Via CongressDaily:House Minority Leader Boehner has been re-elected and it is now Minority Whip Cantor as Republicans elevated him from chief deputy minority whip at this morning's House Republican Conference deliberations.And this:
Dingell's recently-released draft climate bill had been criticized by Obama's EPA transition chief.By a three-vote margin, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee today recommended that Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Henry Waxman be given the chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee, but a final decision will most likely be made by the full Democratic Caucus Thursday. The Steering Committee voted 25-22 in favor of Waxman to replace Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell, according to lawmakers leaving the meeting.
Do you think it will help or hurt our cause more - i.e. - will we get a stronger emissions law or no law at all? Consider the Senate too... They'd filibuster a half-decent carbon cap proposal in the blink of an eye.
While Sussman's attack on the Dingell-Boucher bill wasn't quite a Godfather-esque kiss of death, it certainly didn't help Dingell's cause. There were already other House members looking to finagle away jurisdiction on the climate bill. I'd call it more the nail in Dingell's coffin.
Keep in mind that in the Senate the Dems (and Dem-caucusing indies) are now at 58. Collins and Snowe are stone-cold lead-pipe locks to vote for a climate bill. Might you lose a Dem or two like Landrieu or Sherrod Brown? Sure. But you might also pick up a Republican or two from the group of McCain, Gregg, Mel Martinez, Coleman (?), etc.
Past experience with climate change legislation is mostly going to be useful as a marker. We will find out how far we've really come when legislation is passed next year.
WE NEED AGGRESSIVE ACTION. WE ARE BEHIND SCHEDULE. PEOPLE NEED TO CATCH UP TO THIS REALITY. WE ARE BEHIND SCHEDULE.