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No Solar ITC, No Federal RPS in Energy Bill passed out of US Senate
Linked to groups: DFA Atlanta Alumni Crew
ITC - Investment Tax Credit
RPS - Renewable Portfolio Standard
Speaker Pelosi was interviewed on PBS Newshour tonight.
It sounds like US House is going to approve the Senate Bill and present
it to GWB. Indications are that he will sign the bill.
Getting the mileage CAFE standards established in law seems to be
the decisive factor in the Democratic acceptance of this bill and the gutted
renewable energy mandates and incentives AT THIS POINT.
Ronald
Shortcut to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121301036.html
Excerpts: [With Bracketed Commentary]
..The measure was approved with strong bipartisan support 86-8 after
Democrats abandoned efforts to impose billions of dollars in new taxes
on the biggest oil companies, unable by one vote to overcome a
Republican filibuster against the new taxes...
35 mile per gallon for cars, small trucks and SUVs over the next 13
years, an increase of 10 mpg over what the entire fleet averages today....
And it would boost use of ethanol to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022,
a nearly sixfold increase, and impose an array of new requirements to
promote efficiency in appliances, lighting and buildings...
[A POLITICALLY GOOD POINT ! Here:]
...While many environmentalists viewed almost certain approval of the
automobile fuel economy increase as a major victory, some were critical
Thursday of the Democrats' inability to push through taxes on major oil
companies, which have been making huge profits in recent years.
"The Senate Democrats should show some backbone," said Brent
Blackwelder, president of Friends of the Earth. "If Republicans want to
block progress on clean energy and global warming, they should be
forced to mount a real filibuster _ for weeks if necessary."...
[HOWEVER, I think the pending give and take on the overdue federal
budget appropriation bills and funding the Iraq occupation didn't leave the
Democrats any room to let this go on any longer. It would be possible to
slip in a short term extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit somewhere
inside the massive budget bills.]
...Republicans had made it clear they would require the Democrats to
find 60 votes on the oil taxes and the White House had said repeatedly
the $13.5 billion in taxes on the five largest oil companies over 10 years
would assure a veto.
On the 59-40 vote that failed to overcome a GOP filibuster,
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., whose state's economy is dominated by
oil and energy activities, was the only Democrat to break ranks.
Nine Republicans supported the tax measures.
The White House has said the taxes would lead to higher energy costs
and unfairly single out the oil industry for punishment. A Democratic
analysis showed that the $13.5 billion over 10 years amounted to
1.1 percent of the net profits that five largest oil companies would be
expected to earn given today's oil prices.
Published Saturday, 12/15/07 @ 10:56 pm. Linked to DFIA.
I've been notified that The Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council (ICCAC) will meet in Davenport, Iowa on Monday, December 17, 2007 at The Rogalski Center of St. Ambrose University, 518 West Locust.
This meeting will held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and is open to the public. Opportunities for public comment are scheduled for noon and at 3:20pm.
I'm going to miss Chris Dodd today because of my trip to the airport (closest one and it is 200 miles round trip). Dodd has the best environmental policies of the group.
Phil,
I changed the title of the post a little and then added a question for the readers to answer. Your comment gave me the idea.
America elects two oilmen and they expect environmental progress? if Florida drowns as the ocean rises they get what they deserve for voting Republican.
bbl
No Sunday morning political shows here in the Boston area. Why? Oh, come on folks! Non-stop local coverage of the snow storm, don'chya know?
The media is really pathetic here in Boston.
When we have weather approaching the media goes 24/7 (I kid you not) repeat, repeat, repeat what any viewer already knows.
No value.
Morning' all. No politics in my life. Just weather.
10:16
Imn2Paine
Sun, 12/16/07
Reply to this
No Sunday morning political shows here in the Boston area.
+++
Imn2Paine -
If you catch them in your area, flip to the Providence channels like 6 (ABC), 10 (CBS) and 12 (NBC). Some of those are doing the morning political shows (jeez, barf, Romney has got a full hour now on MTP).
For two hours during the night -- intermittently -- we were awakened by our beeping weather radio and screaming tornado watches and warnings in the area.
Next time I know there are storms approaching during the night, gotta turn that darned radio off:))
Well, I didn't get my home delivery of the Boston Sunday Globe (first time) this morning. So I'll buy a paper tonight when I work my second job at CVS.
I hear that the editorial staff of the Globe has endorsed today one of the dem candidates for president.
