Posted on 04/24/2010 6:25:37 PM PDT by neverdem
The effort to enact climate and energy legislation this year suffered a critical blow Saturday when Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), the key Republican proponent of the bill, said he was unwilling to move ahead because of Democrats' push for immigration reform.
The move forced the other two authors of the bill, Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), to cancel a news conference planned for Monday that would have unveiled the climate and energy plan they negotiated with Graham, the only Republican who had been participating in the discussions.
In an interview Saturday, Graham said he did not see how the Senate could pass any climate and energy bill this year if Senate Democratic leaders and President Obama pushed for immigration reform, as they suggested they would last week.
"The political environment that we needed to have a chance [to pass the bill] has been completely destroyed" by the push for immigration, Graham said...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Lindsay, just what does it take to "destroy" the political environment in your world?
Don't two-to-one majorities against any of this administration's legislation suggest the political environment is already in a shambles.
Whatever makes you think "cap & tax" was a good idea in the first place...???
I am glad Graham did this, but he still does not and will not say the legislation is bad. He is a co-author after all.
How on Earth did South Carolina ever elect this clown?
I am glad Graham did this, but he still does not and will not say the legislation is bad. He is a co-author after all.
How on Earth did South Carolina ever elect this clown?
Really?
Well, where do we think he got the nombre plum of Grahamnesty?
Oh, I remember, it was because he was at one time one of its BIGGEST Rhino proponents!
My concern is McCain loses the primary or sins reelection he will push for immigration reform. MCCain has to go. The Senate GOP memebrs need to tell Graham-nesty that if he even thinks about amnesty then they will do something serious. I am not sure what but something.
If only it were for the right reason.
No, he didn’t. He simply told them that he wanted to do cap and tax first.
If McCain wins the primary and the general, he'll spend the next six years poking conservatives in the eye with a sharp stick at every opportunity.
If McCain loses the primary, he'll spend every waking minute over the next four months poking us in the eye. He could still create a lot of damage in a lame duck session...
“IIRC, they need a two thirds vote to change the rules of the Senate. “
That is my understanding as well that 67 votes are needed during a session to change a rule. However, if the President of the Senate (Biden) declares needing more than majority to pass a bill or judicial nominees (unless stated explicitly in the Constitution) is unconstitutional then he only need 50 votes to agree with him. Before I would think that is too extreme a measure for them to take, but after breaking the rules to get Obamacare passed, I would put nothing past them.
Who'd a figgered?
...is this another Bart Stupak/Ben Nelson “I’ll die on my principles” stunt?
Too Little, too LATE, GOOBER!!!
You’ve proven to be an enemy of Real Americans.. so drop dead, go away, retire.. or all 3 .. I don’t really care.
That would make a great bumper sticker!
John McCain and David Frum are “deeply saddened”...
Taking bets:
Month, day, year, Lindsey Graham announces that he DOES support climate legislation.
IMO, if Graham supports the conservative side of the issues, the pressure for him to come out of the closet will lessen.
No, he intends to spend all his time and effort on Immigration. He allowed himself to be sidetracked to Cap & Trade because he thought Immigration wasn’t going to happen this session.
Immigration is Graham’s Number One. Graham is our Number Two, if you know what I mean.
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