Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 06/27/2009 12:42:44 PM PDT by reaganaut1
As Democrats strained to win over crucial holdouts on the way to narrow, party-line approval of global warming legislation, they were dogged by a critical question: Has the political climate changed since 1993?
Veteran members of both parties vividly remember when many House Democrats, in the early months of the Clinton administration, reluctantly backed a proposed B.T.U. tax — a new levy on each unit of energy consumed — only to see it ignored by the Senate and seized as a campaign issue by Republicans, who took control of the House the next year.
“A lot of Democrat members got burnt on that vote,” warned Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the House Republican leader, who called the climate change measure the defining vote of this, the 111th, Congress.
...
Republicans obviously saw the parallels between the 1993 vote and the one Friday. As the gavel came down on their failed push to derail the bill, Republicans chanted “B.T.U., B.T.U.” and seemed almost in a celebratory mood.
“On the floor, it felt like we won,” said Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a party political strategist. “They put a lot of guys on the line.”
The votes were strikingly similar. In 1993, the legislation containing the Clinton energy tax was adopted on a 219-to-213 vote with 38 Democrats defecting. On Friday, the House bill was approved 219 to 212, with 44 Democrats defecting.
In an indication of the queasiness among some Democrats, House approval came only after a determined campaign to sway wavering lawmakers. It took personal intervention by the president and vice president; members of the cabinet; the White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel; Ms. Pelosi; and even last-minute agreements were struck on the House floor.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
global warming ping
When those states that rely on coal and oil see their revenues drop and costs increase there will be hell to pay for politicians. It won’t even matter that someone voted against a bad bill. What matters is the team you played for.
Excellent advice.
This energy tax vote is going to be used to beat the Dems’ opponents about the head and shoulders come next year, when they all have to run for re-election.
Yesterday, the GOP provided cover for the two ‘RATS from Arizona who come from coal and oil districts. They both got to vote “No” due to the 8 Ratpublicans voting “Yes”. The GOP had their backs.
Please let history be repeating itself.
>>Republicans should call this an energy tax — it will raise electricity and gasoline prices — and tie it around the necks of the Dems.<<
Simple and straightforward message (the only one modern Americans can understand).
This should be BANGED HOME every chance. Even when (I pray) the Senate kills it, every real Republican (not the 8 that we will — WILL — eliminate), should hit this every chance. “YOUR democratic party voted on a bill that will increase your gasoline, electricity and ALL OTHER costs. YOU will pay it. And the poor will pay much more since they can’t afford it as much. YOU have been betrayed.”
Republicans can waver and tiptoe around the “Energy Revolution” bullshit that the AP is currently touting for their boy Obama, but that’s a losing strategy. This is a full-scale attack on the private sector and the US economy, and the GOP needs to drive that point home or just give up and go home.
They were not and are not scared enough.
We need to make them even more fearful of US.
At the rate things are going, if I don’t emigrate elsewhere first, I’ll have time on my hands to work against these sorry bastards.
This is one of several basic issues that separates Republicans from Whigs.
I’d suggest a small tweak. Call it an energy tax that energy companies will pass on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
And this from the NYTimes. When the Times calls something a "significant risk" to the democrats then you know the Dems have overreached.
Very true. The public has the attention span of about a nanosecond in duration. Unless the Hussein/Democrat policies of poverty, tyranny and destruction begin to affect the public and they make the connection with Hussein and the Democrats, count on his popularity staying in the favorable column.
Where can I get some of what this guy is using?
Call it the EXHALE TAX....as another freeper here said....
Ah, Republicans. The Stupid Party. Republicans blew it months, if not years, ago on climate change. They could have positively PWN3D the 'Rats over the economic pain this will cause the people, had they held on to common sense and genuine scientific inquiry instead of caving.
But they have blown their credibility, big time. Didn't John McCain come out in agreement with the climate change forces during his pitiful little campaign? And let's not forget about THIS idiotic boner that Newt pulled...
"It's American to disagree. It's also American to come together in the face of a challenge. And few challenges are as urgent as global climate change".
Gee, thanks, Newt! You ignorant monkey.
Thanks for reminding me. Newt is for Newt, and nothing else.
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