Dingell: Climate legislation 'impossible' this year

House energy committee not primed to rush through climate bill 11

John Dingell says getting climate legislation done this year will "verge on impossible" (sub rqd), what with the compressed schedule and the presidential and Congressional elections.

Oh, and also because Republicans are gearing up to block progress yet again.

A while back, Denny Hastert left Dingell's committee and there was some inside baseball speculation about who would take his place. The answer turned out to be Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and he wasted no time making his feelings clear (sub rqd), unleashing this torrent of talking points:

"While I feel strongly that addressing climate change is certainly important, I believe we must address this through a global, voluntary framework that focuses on innovations in technology rather than a pure government mandate ... At the end of the day, we'll need to demonstrate that the price paid in both jobs and dollars equates to some tangible environmental benefits to the American people ... In my view, spending trillions of dollars and losing a countless number of jobs, to maybe alter temperatures by a tenth of a degree, while China and India continue to spew emissions is not the option that we're looking for."

Meanwhile, Joe Barton, the ranking Republican on the committee, had this to say:

"I do think global warming is a real issue ... I do think that to the extent we can do things that make economic sense and environmental sense, we should try to move forward. But I do not believe that we should like lemmings just jump off the cliff in the name of political correctness. ... There are a large number of skeptics still out there about what causes global warming and what mankind can do about it. I hope some of your hearings this spring touch on that."

Can't wait to see that cap-and-trade bill that committee produces!

David Roberts is staff writer for Grist. You can follow his Twitter feed at twitter.com/drgrist.

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  1. GreyFlcn Posted 9:01 am
    18 Jan 2008

    Well there is somethingWe should be focusing on getting California their EPA waiver to regulate GHG emissions.
    That should create a strong precedent to lead towards federal legislation.
    _
    Unlike federal legislation, all we need to do is put some serious pressure on this one EPA Chief guy.

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  2. FuriaFubar Posted 9:29 am
    18 Jan 2008

    cap and trade or carbon taxI hope that we can take a cue from the EU on cap-and-trade, or else impose a carbon tax.  I think the creation of another market is going to appeal to the right more than a tax, simply because it is called a tax.  If the GOP wins the US election this year we're in for a rough ride.  Remember:  Every time you vote Republican, God kills a kitten.

    All the Best,

    Furia -

    http://www.xanga.com/furia_fubar

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  3. Pangolin's avatar

    Pangolin Posted 10:30 am
    18 Jan 2008

    It depends.We're one class five hurricane from slamming some climate legislation through right quick.

    Put the Carbon Back

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  4. jcwinnie Posted 10:41 am
    18 Jan 2008

    Thanks, BartonYou climate denying, Republican lemming, you
    Hey, Joe, I like the sound of that, thanks!

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  5. tico89 Posted 11:37 am
    18 Jan 2008

    It's the problem with a system......where a president lasts only 4 years, at least 2 of which he's either settling in or campaigning for re-election, and ending up with more than a month when he's still president despite his successor having already been chosen. It give a perfect excuse for never getting anything done.
    As for the quotes, Upton's is complete waffle, 99% of which is meaningless. He might as well just have said, "We're doing nothing until China and India set a lead, and probably not even then." And Joe Barton...his name sounds so much like Joey Barton (English football player who keeps getting arrested for violent behaviour and showing his behind to the crowd).

    If I share initials with 'Global Warming', is that a sign?

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  6. ce1907 Posted 6:29 pm
    18 Jan 2008

    milestonesmajor legislation rarely pops suddenly out of a clam shell, like the birth of Venus
    usually, there are years of tussle
    whether a bill passes Congress and gets signed by Bush in 2008 is not the only relevant criteria for progress
    much will happen this year, in terms of coalition building and public opinion
    for good or ill
    and it will matter down the road
    some of this year's tussle, I suspect, will be between the auto industry and anyone with the temerity to get in its way

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  7. FuriaFubar Posted 9:33 am
    19 Jan 2008

    and another thingS 1776 is downright idiotic.  It assumes all kinds of things that just won't happen.  

    All the Best,

    Furia -

    http://www.xanga.com/furia_fubar

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  8. KELLIB Posted 2:25 pm
    19 Jan 2008

    Dingell is a DinosaurOne would think that Dingell's committee would gain a member that is forward-thinking, unlike the ancient chairman...but, nonetheless the new member has cursed the hopes for new legislation proposed by the committee. If these are the men who are in charge of protecting the air, water, and land of our country from the effects of global warming, then our country is in need of dire help.  They need to take responsibility (not meaning it's their fault directly) for the problems our countries excessive carbon emissions have caused and put a cap on them NOW.

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  9. Brudaimonia Posted 3:44 pm
    19 Jan 2008

    Thumbs up their *ssesAlong with the recent energy bill, this episode should be a lesson that we can't count on any branch of the federal government, as it is currently composed, to take meaningful action on environmental issues.  On the environment, most of them are just a bunch of bumbling fools.
    Cities, towns, and some states are the ones taking the lead.  They're on the second lap while Washington is still trying to figure out how to tie its shoes.

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  10. Delay And Deny's avatar

    Delay And Deny Posted 4:14 pm
    19 Jan 2008

    Politcal Doneybrooks

    What right minded politician would stick his neck out for a foreign instigated global tax during a Recession?  
    Sheesh!

    John A. Bailo


    Inhofe 400 Wannabe


    My Log

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  11. FuriaFubar Posted 10:49 am
    23 Jan 2008

    It's DONNYBROOKS, you republican you...Climate resistance?  Could you make less sense?

    All the Best,

    Furia -

    http://www.xanga.com/furia_fubar

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