Dem centrists press Pelosi to shelve climate bill

The Hill ^ | May 6, 2009 | Mike Soraghan

[Scanian]

Democratic centrists are pressing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to set aside a flagging climate change bill to focus on what they think is a more achievable goal: overhauling the nation’s healthcare system.

But those close to Pelosi (D-Calif.) say she is charging forward on cap-and-trade legislation, despite the potential defections of Democrats who represent states with industries that would be adversely affected by the bill.

Pelosi views the bill’s troubles as predictable and solvable aspects of the legislative process.

Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.), a leader of the centrist New Democrat Coalition, sees healthcare as a more productive use of time.

“What a number of us believe is that if we’re in the business of passing legislation, healthcare is where we ought to be putting our emphasis,” said Davis, a vice chairman of the business-minded New Democrats. “That means putting that over climate change policy. But in the throes of a recession, more of a burden on industry is not a good idea.”

Davis, who is running for governor in a coal-dependent state, says with Republicans united against the Democratic cap-and-trade plan, the legislation could easily be derailed with a substitute.

[steelyourfaith]

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[freekitty]

Pelosi is one of the dumbest people ever. She listens to no one.

[IrishMike]

Democratic centrists ?

That’s a new one for me !

[bitterohiogunclinger]

Herein lies the mantra of the leftbots. Neither truth, nor justice, nor the will of the people will sway us from our Marxist agenda. These people must be stopped and incarcerated for life if we are ever to be a free people again. All we have to do is apply the same standards to them that they are trying to apply to conservatives. It's not the facts that matter, but the seriousness of the charges. I'm charging Pelosi with Treason. Arrest her.

[RU88]

It's my opinion that cap and trade was put forth to provide the necessary funding that socialized medicine would require. If this is true you really can't have one without the other, or could you? (visions of tiny tim at the overheated printing press with the windmill in the background)

[SlowBoat407]

Whoever wins, we lose.

[50sDad]

"But in the throes of a recession, more of a burden on industry is not a good idea.”

Wait until you see what a burden universal healthcare will be...

Seriously, whenever someone begins to blather on about a global conspiracy covering up UFO's, I just point out AMTRACK. These are the people you want telling doctors what to do?

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

How about “OVERHAULING” the Democrats instead?

[Venturer]

Both Bills are equally bad.

Pelosi is run mad with her power.

[TLI]

I am curious on how the three items, government controlled "healthcare," c(r)ap and trade (TAX) and the one the communists are being kinda quiet on , illegal alien amnesty, all interact.

I can see them possibly getting some form of government control of the medical industry but letting go of cap and trade when there are so many Gor-bots and international converts to the religion of globull warming? To me that is not adding up.

The communists know they can only get away with so much in their plan to communize the united States. But after that crack from President Bush about "see you at the signing" I believe that illegal alien amnesty is a fundamental goal of the NWO and a top priority of the communists.

Would they drop the amnesty and c(r)ap-n-trade to get at goverment control of the medical industry?

[VTenigma]

I would rather they spin their wheels working on cap and trade right now so more people have time to wake up. In my opinion cap and trade can be reversed if passed. If they start working on UHC too early they just might pass it before the next election and UHC may not be so easily undone.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Good point. 2010 should be a rollback year.

[The Great RJ]

Cap and trade brings massive new tax revenue and Pelosi can’t wait to get more of our money. The centrist Democrats have good reason to fear cap and trade as voters will take out their wrath at the polls in 2010 when as a result of cap and trade their electric rates go up 50%, the cost of food and fuel increase and they lose their jobs as a result of them being sent to foreign countries with lower energy costs.

[CPOSharky]

...despite the potential defections of Democrats who represent states with industries that would be adversely affected by the bill.

Wouldn't that be most of the states? Depending, of course, on how badly zero wrecks the economy.