By Jim Tankersley
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Ct.) officially rolled out their stab at an energy and climate bill on Wednesday, and the early reception was largely what they'd hoped for: Most environmental groups embraced the plan; several business leaders, including utility and oil executives, lauded it; and some key lobbying heavyweights, such as the American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, stayed neutral for now while they study the details.
The proposal, which includes limits on greenhouse gas emissions and a variety of measures to accelerate domestic energy production, also drew some expected criticism. Conservatives warned it would drive energy prices skyward. Some green groups called it an appeasement to industry that won't do nearly enough to combat climate change.
Not surprisingly, the cheering camp included President Obama. He heaped praise on Kerry and Lieberman's "American Power Act" - even if he got its name wrong.
Shortly after the bill introduction, the White House released a "Statement by President Obama on the Clean Energy Security Act."
That, unfortunately, isn't Kerry and Lieberman's bill. It's the name of the climate legislation, penned by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) that passed the House a year ago - a bill that Kerry and Lieberman have tried hard to distance their bill from, in hopes of winning support from groups who opposed the House effort.
The White House has taken pains to rebrand the climate debate with aggressive messaging, downplaying talk of "cap and trade" and, to a certain extent, "global warming" in favor of a focus on "energy independence," national security and "clean-energy jobs."
But this doesn't appear to be anything more than a slip of the press release: Team Obama has since corrected the statement to reflect the Senate bill's actual name.
Comments
Cue the 1% dead-ender fringe.......
Posted by: Bubba | May 13, 2010 2:01 PM
Drill, Baby, Drill!......uh....hmmm....ruh roh......nevermind.
Posted by: Sarah the Quitter | May 13, 2010 2:18 PM
That's right let's pass another job killing budget busting bill like Obamacare. If there is anything that Obama and the liberals in Congress have shown us since they took over is they know how to set records. In the last 43 years out of 56 there has been a budget surplus in April but like last year it will not happen this year either. A matter of fact is that team Obama has set a new record for the largest deficit for April shattering the record he set last year for April. And along with doing that he has set another record 19 continuous months without a surplus. Something no other president has accomplished. We know how much team Obama and the brain-dead liberals in Congress lied about Obamacare and now they want to us to believe them with this bill. Let's just call it what it is Tax and Spend Climate bill. And now for you brain dead lunatic fringe socialist comrades calling yourself a liberal tell me how I'm wrong. Even Congressmen Waxman had to back down over Obamacare and what it is really costing us.
Posted by: CrooksInDC | May 13, 2010 3:21 PM
It's NOT a "climate" bill.
Even if passed, the legislation won't make a bit of difference to the world's climate. In fact, no American government has the power to significantly effect the "climate" one way or the other.
It is instead a tax and spend and regulate and grab power bill. Using "climate" as the excuse.
Posted by: Equal time | May 13, 2010 3:37 PM
--------------------------------------------------------
That's right let's pass another job killing budget busting bill like Obamacare. If there is anything that Obama and the liberals in Congress have shown us since they took over is they know how to set records.
Posted by: CrooksInDC | May 13, 2010 3:21 PM
------------------------------------------------------
Clown in DC,
Try getting your "facts" from somewhere other than the Right Wing Noise Machine, would ya?
Of all the presidents in the last fifty years, exactly two of them didn't have deficit spending--Carter and Clinton, neither of whom was a Republican.
"The human capacity for self-delusion never ceases to amaze me, so it shouldn't surprise me that so many Republicans seem to genuinely believe that they are the party of fiscal responsibility. Perhaps at one time they were, but those days are long gone"
http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/19/republican-budget-hypocrisy-health-care-opinions-columnists-bruce-bartlett.html
APRIL 2010 BRINGS HIGHEST JOB GROWTH IN FOUR YEARS.
http://wallstreetpit.com/26567-april-sees-highest-job-growth-in-4-years
Posted by: HHH | May 13, 2010 3:57 PM
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It is instead a tax and spend and regulate and grab power bill. Using "climate" as the excuse.
Posted by: Equal time | May 13, 2010 3:37 PM
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
More lies from Planet Wingnuttia.
US Taxes At All Time Low Under President Obama.
http://rackjite.com/archives/4998-Video-Chris-Matthews-Taxes-at-all-time-low-under-Obama.html
Posted by: Bobby Mobbie | May 13, 2010 4:31 PM
Bingo give that man a prize!!!It's NOT a "climate" bill.
Even if passed, the legislation won't make a bit of difference to the world's climate. In fact, no American government has the power to significantly effect the "climate" one way or the other.
It is instead a tax and spend and regulate and grab power bill. Using "climate" as the excuse.
Posted by: Equal time | May 13, 2010 3:37 PM
Posted by: Libtard | May 13, 2010 6:29 PM
Clean Energy jobs? Will they pay as much as those unionize "dirty" energy jobs? Nope. It is amazing that the unions haven't tried to sink their teeth into this industry yet.
Trickled On,
Clinton had plenty of deficit spending, until Newt and theh GOP reigned him in. JImmy had a budget deficit of about $50 billion (a couple of weeks of work for BO) in 1978.
Moppie,
I'm sure taxes are at an all-time low - when you don't have a job, you don't pay taxes.
Posted by: Terry | May 13, 2010 6:41 PM
Triple H.
Where I get my facts from. Well let's start with Congressman Waxman backing down from the corporations that had to write off hundreds of billion of dollars because of Obama Care. Or we can look at the Departmental of Health and Human Services report that pointed out that the numbers before the bill was passed in no way resemble the numbers now that the bill is passed. Or the Medicaid report stating that the cuts mentioned in the bill before it was passed are not based in reality and are totally unreachable and sustainable. I get it from the right wing media machine you call the Obama administration, Triple H. if you cannot run with the big dogs stay on the porch are you.
Posted by: CrooksInDC | May 14, 2010 9:30 AM