What 7 Republicans Could Do (Tom Friedman looking for "heroic GOPers" to help pass energy bill)

New York Slimes ^ | 07/21/2010 | Thomas Friedman

[SeekAndFind]

The hour is late, but there is still a sliver of time to pass a serious energy bill out of this Congress. To do so, though, would require President Obama to rustle up votes with a passion that he has failed to exhibit up to now, and, more importantly, it would require at least seven Republican senators to put the national interest above party and politics. Yes, I know that is all unlikely. You can laugh now. But just remember this: If we don’t get a serious energy bill out of this Congress, and Republicans retake the House and Senate, we may not have another shot until the next presidential term or until we get a “perfect storm” — a climate or energy crisis that is awful enough to finally end our debate on these issues but not so awful as to end the world. But, hey, by 2012, China should pretty much own the clean-tech industry and we’ll at least be able to get some good deals on electric cars.

The energy bill now being discussed in the Senate — which would raise energy-efficiency standards, require utilities to get 15 percent or more of their power from renewable sources, like wind and solar, and create a limited cap on carbon emissions from power plants — is already watered down just to get 53 or so Democratic votes. But at least it gets us started on ending our addiction to oil and mitigating climate change. Unfortunately, right now it is not clear that a single Republican senator will even vote for this watered-down bill.

That is pathetic. Rather than think seriously about our endless dependence on oil, the G.O.P. has focused its energies on making “climate change” a four-letter word

[ANGGAPO]

And a note to myself. Nuclear power is the way to go. Clean, and in the end cheap. It employs lots of people in construction and operation. No soot or ash to contend with, and it does not pollute anything. And being that Obama has deep pockets we should get started on it.

[truthguy]

When has the Slimes ever not been a joke?

50 years ago.

[G Larry]

Hey Tom!
Just which “problem” do you believe this bill is “solving”?

1-It produces less energy than is produced today.
2-That energy costs more.
3-That energy impacts the environment just as much, only in different ways (as noted by Feinstein shutting down the 500MW solar plant in the desert)
4-It is ONLY a wealth tranfer scheme that shuts down American industry and costs jobs

NOBODY that votes for this sham of bill is a “hero”!!!

[Peet]

15%, huh? Scam. We have a con-man in our area trying to build an incinerator (euphemistically called a “biomass plant”). He had the gall to say in an editorial suporting the scam that CO2 from burning tree waste (and garbage eventually - they almost ALL do) is different from CO2 from coal and oil.

Right. Pull the other one, scammer...

Peet (cynical bahstid)

[Paine in the Neck]

I see Lindsey Graham jumping up and down squealing “Me! Oh, me! Oh, me, me, ME!!”

[SeekAndFind]

RE : When has the Slimes ever not been a joke?

50 years ago.

---

Fifty years ago ? The Slimes has been a joke ( and a tragic one at that ) EARLIER than that !

As early as the 1930’s the New York Times ( via their reporter Walter Duranty ) REFUSED TO REPORT the deliberate mass starvation of Ukrainians by the Soviet Communists. Duranty knew about Josef Stalin’s policy of deliberately starving the people of Ukraine to punish them for defiance, and intentionally kept this news out of the Times.

Duranty even won a Pultizer for his reporting and this prize was never revoked. The Slimes to its shame, never bothered to take action on this travesty. If they had an ounce of honesty and honor, they would disown Duranty’s award.

[SuziQ]

But just remember this: If we don’t get a serious energy bill out of this Congress, and Republicans retake the House and Senate, we may not have another shot until the next presidential term or until we get a “perfect storm” — a climate or energy crisis that is awful enough to finally end our debate on these issues but not so awful as to end the world.

*rolls eyes* So those nasty Republicans will be all about "Drill, baby, Drill", and won't even consider all of our 'clean energy' proposals like windmills and solar power, even though it's been shown that the 'alternative' energy will NEVER be able to power the country as needed.

I, for one, would love to see more research into cellulosic gasoline, that is gas made from fibrous plants, so that we don't keep using FOOD to make fuel! If that process were perfected, we could use plants like switch grass, kudzu,and the mile-a-minute weed, all of which grow like wildfire, and would be a constant source for fuel. It may never REPLACE gasoline made from fossil-fuel, but it would be a good multiplier for it.

[Buckeye McFrog]

They only need to find three. Snowe, Graham, Collins and Brown can’t wait to support it, I am sure.

I wonder if Scotty would be so eager to support it if Hugo Chavez were not providing his constituents with free heating oil?