Clear Skies takes a fat whack 4

Bush's Clear Skies Act is on life support after a vote today in the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee failed to draw enough support to push the measure to the Senate floor. The committee had been deadlocked 9-9 on the bill for weeks, and James Inhofe (R-Okla.), committee chair, was unsuccessful in his arm-twisting attempts to sway at least one more senator to his side. (Barack Obama [D-Ill.] had been thought a potential swing vote, but he held his ground. Phew.)

As AP's John Heilprin writes, "The committee vote doesn't preclude Republican leaders from bringing the bill to the full Senate for action" -- though they'd have to do it through unconventional methods. "But it also arms opponents with several parliamentary tactics that they can use to defeat it on the Senate floor." Whatever that means.  

Inhofe knew just who to blame: "This bill has been killed by the environmental extremists who care more about continuing the litigation-friendly status quo and making a political statement on CO2 than they do about reducing air pollution."

Lisa Hymas is Grist’s senior editor. You can follow her on Twitter.

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  1. Emily Cunningham Posted 3:58 am
    09 Mar 2005

    ObamaPhew, indeed.

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  2. colinpeppard Posted 6:05 am
    09 Mar 2005

    Let's not forget Chaffee!While I am certainly ecstatic that Obama held onto the progressive image that has been bestowed upon him, we must not forget that Lincoln Chaffe of RI was the other swing that, well, refused to.  As a moderate Republican from the deep blue Rhode Island, Senator Chaffee faced some of the most intense party pressure that can be mustered.  Let's just say that I do not envy him!  However, as a champion of the environment and an honest legislator that knows good policy from bad policy, Mr. Chaffee refused to cave and held strong to his reputation for integrity.

    So if you live in Little Rhodie, give old Lincoln a call and let him know that even if his party doesn't appreciate him, his constituents do!



    See what Friends of the Earth is up to! CLICK HERE!

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  3. Spectrumist Posted 7:51 am
    09 Mar 2005

    Consider it doneI just finished e-mailing Senator Chaffee to thank him for his vote before I read your post colinpeppard.  You can rest assured that many others in the RI environmental advocacy community will thanking Linc as well.  He currently is polling behind a potential democratic challenger; he can't afford to lose the support of the environmental voting block in deep blue RI.  So there is pressure from both sides, but as you noted Linc Chaffee is a strong environmental advocate with the integrity to stand up for what he (and his constituents) believe in.  This country could sure use more legislators like him and his late father former US Senator John Chaffee.  

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  4. MikeCapone Posted 2:41 pm
    09 Mar 2005

    FramingInhofe knew just who to blame: "This bill has been killed by the environmental extremists who care more about continuing the litigation-friendly status quo and making a political statement on CO2 than they do about reducing air pollution."
    See, that's what they do. "environmental extremists" "ligigation-friendly" "status quo" "political statement", etc. All powerful expressions that are charged with meaning and subtext. In one sentence they conveyed about ten paragraph worth of (false) information.
    To the general public that doesn't know zlitch about what is in the "Clear Skies" bill (but they'll assume that the name tells them what they need to know), this is framed in such a way that you can't help but mentally nod and agree.
    They use framing in an Orwellian way and for propaganda, but if we want to counter it, we need to have good -- short -- answers that are as powerful as that Inhofe lie.
    In short: We need to learn to do that, but use if for good instead of evil.
    (I reserve the right to use my comment on my blog as another framing illustration ;P)

    --


    SUVs are squared-out minivans.

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