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In Climate Change Bill, What May Become an Election-Year Issue (Dems worried)
New York Times ^ | June 27, 2009 | Carl Hulse

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 ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; btutax; capandtrade; democats; energytax; globalwarming; hr2998; issues; taxincreases; waxmanmarkey
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How legislation gets framed in the public mind is important. Republicans should call this an energy tax -- it will raise electricity and gasoline prices -- and tie it around the necks of the Dems.
1 posted on 06/27/2009 12:42:45 PM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: steelyourfaith; xcamel

global warming ping


2 posted on 06/27/2009 12:43:13 PM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1
Three inconvenient documents: A letter to Sen Durbin, Senate Leader
3 posted on 06/27/2009 12:44:31 PM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.....)
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To: reaganaut1; Little Bill; IrishCatholic; Normandy; According2RecentPollsAirIsGood; ...
Thanx !

 


Beam me to Planet Gore !

4 posted on 06/27/2009 12:44:37 PM PDT by steelyourfaith ("The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money" - Lady Thatcher)
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To: reaganaut1

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.


5 posted on 06/27/2009 12:45:50 PM PDT by misterrob (A society that burdens future generations with debt can not be considered moral or just)
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To: reaganaut1
How legislation gets framed in the public mind is important. Republicans should call this an energy tax -- it will raise electricity and gasoline prices -- and tie it around the necks of the Dems.

Excellent advice.

6 posted on 06/27/2009 12:46:32 PM PDT by Steely Tom (RKBA: last line of defense against vote fraud)
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To: reaganaut1

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.


7 posted on 06/27/2009 12:46:53 PM PDT by La Lydia (.)
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To: misterrob

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.


8 posted on 06/27/2009 12:48:17 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Hey America! How's that "hope and change" thing working out? Are you scared yet?)
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To: reaganaut1
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.

Please let history be repeating itself.

9 posted on 06/27/2009 12:48:30 PM PDT by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: reaganaut1

>>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.”


10 posted on 06/27/2009 12:52:54 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: reaganaut1

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.


11 posted on 06/27/2009 12:53:56 PM PDT by dr_who
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To: reaganaut1

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.


12 posted on 06/27/2009 12:54:32 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Half of the population is below average)
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To: reaganaut1

This is one of several basic issues that separates Republicans from Whigs.


13 posted on 06/27/2009 12:55:26 PM PDT by dr_who
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To: reaganaut1

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.


14 posted on 06/27/2009 12:55:58 PM PDT by savedbygrace (You are only leading if someone follows. Otherwise, you just wandered off... [Smokin' Joe])
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To: reaganaut1
Still, the vote represents a significant risk. As on the economic stimulus and potentially on a health care bill, Republican votes were scarce, creating a clear contrast between the two parties.

And this from the NYTimes. When the Times calls something a "significant risk" to the democrats then you know the Dems have overreached.

15 posted on 06/27/2009 12:55:59 PM PDT by dawn53
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To: reaganaut1
How legislation gets framed in the public mind is important.

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.

16 posted on 06/27/2009 12:56:01 PM PDT by Jagdgewehr
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To: reaganaut1
"“On the floor, it felt like we won,” said Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma"

Where can I get some of what this guy is using?

17 posted on 06/27/2009 12:56:36 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Big Ears + Big Spending --> BigEarMarx, the man behind TOTUS)
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To: reaganaut1

Call it the EXHALE TAX....as another freeper here said....


18 posted on 06/27/2009 12:58:07 PM PDT by goodnesswins (For lease)
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To: reaganaut1
Republicans should call this an energy tax -- it will raise electricity and gasoline prices -- and tie it around the necks of the Dems.

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.

19 posted on 06/27/2009 1:00:55 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Stop dissing drunken sailors! At least they spend their OWN money.)
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To: Nervous Tick

Thanks for reminding me. Newt is for Newt, and nothing else.


20 posted on 06/27/2009 1:05:37 PM PDT by Rocky (OBAMA: Succeeding where bin Laden failed.)
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