Bennett and Freed: It’s the Economy, Stupid
It’s one of the most over-quoted scraps of paper in political history, but James Carville’s war room bulletin board list from 1992 should nevertheless go up on the walls of every energy reform advocate in 2009: “Change vs. more of the same; The economy, stupid; Don’t forget health care.” Read the full articleCochran: House Paves the Way for Bill’s Success in Senate
Big change is hard, particularly in Congress. The status quo has its defenders, and that’s absolutely true in energy policy.Sandor: It’s Time U.S. Benefits From Cap-and-Trade
But something extraordinary just happened: A majority of the House — including Members from coal states, industrial states, farm states and some reform-minded Republicans — passed a clean energy bill that will cut oil imports and put us on a path to a low-carbon economy. That’s a change in energy policy beyond anything in most Americans’ lifetimes....
The Waxman-Markey bill that narrowly passed the House in June had a cap-and-trade system at its heart. With the bill now in the Senate, much concern remains about whether capping greenhouse gas emissions will hurt the U.S. economy, especially during a period of fragile economic recovery. Debate remains intense. But key facts, often overlooked, may provide some perspective....Timmons: An ‘Anti-Energy’ Bill Is the Wrong Approach Today
When the Senate takes up legislation that attempts to address climate change next month, everyone should be clear the debate is really about an energy bill — or more accurately, an “anti-energy” bill....Forrister: Companies Need Certainty, Not Delay
In the wake of House passage of energy and climate legislation, the big question confronting the Senate is whether to act this year — which will no doubt involve much effort and compromise on all sides — or whether to wait....
Reilly, Rowe and Tierney: Guidelines for Reliable, Affordable Cap-and-Trade
Seventeen years have passed since President George H.W. Bush traveled to Rio de Janeiro and joined world leaders in pledging to stabilize greenhouse gases from human activities. Since then, U.S. emissions have increased 14 percent while global emissions have risen nearly 36 percent. Clearly a new global effort is needed. And time is of the essence....Mason: EU Cap-and-Trade System Provides Cautionary Tale
In the past several months, energy and climate discussions have taken center stage on Capitol Hill with lawmakers scrambling to meet the aggressive deadlines they’ve announced for cap-and-trade legislation. Top House and Senate Democrats agree that it’s imperative they pass climate change legislation. However, our nation’s leaders must also recognize the importance of taking the steps necessary to review proposed policies with a critical eye....Kamarck: Gore’s Carbon ‘Tax Shift’ Beats Cap-and-Trade
In late June, the House of Representatives narrowly passed a historic climate change bill. Now, the Senate has taken up the task of creating its own version of this enormous and complex legislation — an endeavor that’s likely to face many challenges. In fact, passage is far from certain....And many more older pieces.
