Raising the Stakes in the Energy Debate

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Domestic Issues

(AP / CBS)

The passage of a landmark energy and climate change bill in the House of Representatives on Friday represented a major victory for President Obama and Democratic House leaders who managed to wrangle together votes among their diverse party -- tying together the liberal wing of the party with congressmen representing moderate farmers and factory workers.

The bill, however, passed by a razor-thin margin with a vote of 219 to 212 -- with 44 Democrats defecting (and eight Republicans voting for it). Now, as the bill moves to the Senate, both sides of the energy debate are upping the ante politically and turning the legislation into fodder for future elections.

The Republican party is taking aim at junior Democrats from moderate districts who voted for the legislation, betting they will pay the price for their votes. The liberal Netroots, meanwhile, are considering a "full-court press" against senators who may not vote in favor of a more liberal version of the bill.

The National Republican Congressional Committee is planning to launch television and radio ads, as well as robo-calls, against junior Democrats who could be vulnerable in the 2010 elections because of their support for the climate change legislation, the Politico reports. One congressman who could be targeted, for instance, is Rep. Harry Teague (D-N.M.), the first Democrat elected to represent the conservative 2nd District -- which depends on oil and gas production -- in more than 25 years.

"There's a reason why over 40 Democrats in swing districts voted against this," NRCC spokesman Ken Spain told Politico. "They realized that voting for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi's bill wasn't worth the price of millions of dollars in TV ads that would be required to put up what will ultimately be a futile defense of this vote. The question is: What were the others thinking?"

Republicans who voted against the bill were clearly thinking of their congressional victory in 1994 as they chanted on the House floor last week, "Btu! Btu!" The chant alluded to a 1993 energy bill the Clinton administration pushed through the House. The bill ultimately failed, but some say it boosted the Republicans' standing that year.

By contrast, some liberal organizations are saying Democrats will lose ground if they do not strengthen the energy bill.

MoveOn.org, a powerful liberal grassroots advocacy group, is asking its members whether it should use its influence to "turn up the heat on senators who might be tempted to side with Big Oil and Coal."

The organization sent an e-mail to its members Monday saying that the energy legislation will not accomplish Mr. Obama's goals of creating a clean energy economy or new jobs because "Big Oil and Coal lobbyists, working in cahoots with some conservative Blue Dog Democrats, weakened the bill terribly." MoveOn wants members to vote on whether the group should use its resources to "fight to... fix the energy bill" or not. If two-thirds of the voters approve, the group will press the issue in the Senate.

"If we decide to proceed with this campaign together, we'll boost progressive champions like those who fought in the House, and expose conservatives who do the bidding of the oil and coal industry," the e-mail says.

MoveOn, which boasts 5 million members, has already used its clout to target Democrats the group considers too weak on health care reform, such as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.).

The environmental group Greenpeace, which opposes the energy legislation for the concessions it gives to polluting industries, has also asked its supporters to appeal to Congress for legislation to end global warming.

The fight reveals what's at stake as Mr. Obama pushes an aggressive agenda that will take significant compromising to win bipartisan support -- or even make it through a diverse Democratic majority.

"This is when it gets harder," Mr. Obama said at a fundraiser last night about his agenda. "This is when the criticism gets louder... this is exactly the moment we need to fight the hardest."

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
Follow on Twitter »

36 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment

See all 36 Comments


by metnav July 4, 2009 3:39 AM EDT: Even ten years ago, if I had suggested that the majority party?s proposed bill would be withheld from the minority party two hours from the vote ? and then one copy was grudgingly provided, to be shared by all 435 Representatives , you would have looked at me like I was a crazy person??.

Well that?s exactly what happened this past Friday when Congress voted on and passed the infamous HR 2454 Cap and Trade/Carbon Emissions Bill. Final vote: 219 Yea, 212 Nay. A little after 3 am on that very same day a 300 page amendment was added to the original 900+ pages. This is the longest suicide note in history and will further hasten our downward economic spiral. The Senate looks to debate it this Fall where it will likely get nowhere. Friday?s vote may have been a gift to the POTUS for the upcoming UN meeting knowing there?s little chance of it getting thru the Senate. Before Friday?s vote I made my feelings known to our Democratic Congressman. I see he voted No but I?ve no idea what his real motivation was. Some that voted Yes received calls 20:1 urging a No vote and they still voted Yes.

This is about more than just higher electricity rates. It?s a massive redistribution of wealth, further limits our freedoms all under the guise of reducing an essential trace greenhouse gas, and does next to nil for energy independence. This Manmade Global Warming/Climate Change House Of Cards is tumbling down. Every week more and more new contrary evidence is seeing the light of day. The Mainstream Media won?t report it, but this vital information is getting out to those that want honest debate on this important issue.

Looking past the Senate this Fall we have the December Copenhagen UN meeting on a new Global Warming Treaty. Remember the Kyoto Treaty? Well you ain?t seen nothing yet. I shudder to think what the U.S. delegation would love to commit us to for years or decades forward. Lastly there?s the EPA waiting in the wings to regulate all things CO2. Just this past week a leaked string of internal EPA e-mails detailed suppression of evidence that undermines the CO2 argument.

Remember Friday?s vote, because if this horror show is implemented on the American public it will blow up in our face as it has in every country this has been tried. At what cost in dollars and individual freedoms? Mark your calendar in RED, because that is the path we are heading toward. Contact your Senators and ask them if they?re prepared to defend a Yes vote for this misguided Bill. Let them know a NO Vote will ensure your support next election cycle.; Reply to this comment


by PacificGatePost July 1, 2009 5:21 PM EDT: CAP and TRADE Will Create Companies TOO BIG TO FAIL

So what?s the real scoop? Ignore the proselytizers and find out from those who ?shaped? the Bill ?.

