Could Senator Spector’s Party Switch Aid a Cap-and-Trade Bill?
Arlen Spector is no environmentalist. This former Republican, now Democrat Pennsylvania senator is rated a mere 32% by the League of Conservation Voters and has made many an anti-environment vote in the Senate. Sure, Spector’s switch from one party to another may be more motivated by a desire to survive the 2010 elections than a real change in his standpoint. But, some believe that his about-face might help speed a cap-and-trade bill through the Senate.
From The Daily Green:
Specter’s party switch nominally will make it easier to pass a climate bill with the 60 votes necessary to shut off filibusters. If and when the interminable Minnesota Senate race finally ends with comedian Al Franken clinging to a narrow lead, the Democrats will have reached the magic number of 60. Specter, however, like other conservative Democrats from coal-dependent states, won’t necessarily be a slam-dunk vote for a cap-and-trade bill unless there are free allowances or other provisions to ease cost impacts.
Specter’s record on environmental issues has been, at best, fair to middlin.’ He tended to follow rather than lead, and it showed in his ho-hum numbers in Republicans for Environmental Protection’s annual Congressional Scorecard. With new leaders to follow, perhaps his environmental voting record will change.
Others aren’t so sure. From Reuters columnist John Kemp, via The Guardian:
Until now, the threat of a filibuster sustained by the 41 Republicans in the chamber has masked divisions among Democrats themselves. If the Republicans are reduced to 40 votes and unable to block legislation, Democrats will find themselves in an uncomfortable spotlight.
Party divisions were on display earlier this month when 26 Democratic senators from industrial and Midwest states broke with colleagues from the coasts to bar the use of the expedited budget reconciliation process to pass climate change legislation using a cap-and-trade programme.
On financial regulation, healthcare, and Social Security, the party is deeply split between liberals anxious to push ambitious reform, and centrists who favour a less radical approach. Given these divisions the president may not have 50 votes, let alone 60, with or without the support of Specter and Franken.
Specter’s change of party makes little difference. Together with Maine Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Specter was already one of the most liberal Republicans in the Senate. In many areas, the administration could already count on his support to assemble ad hoc 60-vote majorities even as a Republican. Nothing will change.
It’s also important to remember that Spector is from a coal state, and he’s not likely to support any cap and trade programs that don’t include special provisions that allow the industry in Pennsylvania to remain relatively unharmed.
As anxious as we are to get a move on with climate change legislation, this likely won’t be a quick and easy battle, even with a 60-vote majority in the Senate.
Link The Daily Green + The Guardian
Photo credit: MSNBC
Related posts:
- Climate Bill Faces Tough Battle in the Senate
- Democrats Won Vote to Combat Global Warming
- Climate Bill Will Cost Consumers Way Less than Republicans Claim
- Nuclear Industry Moves to Hijack Obama’s Climate Bill
- Right-Wing Pundit Freak Out Over ‘Madoff-Waxman-Markey’ Bill
This entry was posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Consciousness, Green Living, Health, Science, Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
