The positive, polite thing to do would be to remain quiet, and to clap for the Democrats on Capitol Hill, and only when we are alone to mutter in disappointment. However, the time for genuine progressives to be polite with the Democrats in Congress is over.
Yesterday, Senate Democrats released the outlines of a proposed amendment to their long delayed climate bill. The amendment would help to speed up expanded offshore drilling for oil in ecologically sensitive areas along America’s coasts. In a bill that pretends to be dealing with the climate crisis, there are now going to be additional government handouts to companies that sell fossil fuels, one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases.
How does that make this a climate bill any more? The legislation is beginning to look like a plan to make climate change worse.
Senate Democrats are making it clear that this amendment to increase drilling for crude oil is just the start. They want to make further concessions to Big Oil and industry. “We would like to underscore the fact that the framework we are releasing today is a starting point for our negotiations going forward,” says John Kerry. Translation: Come to me, lobbyists, and make me an offer, so that we can cut you a deal!
The cherry on the top of this hot oil sundae is that Senator Joseph Lieberman says that the legislation is still not pro-petroleum enough.
The Bush-Cheney energy bill is alive and kicking. The Democrats have just spray painted it green.
Green Man, do you know what the Senate Amendment number is for this piece of baloney?
It’s not been, last i checked, formally submitted as an amendment. It’s still open, as Kerry says, for industry negotiation.
Thanks for the tip, Green Man. You’re right: it’s not a formal amendment yet, but a rather a “legislative framework” document to be fashioned into formal legislation in the future. It can be read as a pdf here.
i’m sorry, what was that about off shore drilling? i can’t hear you above the noise. there’s a tiger being eaten alive outside by my major media outlets.
Here’s some light reading by Joe Bageant over at Counterpunch that sums up the whole enchilada:
http://www.counterpunch.org/bageant12092009.html