THANK YOU, REP. WEXLER
wexlerwantshearings.com
Over 55,000 people have signed. Won't you join us?
6.
Phil Specht
Sun, 12/16/07
America elects two oilmen and they expect environmental progress? if Florida drowns as the ocean rises they get what they deserve for voting Republican.
---------
...lol, yeah entire America gets what it deserves.
Btw, discovering Ron Paul again, take a look how it's easy to resolve "irresolvable" issues IF/WHILE principles are in mind.
----------
http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?...
Paul Not Opposed To Same-Sex Marriage
By: Joe Murray, The Bulletin
12/14/2007
Keeping true to his strict federalist view, GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul told ABC's John Stossel gays should be allowed to marry.
"They can do whatever they want and they can call it whatever they want; just so they don't expect to impose their relationship on someone else," Dr. Paul stated.
The Texas Congressman added, "I would like to see all governments out of the marriage question. I don't think it is a state function; it is a religious function. There was a time when only churches dealt with marriage and they determined what it was. But 100 years or so ago, for health reasons, they claimed the state would protect us if we new more about our spouses and did health tests and had to get a license to get marriage. I don't agree with that."
Printable version Sources tell me the Writers Guild Of America is intending to grant David Letterman's independent production company Worldwide Pants an "interim agreement" that allows the Late Show host and his writers to return to the airwaves during the strike because it doesn't involve CBS.
19.
Phil Specht
Sun, 12/16/07
that was rude
--------
...lol, not at all.
Very many Americans think somewhat similarly.
can Brady keep the string going in a storm?
Kurt Warner could against the Jets, you should be safe for another week paine
Here's some Sunday snark from Maureen Dowd,
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/opinio...
Edwards was a serious enough challenge to Hillary that George S. brought out Greenspan to counter his economic views on This Week.
NOW shows the fundraising of Ron Paul online being anti-war driven and why no Democrat harnessed that is beyond me
former
Ron Paul has appeal because his political philosophy is totally rational if you accept his premises.
I don't. but his supporters are a slice of the American spectrum, and there are worse slices. we pledge allegiance to a flag with liberty and justice for all and he has it half right.
16.
Impeach Cheney??
And then what Suzanne? An opportunity to bring in one of those sorry Repug candidates to fill the seat of VP and give him a leg up in the Nov. election?
Has Wexler ever thought it through? He's an otherwise good representative from Fla. But sometimes politicians go overboard on something they think may bring them glory and free publicity for their next election and fail to look at the entire picture first.
Senator Bill Nelson and Representative Alcee Hastings come to mind with their ill-fated lawsuit against Howard Dean.
24.
Phil Specht
Sun, 12/16/07
...the fundraising of Ron Paul online being anti-war driven and why no Democrat harnessed that is beyond me
---------
Ron Paul to Demos THE SAME as was Dean to Reps.
Their both philosophies are "out of the loop" of conventionalists in both Parties and ARE much closer to each other (if not THE same) if cleaned up to its quintessential.
FISA Call to Action
Dear Linda:
The Senate will soon consider legislation addressing the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act (FISA). I emailed you about this issue recently responding to
inaccuracies in the press about Democratic efforts to improve protection of
civil liberties. I am writing you today to update you on the current state of
the bill and to ask for your help.
One critical question being considered in the Senate's FISA bill is whether to
offer telecom companies retroactive immunity for any actions they undertook in
the wireless surveillance program. The Bush Administration has claimed that this
is necessary for national security reasons, but I am skeptical.
If the Administration was serious about arguing for this immunity, I suspect
they would take steps to demonstrate to Congress the extent of this surveillance
program and what role the phone companies played. Yet they have refused to share
even this information with the House. Clearly, it is a bit much to ask for
immunity from prosecution without explaining why it is necessary.
Because of these reservations, the House-passed FISA bill did not include the
immunity the president sought. In the Senate, however, it is becoming clear that
a tough battle will now ensue over this provision. Senator Chris Dodd of
Connecticut has been a vocal opponent of telecom immunity and has promised to
filibuster any FISA legislation that includes this provision.
Senator Dodd needs your help right now. Please visit his site and lend your
support to the filibuster now. Your help can make a difference at this important
juncture.
Thank you again for your continued support for a better democracy.
