GOP, Big Oil and Climate Change

An important bill that would create a cap and trade system for greenhouse gases died in the Senate. The Lieberman-Warner bill fell a few vote shorts of what was needed to move it along. Republicans did everything they could to derail the bill, including a parliamentary maneuver that caused the entire 419 page bill to be read out loud. That took 9 hours. Don't these guys know we've got some serious problems we need to be dealing with?

Many environmental groups have considered the Lieberman Warner bill "a good start" but one that needs a little work. This bill would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2/3 by 2050 by using a cap and trade system. (I support the more aggressive approach in the Safe Climate Act.)

The Senate bill died because of Republican opposition and substantial lobbying from the powerful oil and coal industries. For example, an industry group made up of companies like DTE Energy and Duke Energy lobbied for a special provision that would substantially weaken the bill by limiting the price that industry would have to pay to pollute. (DTE Energy has given substantial donations to Adam Cote, the conservative candidate in my Democratic Congressional Primary.)

The need to do something about global warming is obvious. And it's also pretty clear that the public understands the need for change and is ready to embrace it. What is missing is political will in Congress to stand up to the powerful energy companies and their well-paid lobbyists. I've done it before when I introduced and fought for the prescription drug pricing program and I hope I get a chance to go to Congress and fight for significant climate change legislation.

(Want to know what the Republicans were up to with this bill? Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope got his hands on a leaked GOP memo that pretty much explains it all. )

Chellie Pingree is the former President of Common Cause and a candidate for Congress in Maine's 1st Congressional District.