Posted on 06/06/2008 8:43:07 AM PDT by Aquamarine
Senate Republicans on Friday blocked a global warming bill that would have required major reductions in greenhouse gases, pushing debate over the world's biggest environmental concern to next year for a new Congress and president.
Democratic leaders fell a dozen votes short of getting the 60 needed to end a Republican filibuster on the measure and bring the bill up for a vote, prompting Majority Leader Harry Reid to pull the legislation from consideration.
The Senate debate focused on bitter disagreement over the expected economic costs of putting a price on carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas that comes from burning fossil fuels. Opponents said it would lead to higher energy costs.
The 48-36 vote fell short of a majority, but Democrats produced letters from six senators — including both presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain — saying they would have voted for the measure had they been there.
"It's just the beginning for us," proclaimed Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., a chief sponsor of the bill, noting that 54 senators had expressed support of the legislation, although that's still short of what would be needed to overcome concerted GOP opposition.
"It's clear a majority of Congress wants to act," Boxer said at a news conference.
She and other Democrats said this now lays the groundwork for action on climate change next year with a new Congress and a new president that will be more hospitable to mandatory greenhouse gas reductions.
Both Obama and McCain have called for capping carbon dioxide and other emissions linked to climate change. President Bush has opposed such measures and said he would have vetoed the Senate bill if he had received it.
The bill would have capped carbon dioxide coming from power plants, refineries and factories, with a target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 71 percent by mid-century.
"It's a huge tax increase," argued Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a prominent coal-producing state. He maintained that the proposed system of allowing widespread trading of carbon emissions allowances would produce "the largest restructuring of the American economy since the New Deal." .....More..........
Someone fix that headline.
Funny that they still blame the Republicans even with so many people not voting, Democrats included.
Good for the pubbies, glad they are doing something right.
That's all that need be said about that POS bill.
Please note that our beloved John McCain, per the article via a letter he wrote and allegedly signed, would have voted FOR this ridiculous far left, crippling piece of legislation.
We need know no more about John McCain.
“The 48-36 vote fell short of a majority, but Democrats produced letters from six senators — including both presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain — saying they would have voted for the measure had they been there.”
Isn’t that special?
Republicans block Democratic effort to raise fuel prices.
[Funny that they still blame the Republicans even with so many people not voting, Democrats included.]
Obviously a lot of them know its a stinker bill and were window dressing, if they even bothered to do that.
Hah! None of the supporters of this bill wanted to do it before the election. It will not help those battleground states like Ohio one bit.
Am trying to get it fixed.
Well it says McCain would have voting to bring the bill up for a vote. It doesn’t say if the bill did come up for a vote that he would vote it. At least I don’t think it does.
Yep, this is good news.
McCain is still a dem.
That's because they are in the Minority, where they are more confortable. Were they in Majority, it would have passed, i bet.
Typical lapdog liberal media reporting. One paragraph glosses over the cost to Americans. I’m so sick of the MSM.
They cry about the senators who were not available to vote. In other words their personal careers are more important then doing the job they are paid to do. (I’m glad those libs were gone and wish they would stay away.)
Hey Babs, you and your fellow Senators seem seem to have forgotten who you represent.
Lobbyists? Aggggggh. WRONG ANSWER!
Sounds like McCain's letter was in support of the measure, not just the cloture vote.
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