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Congratulations to today’s victors

By: Dan Spencer (Diary)  |  June 26th, 2009 at 10:57 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Congratulations to the House Democrats, and their eight Republican abettors, on the passage of the Waxman-Markey cap and trade tax climate change legislation.

Today’s victors are to be congratulated for demonstrating that by using dilatory tactics, such as posting the “final” version of a 1,200 page bill the night before the vote, issuing a 300 page amendment to the 1,200 page bill after 3:00 a.m., and allowing only five hours of debate, it is possible to pass a cap and trade tax plan. A plan that presidential candidate Obama said will cause electricity rates to “necessarily skyrocket“ and will bankrupt anyone who builds a coal-powered plant. And show that it is possible to pass such a plan with a whopping seven vote margin – 219-212, with less than 4% of the favorable votes coming from the loyal opposition and more than 20% of the negative votes coming from the majority party.

It does make wonder what is hidden in all those pages that no Representative really had a chance to read, let alone study, that made the Democrats so determined to avoid a real honest to goodness debate.

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  • http://www.suvstrategery.blogspot.com SoFiMil

    I, unfortunately, will have to pay the price.

  • tarheels23

    Nothing to fear for you guys, at least not yet.

    Hard to imagine this will even make the Senate floor anytime soon.

    • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

      the senate is dominated by the same type of people, out of control left wingers and turncoat “moderate” republicans.

      • tarheels23

        I’m a liberal and would like to see this legislation pass.

        That said, it would have to meet a standard I don’t believe it can meet. Not only that, some of the Dems who voted against it (e.g., cloud-nine Kucinich) cited it as not being strong enough.

        My theory is that this bill got floated as a trial balloon to Blue Dog Dems and Moderate Pubs for the real battle: health care reform.

        • http://theadmiralsbridge.blogspot.com/ theadmiral

          You are exactly right. Section 467 provides a vehicle to fund universal health care through HHS with revenues from Cap and Tax.

          Evil, evil legislation that will destroy this country as we know it.

          • http://www.the41stvote.org rcov092

            http://the41stvote.org/wp/take-action-now-the41stvote/take-action-downloads/

            Look at page 1026

        • USNJIMRET

          “I’m a liberal and would like to see this legislation pass.”
          OK, so far.
          However:
          “That said, it would have to meet a standard I don’t believe it can meet.”
          What standard does it NOT meet, if you want to see it passed?
          Bipartisan ‘cover’ by Republicans who are supposed to be against this kind of tax increase and Government intrusion into daily life?
          Or is it some other ‘standard’ within the concept of the legislation itself that you see as lacking?
          Either way, how can you want to see it passed, if it has failed to meet standards you prefer?

          • tarheels23

            By standard, I mean it’s ability to pass through both houses with any teeth. The version I would like to see pass has no chance, and even the watered down bill it will become appears to be an uphill battle.

            Again, though, I think this bill serves as a guinea pig by which the administration can determine how Blue Dogs will vote, how moderate Pubs will vote, and how much power whips on either side can muster at the moment of truth.

            Based on today’s result, I’d say it was a draw.

            While there obviously are differences in support for cap-and-trade versus national heath care, there are enough similarities that a dress rehearsal made sense.

            You won’t hear anyone from the left admit that point of view, but it does make sense.

      • jonreagan

        Fortunately, the Senate is a different body, with more even representation for small states…..the framers definitely got it right. Whereas California today provided huge numbers in the House for a really bad Cap and Tax bill, they’ll only have two votes in the Senate. States like WV and Indiana have Democratic Senators who are not going to vote for Cap and Tax.

        I think there is a more cynical move going on here from the Obam-orons. Once this thing goes down to defeat in the Senate, they’re going to come back at Dems who voted against it (Webb, Bayh, Nelson, etc) when they try to pass Health Care. The message will be that “you voted against us on Cap and Tax, so you owe us on Nat’l Health Care”……But Obama may be so discredited at that point that he loses on both issues. At which point, his administration will be in serious trouble.

        • gazill

          are right on the first part and wrong on the second, barring the discreditation of Karl Obama, but I am losing faith in our political representatives. Perhaps because my Congressional Rep is George Miller (language restrictions prevent my honest opinion of him from being expressed) and my Senators are (grimace,shudder,shiver) Boxer and Feinstein (whose staff I must admit has been respectful of my many complaints to her).

          I will certainly call and voice my complaint, but I already know to call both is futile.

    • 6eorge Jetson

      West Virginia is a very strong union-loving, loyal Blue state.

      Unless the Democrat is advocating to shrink or shut down the coal industry.

      • chuckie

        shelley moore capito is republican…..and west virginia may not be a loyal blue state much longer if we can’t get these democrats to leave us alone…..

  • MSU_Charles

    Is there a link to the actual bill including the last minute amendment?

    • http://www.the41stvote.org rcov092

      http://the41stvote.org/wp/take-action-now-the41stvote/take-action-downloads/

      Look carefully at pages 1026 & 1027

  • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

    and attach the name of those eight jackasses to every horrible bit in this bill.

    • smagar
  • smagar

    This is the second time they passed a bill they hadn’t read. A bill with major impacts on America’s economy and society.

    They didn’t learn their lesson with Porkulus? This is how they think they’re supposed to govern?

    I think those are fair questions to ask, over and over and over again, in between now and November 2010.

    • tarheels23

      This is not the transparency we were promised. I know it’s complicated and all that, but more effort needs to be made to allow the *public* to review the options presented to its representatives.

    • 6eorge Jetson

  • http://theadmiralsbridge.blogspot.com/ theadmiral

    Check out this little gem.