Your Friend,
John Conyers, Jr.
johnconyers.com
If you let Cheney get away with his abuses scott free Joan and they are not documented on a docket your have done posterity a great diservice. This isn't about politics it is about our System of Government
Joan - investigations are warranted and long past due, wouldn't you agree?
New Mexico's Democratic battle for the Senate: How blue are you?
LOL
Lehrman for Senate Press Conference at Roundhouse This Week to Bid
Farewell to Martin Chavez, Highlight Contrast with Udall and Unveil
Positive Change Plans
Leland Lehrman will make his second appearance as a US Senate
Candidate at the New Mexico State Capitol this week. (Probably
Wednesday, date and time to be announced Monday.) He plans to present
clear contrasts between his candidacy and that of Tom Udall,
highlighting once again the discrepancy between the official platform
of the New Mexico Democratic Party for the impeachment of President
Bush and Tom Udall's voting record against impeachment.
Supporters of Tom Udall have tried to suggest that Tom's vote against
HR 333, impeach Vice President Cheney, was made in order to allow
impeachment to go through the committee process. But 85 other
Democrats thought it important enough to use their floor vote to
encourage the Judiciary Committee to expedite hearings on the
impeachment resolution, which has been waiting in Judiciary for over
six months.
Most of the Democrats in favor of impeachment also voted to send the
bill back to Judiciary Committee after the floor vote. Their vote to
impeach was not a vote to avoid the committee process. Congressman
Udall's supporters are suggesting that legislative procedures are more
important than the moral principles of our country and the duties of
Congress to uphold the Constitution. That's exactly the problem with
Washington in general today, and Tom Udall in particular.
Three powerful members of the House Judiciary Committee have just
released an oped piece declaring their desire for hearings. The letter
starts "On November 7, the House of Representatives voted to send a
resolution of impeachment of Vice President Cheney to the Judiciary
Committee. As Members of the House Judiciary Committee, we strongly
believe these important hearings should begin." Why is Udall not
supporting them?
Source: http://wexlerwantshearings.com/
Tom's venture into the Senate race came at the urging and with the
support of Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York, the
powerful Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
(DSCC). But Chuck Schumer recently disgraced himself and the entire
Democratic party by exercising the swing vote, along with Dianne
Feinstein, that appointed Michael Mukasey to the office of Attorney
General. In Senate confirmation hearings, Mukasey (who is a judicial
adviser to the campaign of Republican demagogue Rudy Giuliani) refused
to admit that waterboarding was torture. He has more recently refused
to give the House Intelligence Committee information about the CIA's
destruction of videotaped "enhanced interrogations."
Will Schumer pull Udall's strings in the Senate? The prospect is terrifying.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Muk...
Lehrman will also give more details on a plan, developed by his
Treasurer Miro Kovacevich, to radically reconfigure the economic
development strategy of New Mexico around renewable energy generation,
distribution and manufacturing. Harnessing the massive solar resources
of the South, the manufacturing capacity of Albuquerque and the
intellectual capacity of LANL in the North, the creation of a
renewable energy grid will provide the foundation of an infrastructure
of lasting peace. No more resource wars, no more pollution, no more
need for foreign energy. Far superior to corporate controlled
Renewable Portfolio Standards, our plan for New Mexico is to make it
an international proving grounds for a peaceful energy alternative for
the world.
Joined to policies promoting the arts of peace and bioregional
sovereignty - preferential commercial rules for the local production
of energy, staple goods and services - a renewable energy
infrastructure will inspire New Mexico and the world. These policies,
holistically implemented, could even help to end the cycle of
depression and despair so prevalent in today's youth and drug/alcohol
damaged society.
25.
Phil Specht
Sun, 12/16/07
...we pledge allegiance to a flag with liberty and justice for all and he has it half right.
-----
I won't comment on "allegiance to a flag" simply 'cause I don't exactly understand any kind of allegiance other than to a human being.
Besides that I think he DOES exactly support and defend "liberty and justice for all" not for a "half".
Why you think "he has it half right"?
30.
Suzanne -
Investigations of all sorts have been going on since the Dems took the majority. I don't think either the House or Senate has enough manpower to continue adding to the already heavy load.
One of those on the Senate Judicial Committee which meets in a separate building from the Senate was telling how much "exercise" they were getting running back and forth to hearings and Senate votes.
Agreed, Cheney is a bad, bad guy -- no secret there. But do Dems really want to impeach and help give GWB the opportunity to possibly implant his own successor? I think not.