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2009/07/dear-mr-president-thanks-again-for-cap.html; Reply to this comment


by ludvig1-2009 June 30, 2009 5:54 PM EDT: Back in high school chemistry, we did an experiment where we timed warming up a beaker of water with a bunsen burner while melting ice. While the ice was in the beaker, there was no temperature increase as heat was being absorbed in the ice melting process. When the ice melted, the temperature increased rapidly. Locally we just had a 110 degree day. That's not all that far from 140, but 140 will definitely terminate you. When all the ice in the polar regions are melted, the sun will be a bunsen burner and the earth the beaker. It's time for Liberals to stop fighting nuclear energy and Republicans to stop cheering for big hog vehicles.; Reply to this comment


by dennisall77 June 30, 2009 5:31 PM EDT: Tyically, on this board, the conservatives are worried about how much fighting climate change will COST us and that they might actually have to give up their SUVs and stop eating out 5 times a week. Liberals are worried about the state of the planet in 50 years for our grandkids. It is obvious with all the changes already happening, that we are in for a load of @rappy weather and devastating storms and rising sea levels that will end up costing us all FAR MORE if we don't stop it now. Where will all those rich convervatives go when the poor and homeless displaced by unliveable situations come after their food, water and shelter? Short sighted conservatives vs long sighted Liberals. Who will win? The greedy or the caring?; Reply to this comment


by quickly101 June 30, 2009 5:15 PM EDT: I hope the bill passes the Senate. True it does not go far enough but it is a starting point. I am so sick of the oil and coal industries wrecking the environment.; Reply to this comment


by bill517 June 30, 2009 5:15 PM EDT: http://cei.org/cei_files/fm/active/0/DOC062509-004.pdf; Reply to this comment

by cdegolier June 30, 2009 5:00 PM EDT

Reading these posts makes me realize the idiot liberals have no idea what they are talking about, they simply listen to whatever their idiot leader algore (expert scientist) tells them. "A report from The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research says that Antarctic ice is growing, not melting away. Ice core drilling in the fast ice off Australia's Davis Station in East Antarctica by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-Operative Research Centre shows that last year, the ice had a maximum thickness of 1.89m, its densest in 10 years." Not to mention could algore please explain why global warming (if caused solely by man) is happening on several other planets? Global warming is a natural cycle the earth goes through and has been for millions of years. And gee, water vapor is the primary greenhouse gas, so should be drain all the oceans?

Are prepared to lose millions of jobs, pay more for electricity, food, clothing, transportation, housing? Do you actually think that companies are going to stick around and pay more in taxes, when other countries would be happy to have them? The effect of this idiotic bill is companies moving over seas taking millions of jobs with them, in turn raising the cost of goods and the the CO2 levels by having to transport the goods back to the US. Many farmers will go out of business meaning more imported food and less controls and again we come back to added CO2 in transporting the food back to the US. Most of the produce I by was grown less than 2 hours from my home, if obama gets his way it will be thousands of miles from my home.

Reply to this comment


by bajabenedik-2009 June 30, 2009 6:12 PM EDT: by cdegolier
Global warming is a natural cycle the earth goes through and has been for millions of years.
------------------------
Yes I agree it is a natural cycle but if you look at the scientific data, the warming has sped up MUCH faster than the "normal" cycle. In other words, the warming that is going on right now shouldn't happen for thousands of years in the future instead of causing havoc within 100 years on Earth now.

by impeachbhb June 30, 2009 4:22 PM EDT

All a part of Obama's wonderful master plan. Use global warming as a way to bring down the American economy as jobs will flow to countries who don't have anti pollution regulations in place.

With Obama in power the chickens will come home to roost. He learned a lot of hate for this country in Rev Wrights church.

He will become dictator and supreme ruler within the next two years. America will never have to worry about real elections again. He will run them like his friends in Iran.

Reply to this comment


by specialty8 June 30, 2009 4:36 PM EDT: I don't think that will happen, even if it is his goal, The bills are coming due and he is making alot more of them. At a time when we need help he is putting more hurt on us. He is a one term president like Jimmy was.


by bajabenedik-2009 June 30, 2009 4:57 PM EDT: Our economy is already in shambles by the practices and policies by our government for the past 20-30 years. Both Dems and Republicans have equal blame in the mess we are in. Pointing fingers at one party is just deflecting responsibility on your own party. When Americans start holding BOTH parties responsible is when we may be able to save ourselves.


by zonkzilla June 30, 2009 4:13 PM EDT: I think the headlines were meant to read "Raising gasoline prices during a depression to keep record profits" or maybe "Raising the stakes of the collapse of the US by raising gasoline prices".; Reply to this comment

by artvandelay005 June 30, 2009 4:11 PM EDT

I can't believe the divisiveness on this. Climate change, if you look at pure numbers and get away from the polarizing force it's become, is very real, at least in terms of the amounts of C02 we're pumping into the atmosphere as both a country and as a planet. The US needs a step in the right direction; whether this provides it or not will be seen in the future, with the hopeful advent of new technologies. Anyway, this wraps up a few sources into one for a better picture:

http://www.newsy.com/videos/climate_bill_heats_up_congress

Reply to this comment


by specialty8 June 30, 2009 4:20 PM EDT: Why don't you tell it to Al Gore? Tell him to unplug some of his heated swimming pools, and turn some of the lights off at his mansion. He uses enough energy for a city block. His motto is "save, make more for Gore".