After a decisive vote Wednesday, global warming legislation will apparently not advance on such a filibuster-proof path. By a 67-31 tally, the Senate adopted an amendment by Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., against allowing controversial cap-and-trade legislation to pass the Senate with fewer than 60 votes. As important, the vote seemed to reflect considerable Democratic skepticism on climate change legislation generally; 26 Democrats voted for the amendment.
Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky lauded the move, saying the Senate "slammed the door on using the fast-track process to jam through a new national energy tax."
Unfortunately there still could be some wind in the sails of cap and trade. Support for the energy tax is strong in the House, a conference committee could strip Johann's amendment from the federal budget bill.
Related post:
Obama's "crap and trade" past
Technorati tags: energy Politics mike johanns nebraska news republican senate
Perhaps this is the long-awaited end of the Obama Honeymoon. One can only hope.
ReplyDeletePerhaps this signals the long-awaited end of the Obama Honeymoon. It couldn't get here soon enough.
ReplyDeleteIt is a beginning - perhaps President Obama will snap out of it and 'get real' as some folks say.
ReplyDeleteCap and Trade is idiotic.