Complete and utter capitulation by the Dems in Congress on energy.
Fiddling while the planet burns....promoting corn-based ethanol (a boondoggle) while stripping the Bill of solar credits and renewable requirements for the utilities, raising CAFE only to 35 by 2020 and giving oil cos. the subsidies is pathetic.
This is quite a Christmas season -- for the auto cos., and oil and gas lobbies. And yes, the corn lobby as well. PATHETIC WIMPS.
Are people realizing it's time to stop enabling the Democratic party as it caves on Iraq, gives in to MR. 25% resident-in-chief and now caves to the auto and oil industry?
DFA, I can no longer support you if your sole goal is to elect more Democrats. Even if they say they are progressive when they run for office, they are not once they are elected.
Time to focus our energies on a real PROGRESSIVE party, not the pathetic excuse the Dems have become.
25.
Phil Specht
Sun, 12/16/07
....
Ron Paul has appeal because his political philosophy is totally rational if you accept his premises.
----------
Phil, Paul's premises IS NOT AT ALL different from those of Dean's.
No matter if one has made audible the “second” part of those premises or not (and no matter if one recognizes if the "second" part even exists).
Again the resolution is simple, imo; the “second” part of one’s premises IS a “first” part of another’s and wise versa.
I think the differentiation we have to make is between the democrats and the autocrats. There are Democratic officials who are autocrats, rather than democrats. Republicans may actually have a point when they refer to the Democrat party--a bunch of people who differ little from themselves in their interest in weilding power, rather than carrying out the will of the people.
Shall we start making lists of autocrats?
Rockefeller
Pelosi
Reid
Landrieu
Clinton
Lieberman
Landrieu represents her state and their "democratic" interests fairly well, as 40% of the economy is based on oil and gas.
Louisiana is its own breed of cat.
Our Governor Culver has a noted political family behind him, but he is a great Democratic leader.
DFA has consistantly backed progressive candidates Indysteve, I see no reason to not back them even if once in a while they make a mistake. Steny Hoyer is the alternative.
When Cheney is impeached, what then?
Bush will choose a replacement who will have to be OKd by Congress, the House or Senate, I forget. Perhaps Reid or Pelosi could keep
it off the calendar, but that would be asking too much. Even so, who could it be who might be worse than Cheney. At least we could hold our heads up in that we sent the message to our grandkids that his kind of performance in office will not be tolerated in the future. It would be helpful to have that guideline on record in the event of a Pres. Huckabee.
How could it be thought that any choice of VP made by 20% GWB would be someone everyone would want as a successor? The electorate may not be brilliant, but they do now recognize the worst Pres. ever.
Joan* In*Florida
Sun, 12/16/07
+++
Joan -
Thanks for that shout out !
I lucked out after all --
-- I did finally get my home delivery of the Boston Sunday Globe today (by the supervisor of the regular delivery guy who couldn't make it -- that's what you call teamwork). Better late than never.
In case she's lurking, this is a shout out to Jo in Vermont. Glad to see you posting and sorry I missed you in October! Did get your email - next time for sure :)
Mentioning DFA candidates who may have disappointed.....
I would say that would be one who managed to convince DFA that he was one we could trust, but upon being elected things changed. First the dissing of Howard, and the question of DLC membership discovered then denied, preaching repeatedly how the Dem Party tries, but doesn't express often enough it's religious feelings, Which, imho should not be worn on our Party sleeve.
Also, while he was a member of the Il legislature said that he opposed the Iraq war, and upon being elected to the Senate ran right to Sen Lieberman. I wonder why he chose that particular "anti-war" candidate for his mentor? He campaigned for Lieberman and sang his praises, and then refused to campaign for the real anti-war candidate, Ned Lamont, the one he knew was being supported by DFA, the group that put this Senator in office. There is more, like forgetting his promise he made on camera no less, to finish his first term in the senate.
There are a couple of supporters here who ridiculed the fact that I wrote that Obama had "kicked us in the pants". How about "used" or betrayed?
We have to be more careful at DFA about who we elevate to positions of power who will then vote in the corporate interest, rather than ours. If we find we can't do that, then maybe we do have to think about another Party.
Phil Specht
>
Was out cleaning the steps, driveway, and deck
came in for the second half. Sure ain'a easy pillin' on the points in the weather. Gotta love the Patriots for having a stadium open to natures little joys. Lot like the Packers in that.
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