You would think they’d learn after the health care debate, but nooooooo. Here we go out the door on energy and the environment, giving things up to the Republicans and conservative Democrats making what was looking like a mediocre bill into a bad bill.
First, Obama has announced an expansion of offshore drilling. In other words, we’re going to be tearing up the continental shelf, damaging the environment of our oceans (and the parts of our economy that depend on them, like the fishing industry) and keeping us hooked on fossil fuels in the process. Chris Bowers nails this for what it is, fruit being dangled in front of the conservadems and Lindsey Graham. Now, I would be fine with that if, in the course of negotiations, that was offered as a way of getting the bill through. I could deal with that. But right out of the gate like this? This is the same stupid crap that we saw in the health care debate. Did Obama and his administration learn nothing?
Worse yet is the death of cap and trade.
“I think the term ‘cap and trade’ is not in the lexicon anymore,” Salazar said, adding that supporters — including senators working on legislation — will focus more on ideas such as slowing pollution, creating jobs and becoming energy independent. “It’s in that context” the Senate will move forward, he said.
In other words, the big oil companies and the teabaggers and the Republicans that work for both of them managed to scare the administration. Bye bye meaningful climate legislation, hello the future from hell. Thank you President Obama for selling out our planet and our future.
