NY Times Warns House Democrats on Environment

by: wvblueguy

Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 22:28:30 PM EDT

An Editorial today in the New York Times warns House Democratic Party leadership that they had better start paying attention to what put them there in the first place... voters who want change not just in Iraq but on environmental policy as well.  The first two paragraphs of the editorial sums it up pretty well.

When Americans elected a Democratic Congress last November, they were voting to end politics as usual and special interest legislation. On the vital issues of energy independence and global warming they are not only in danger of getting more of the same but also, unless Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders step forward, winding up in worse shape than they were under the Republicans.

Exhibit A is a regressive bill drafted by John Dingell, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat. For starters, the bill would override the recent Supreme Court decision giving the Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, a decision that even President Bush has reluctantly embraced. It would also effectively block efforts by California and 11 other states to regulate and reduce greenhouse gases from vehicles at a time when the states are far ahead of the federal government in dealing with climate change.

 The editorial also says that on some issues these same Democrats are selling out to special interests including the coal industry.

The bill’s fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks are weaker than the president’s proposals and weaker still than standards the National Academy of Sciences says can be met using off-the-shelf technology. And the bill would open the door to a new generation of coal-to-liquid fuel plants favored by the coal lobby that could double the global warming gases of conventional gasoline. (emphasis mine)

 This editorial is a word to the wise for our Senators and our Congressional Delegation.  Are you listening Congressman Rahall? He as well as all of us can read the editorial by clicking here.

I really get pissed when someone accuses Democrats of being weak on the environment like the NY Times did today.