by Lisa Mascaro
If Congress hopes to pass a comprehensive energy bill this year, the White House must lead the way just as it did with health care, Wall Street reform and other administration priorities, a group of environmental organizations said in a letter today to President Obama.
"The Senate needs your help to end this paralysis," said the nine groups, including the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council and others. "White House leadership is the only path we see to success, just as your direct leadership was critical in the passage of the recovery plan, health care reform, and other administration successes."
Spurred on by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Senate is expecting to tackle the difficult issue of energy policy in July, as lawmakers return to work July 12 following a weeklong holiday recess.
But deep divisions within the president's own party remain and some doubt the ability of Democrats and Republicans to agree to a bill that could win the 60 votes needed to advance. The House has already passed a bill.
Comments
Maybe we can coax British Petroleum to contribute to the sponsorship of this Energy Bill. No, not against it, but for it. What do you think, Obstructionist Republicans? Do you think you can convince your financiers to be so civic- minded?? I know it would be a real surprise, but so was their crime in the Gulf of Mexico!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | July 2, 2010 3:42 PM
Hopefully we can get something done this time.. The Republican minions have been trained to protect Big Oil by repeating their bogus "Cap and Tax" right wing talking point
And as usual, the Wingnuts have no idea what the hell they're talking about, but what their mindless chanting does do for the honcho's of the Republican party is it continues to protect their pals in the Big Oil oligrachy and keeps us as a country from moving on to alternative energy sources.
Posted by: DrainYou | July 2, 2010 3:50 PM
We need to get off of oil period. We need to put an end to the Republican lie that American oil production could equal American oil consumption if only those big bad environmentalists would let us drill in ANWR and the Gulf of Mexico etc.. American oil production peaked in 1973 and has decreased every year since then because all of the easy-to-extract oil is already gone. As long as Americans continue to believe that lie, Republicans and their Big Oil pals will continue to "win" the energy debate.
Posted by: DrainYou | July 2, 2010 4:30 PM
FITZ,
Considering BP and Goldman Sachs are big sponsors of the Cap-n-Tax due to the billions it will bring to their companies, I doubt if getting these corporations, along with other big oil companies, big Wall Street companies, and big electric utilities, such as BO's hometown boys - Exelon, behind this large tax on middle class will be hard. Cronie Capitalism and Democratic-Socialism-Rearendrammer together again.
Trickled On Drain You,
Have you bought your Huffy 3-speed yet?
Posted by: Terry | July 2, 2010 5:30 PM
The pro-Obama advocacy groups are helped along by that other pro-Obama advocacy group, The Swamp, which gives their words this free publicity.
Posted by: Equal time | July 3, 2010 2:20 PM
This falls campaign ads are writing themselves:
"Will the Republcan Party of Joe Barton vote with BP against America's clean energy future?"
"Will Republicans keep on apologizing to Big Oil for burdensome regulations, or will they stand up for the American people?"
"Democrats want polluters to pay, Republicans want to give them a license to pollute free."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWGq3UvUnBw
Posted by: former Republican | July 5, 2010 5:13 PM
Formerl,
9.5% unemployment and the inept response to the Gulf Oil Spill says it all.
Posted by: Terry | July 5, 2010 9:26 PM
Number of American jobs, June 2009--154 million.
Number of American jobs, June 2010--153 million.
That's right, 1 million fewer jobs.
When the country's population is growing, and needs 1 million MORE jobs a year just to stay even.
And now he's destroying more jobs in the Gulf.
Thank you, President Obama.
Posted by: Equal time | July 6, 2010 11:56 AM