try to fool us again with your flabby pretense of a bill. And then we need to get our act together and tell them what WE want.

by lorna salzman at 10:38 AM on 04 Jun 2008

Lorna

You need to get real. How are you going to reduce emissions by 80% without killing 90% of the population to do it?

Carbon Free? Get off th crack buddy. Talk about pie in the sky.

Victory in Pattani

by MAD MAC at 9:20 PM on 05 Jun 2008
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