All across Virginia, people are asking Sen. Webb to support the Climate Security Act. No, really - check out this map. It's Virginians who have not only contacted Sen. Webb urging him to strengthen and pass the bill, but taken an extra minute to enter it in a map at the National Wildlife Federation's Climate Action Center.
You'd expect supporters in liberal hotbeds like Northern VA and places threatened by sea level rise like Hampton Roads. But there are also dots in places like Botetourt, Rockingham, Craig, and Pittsylvania Counties.
Tonight's rally puts Sen. Webb's lack of support so far in starkest contrast. Sen. Obama and Mark Warner support strong climate action. Even Gov. Kaine has endorsed the Climate Security Act. The cloture vote is expected Friday at 9am. Will Sen. Webb stand alone in backing the Republican filibuster against recharging America's economy?
Email Sen. Webb right now to urge him to support moving climate action forward.
The summary is that I would prefer fewer allowances given away for free and less direct spending in favor of more auctioned permits and reductions in taxes or direct refund of revenues.
MSP
Unfortunately, we don't get to pick which climate bill they vote on. But please, enlighten me -- if you won't fight to strengthen a bill that isn't perfect, how do you expect to get one that is? Will senators somehow sense your unhappiness and do whatever they can to soothe you?
A better bill can (and will) be written instead of trying to patch and mend this one. The problem with pushing to pass any and every piece of environmental regulation regardless of its quality is that genuinely bad bills are allowed to masquerade as the "best we're gonna get." Our lawmakers have learned all too well that we, the electorate, are willing to accept mediocrity because it's the best we're gonna get. Well, that shouldn't cut it. Saying that this bill should be defeated because a better bill can be written is not surrendering to those who don't want any regulation. It's actually saying "We care enough about this to demand something better than your half-a** effort in an election year."
This bill is also dead for reasons beyond its actual content. It's being held hostage by Senate Republicans unhappy because the Senate has not acted on enough of Bush's judicial appointees (the Senate pages were last seen reading the list of judicial appointees in the Senate records, stalling any debate on the climate bill). Senate Dems don't have enough votes to limit debate, so even with the best language imaginable, this bill is still dead.
While I see that Webb did vote in favor of limiting debate so this bill could move forward, I think what you've missed in this is that Webb's reticence wasn't a sign that he was not pro-environmental reform and aware of the issues surrounding global warming. I think he didn't really like this bill. You paint with a very broad brush when you lump together those who didn't like it because it wasn't nearly as strong as it should (and could) be with those who don't believe global warming is an issue.
I know politics is the art of the possible, and that you definitely don't want to see laws or sausage being made, but I didn't like the bill as written.
It didn't pass anyway.