With 3 Months Until Copenhagen, Reid Suggesting No Cap-And-Trade Bill Until 2010

[hatrack]

Climate change activists reacted sharply yesterday to indications from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that cap-and-trade legislation mayhave to wait until 2010, warning that the delay could derail international negotiations in Copenhagen.

Annie Petsonk, international counsel for Environmental Defense Fund, said she fears the U.N. talks slated for December will flounder without a clear plan from President Obama to move climate legislation through Congress. "The appearance to the international community would be that the U.S. Congress is just adrift," she said.

Jake Schmidt, international climate policy director for Natural Resources Defense Council, said State Department negotiators need domestic legislation in order to convince China and other developing countries that the United States is prepared to act -- and to push those countries in turn to make emissions-cutting commitments. "We're at a critical stage in the negotiations," Schmidt said. "Reid is sending signals, and it's not clear what they all mean."

Reid, speaking to reporters yesterday, said health care and regulatory reform may dominate the rest of the legislative session, and suggested cap and trade may not come until next year. "So, you know, we are going to have a busy, busy time the rest of this year," Reid said. "And, of course, nothing terminates at the end of this year. We still have next year to complete things if we have to."(E&ENews PM, Sept. 15).

EDIT

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/09/16/16climatewire-senate-delay-on-climate-bill-could-stymie-co-65720.html

[jdlh8894]

1. O.K.? WTH?

[Ian David]

2. Dickless Harry will be on August Recess until 2010. n/t

[BlueDemKev]

3. No Surprise....

Congress' (and Obama's) entire focus right now is getting a health care bill crafted which can pass. That is Obama's top domestic priority and Democrats in Congress know they have to pass something or they're basically finished, as is Obama's presidency. Trying to deal with both health care reform and cap-and-trade at the same time simply is not possible and will only result in the defeat of both efforts.

I also have a sense the White House has gotten so much heat from critics who believe that the House version of the Cap & Trade bill is so far-reaching that it could throw the economy back into a deep recession, so they're sort of trying to avoid the issue right now.

[emulatorloo]

4. Additionally they may be hoping to get more Democrats (real ones) into the Senate in 2010

I beleive all the special elections have resulted in Democrats winning. Republicans in Congress have an approval rating in the mid teens.

[pscot]

5. So they're going to pass Cap'n Trade in an election year

Really???

[BlueDemKev]

6. No, I seriously doubt it

Next year anything Congress does will be done with respect the November elections. The earliest you'd probably see something seriously done would be in 2011.

All the more reason the Democrats need to keep their majorities in Congress!

[excess_3]

7. when is the best time to pass unpopular legislation?

perhaps the best thing is to wait for
Obama's second term.

[Nihil]

8. Change? Schmange!

What did you expect from the Corporate Party's "nicer, gentler" wing?

Action on something that affects profits (and bonuses) for the sake
of "sometime in the future"?