Easy post for Mr. Romm, but I don't see much progress unless there's Big Money to be made on the deal. Basically, you're just redistributing billions here and there, maybe a trillion. Somewhere there is some kind of expectation that along the way, the secondary benefits are less CO2 getting into the air. Nice after-thought.

I know much about this, and would rather call it the Right to Work Act for policy wonks such as many on the Grist. Well darn it, it pays big money. Big Oil will even figure out a way to make money as well. You're kidding yourselves if you think they're going to sit back and watch a trillion bucks go bye-bye.

Hmm, the irony is there, with a socialist redistribution of wealth AND a money-grubbing ethic.  This is going to be fun to watch. How many fools and knaves will make it through? Well let's just say history is President Bush's favorite subject. Not that HE could do squat right, but we'll see what happens...

Onward through the fog

be skeptical of trade press

senior staff cliques have well-worn relationships with certain trade press reporters

 the reporter, Samuelson, is the Energy Comm boy

the real agenda is Energy Comm jurisdiction, though Samuelson tries to hide his purpose with distractions about the Finance and Appropriations Comm.  EPW is not competing with Finance and Appropriations.  

The key issues are early CO2 targets, safety valve and preemption.  All things that Energy Comm wants control for oil, gas, coal and auto

This is the set up piece:  perfectly normal for others to want juris

Next, expect attack pieces on competence of girl senator and "process."  Gossip drumbeat:  give big issue to "grown ups" on Energy Comm

real issue:  policy

real target:  progressives

real clients:  oil, gas, coal, auto