HR 5642: An Inconvenient Truth

It’s times like these that I wish Democrats ran the country with an iron fist. Oh, how I long for the FDR years…

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-California 30th) has just written an incredibly comprehensive bill on climate change. The Safe Climate Act (HR 5642) would, through a series of market-based emissions caps, EPA regulations on greenhouse gases, increased CAFÉ standards for automobiles, boosted use of renewable energy and improved energy efficiency standards, launch the first comprehensive plan to control US greenhouse gas emissions.

Through a process of gradual reductions beginning in 2010, our greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 would be 80% lower than they were in 1990. You can read Rep. Waxman’s summary here or, if you’re a real enviro-geek, you can read the entire bill here. The plan is pioneering, economically viable, and of the utmost necessity.

The only “elephants in the room” are the 231 of them in the House, and the 55 of them in the Senate. And they've stubbornly foiled more moderate plans than this before:

In 2003, the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act failed in the Senate, 43-55. Not only was that bill more moderate than HR 5642, but the Senate too, is historically more moderate than the House. Nevertheless, only six (6) Republicans voted in favor of the “bi-partisan” effort.

And that, my friends, is the most Inconvenient of all Truths: As long as the Republicans remain in power, our country will continue to ignore the cries of the global community in confronting this important global challenge. As a result, HR 5642’s chances of getting through the House are the same as a ray of infrared light’s chances of getting through an entirely sulfur-hexafluoride atmosphere (that’s climatologist-speak for “a snowball’s chance in hell”).

The United Kingdom is placing climate change "at the heart" of its foreign policy. Unless you plan on becoming of a member of the Labour Party, it was fun dreaming with you, Rep. Waxman.