- Nancy Pelosi told environmentalists she supports raising fuel economy standards to at least 35 mpg.
Posted on 07/30/2007 7:35:14 AM PDT by SmithL
Washington -- Democrats, in taking back the House from Republicans, promised to tilt the nation's energy policy away from oil drilling and toward efficiency and cleaner sources of energy. This week their pledge will be put to the test.
As the House starts debate on its energy bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi must decide: Will she push a measure, opposed by electric utilities, to require them to produce 20 percent of their power from renewable sources? Will she allow a vote on a major increase in fuel economy that's being fought by autoworkers' unions and a few powerful Democrats?
"When you talk about energy policy, there is the car piece and the electricity piece," said Marchant Wentworth, legislative representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists, who has been lobbying the Democratic leadership. "You need both for an energy-efficient policy."
The Democratic speaker from San Francisco has told environmentalists she supports raising fuel economy standards to at least 35 miles per gallon and requiring utilities to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable sources such as wind, solar or biomass by 2020.
But neither measure is part of the energy bill now, and Pelosi has not committed to bringing the proposals to the floor as amendments -- although she's leaning toward putting the electricity standard to a vote.
Pelosi is balancing her desire for a new, greener energy policy with her fear that if the bill tries to go too far, it could lose support among Democrats from energy- and auto-producing states -- who are being lobbied vigorously by industry to kill parts of the bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
- Nancy Pelosi told environmentalists she supports raising fuel economy standards to at least 35 mpg.
This socialist witch just cannot leave the U.S. public alone, like all socialists. Regulation, regulation, tax, tax. It is all about power and control.
20% renewable energy sources in the current infrastructure and concurrent demand will mean about a 200% increase in your bill.
Don’t believe it?
It seems to have escaped the notice of the media that the rise of gas guzzling SUVs took place mainly under the auspices of Bill Clinton and Al Global Warming Gore.
Evil socialist hag.
Of course, Democrats "in auto states" oppose increasing gas mileage.
And like the rest of us, it's not because they don't care about the oil shortage and efficient cars, it's because they are forced to act as rational human beings and recognize the difference between posturing and reason; the difference between the possible and the reasonable.
I love it when the ox about to be gored snaps them out of "loser" mode...
Or they can go right ahead and legislate the 100 mpg SUV, and 150 mpg sedan...
If my instincts are correct (and they haven't failed me yet when it comes to energy policy), then the first two decades of the 21st century are going to be remembered as the era when the environmentalist movement was taken for a ride by the people they thought were representing their interests in Congress.
I love how Al Gore avoided answering whether or not he was for or against raising the CAFE standards when he testified before the House. :)
Just follow the money. She will go where the government funded projects are. We need to get government out of our lives. It is the Democrats opinion that we cannot survive without them. Let the free market dictate which direction we will go on any subject and we will all be better for it. If it’s government funded, we will all loose. Cut the taxes and even public charity will increase and government funded charity will not be needed. Pelosi and the Democrats want to control your every move.
Ask Ted Kennedy where in MASS he wants to locate windmills and solar panels.
Nancy Pelosi couldn’t command a cheeseburger.
New Hampshire and Vermont.
Yes, I believe it. And just think - we’re dependent on Bush’s veto pen to save us, or the Senate Republicans’ filibuster. Doesn’t that give you the warm fuzzies?
Dear XXXXXX,
A hundred years from now, school children will read about Al Gore and his leadership to address global climate change. No one has worked harder or inspired more Americans to tackle the greatest threat the world has ever faced.
Now it’s time to add your name to the history books.
Stand with Al and pledge to live a life that will protect our environment for generations to come:
http://www.democrats.org/LiveEarth
Last Saturday, thousands of Democrats planted seeds for a cleaner planet at events across the country. We had a great weekend, rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty — but there’s even more we can do clean up the planet.
Here’s the pledge that Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and I have all taken:
To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral;”
To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
This pledge is an easy way to show that the political will exists to stop global warming — no matter how hard President Bush tries to deny the problem or delay the solution.
I’ve signed it. Now it’s your turn:
http://www.democrats.org/LiveEarth
Despite the recent attention on global climate change, we’re still fighting an uphill battle. Over the past few years, Republicans have done everything in their power to silence Al, the scientific community, and anyone else who tells the truth about what’s happening. In 2004, one NASA scientist claimed that in “three decades in government, I have never seen anything approaching the degree to which information flow from scientists to the public has been screened and controlled as it is now.”
But despite this opposition, we’ve won the debate. As Al Gore said during the recent Live Earth concerts, we’re now presented with a choice: “Do we use this unprecedented opportunity to organize a global movement that will last beyond the concerts themselves? Or do we let the moment pass?”
It’s time to answer Al’s question with the grassroots organizing and commitment that powers the Democratic Party. Sign the pledge and then tell every Democrat you know to do the same:
http://www.democrats.org/LiveEarth
Sincerely,
Gov. Howard Dean, M.D.
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