    SEC. 467. CLIMATE CHANGE HEALTH PROTECTION AND PROMOTION FUND.

    (a) Establishment of Fund- There is hereby established in the Treasury a separate account that shall be known as the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Fund.

    (b) Availability of Amounts- All amounts deposited into the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Fund shall be available to the Secretary to carry out this subpart subject to further appropriation.

    (c) Distribution of Funds by HHS- In carrying out this subpart, the Secretary may make funds deposited in the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Fund available to–

    (1) other departments, agencies, and offices of the Federal Government;

    (2) foreign, State, tribal, and local governments; and

    (3) such other entities as the Secretary determines appropriate.

    (d) Supplement, Not Replace- It is the intent of Congress that funds made available to carry out this subpart should be used to supplement, and not replace, existing sources of funding for public health.

    They’ve created a vehicle to potentially fund a universal government single payer health system administered under HHS.

    They had us running around all week chasing Obama’s ABC infomercial and ambivalence towards Iran all the while knowing they had this sinister language in this bill. Classic Rules for Radicals……look at the right hand while the left hand is playing in the Marxism.

    Unless we started thinking like them, strategizing like them and executing like them…..in other words, stop playing nice and start playing to win, by the time 2010 or 2012 rolls around, esp. if immigration passes, we will be a single party State for generations.

    • USNJIMRET

      More over, during Bohner’s reading of select portions of just the 300 page “Managers Amendment”, he several times referred to changes, deletions, repeals even, of portions of several previously passed laws.
      I’m going to admit to my lack of knowledge by asking, “Is this a usual practice?”
      That is, is it typical for one Congress to alter the language of a previous Congress’s actions?
      And, of course, bury the changes within a now 1500 page document that no one has read.

      • rbdwiggins

        with a clear mandate to “alter” this legislation and inform President Obama of his lame-duck status.

    • bk

      If they do enough of these, they can say the health care bill is free – the necessary trillion or two came from other bills

  • George Claghorn

    From CNN:

    “I can’t begin to tell you how many calls we’ve received,” said Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas. “And it’s disproportionately vote ‘no.’”

    Gonzalez voted “Yea”.

    And here I thought this was the House of Representatives.

    • USNJIMRET

      I also cannot begin to understand the ability of Congress Critters who can receive an overwhelming call from voters to do, or not do, something, acknowledge the calls are “disproportionately” in one direction, yet they vote in the other.
      On second thought, I completely understand the “how” they do it.
      It’s the “why” they do it, and manage to look themselves in the mirror each day.
      Even more, how we the voters continue to enable them to do it by returning them, and their clones, to office.
      BTW, nothing personal meant by that ‘silly George’ part. If it offended, I apologize in advance.

      • George Claghorn

        And unfortunately, they all currently occupy seats in Congress.

    • rmullins

      and I can say that all the no’s he got doesn’t mean a thing. It’s a family tradition for a member of the Gonzalez family to be the congressman of the district. It also comes a no suprise that he was also one the 2 Texas Democratic congressmen to vote for the Comprimise that got it out of commitee. Voting against the bill would contridict his prior vote in the commitee.

  • pilgrim

    In 12 States all the votes were Nay

    Alabama all Nay

    * Aderholt, Robert, Alabama, 4th
    * Bachus, Spencer, Alabama, 6th
    * Bonner, Jo, Alabama, 1st
    * Bright, Bobby, Alabama, 2nd
    * Davis, Artur, Alabama, 7th
    * Griffith, Parker, Alabama, 5th
    * Rogers, Mike, Alabama, 3rd

    Alaska all Nay

    * Young, Don, Alaska, At-Large

    Idaho all Nay

    * Minnick, Walt, Idaho, 1st
    * Simpson, Mike, Idaho, 2nd

    Louisiana all Nay

    * Alexander, Rodney, Louisiana, 5th
    * Boustany Jr., Charles W., Louisiana, 7th
    * Cao, Joseph, Louisiana, 2nd
    * Cassidy, William “Bill”, Louisiana, 6th
    * Fleming, John, Louisiana, 4th
    * Melancon, Charlie, Louisiana, 3rd
    * Scalise, Steve, Louisiana, 1st

    Montana all Nay

    * Rehberg, Dennis, Montana, At-Large

    Nebraska all Nay

    * Fortenberry, Jeff, Nebraska, 1st
    * Smith, Adrian, Nebraska, 3rd
    * Terry, Lee, Nebraska, 2nd

    North Dakota all Nay

    * Pomeroy, Earl, North Dakota, At-Large

    Oklahoma all Nay

    * Boren, Dan, Oklahoma, 2nd
    * Cole, Tom, Oklahoma, 4th
    * Fallin, Mary, Oklahoma, 5th
    * Lucas, Frank, Oklahoma, 3rd
    * Sullivan, John, Oklahoma, 1st

    South Dakota all Nay

    * Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie, South Dakota, At-Large

    Utah all Nay

    * Bishop, Rob, Utah, 1st
    * Chaffetz, Jason, Utah, 3rd
    * Matheson, Jim, Utah, 2nd

    West Virginia all Nay
    * Capito, Shelley Moore, West Virginia, 2nd
    * Mollohan, Alan B., West Virginia, 1st
    * Rahall, Nick, West Virginia, 3rd

    Wyoming all Nay

    * Lummis, Cynthia M., Wyoming, At-Large

    In 9 States all the votes were Aye

    Connecticut all Aye

    * Courtney, Joe, Connecticut, 2nd voted Aye
    * DeLauro, Rosa L., Connecticut, 3rd voted Aye
    * Larson, John B., Connecticut, 1st voted Aye
    * Murphy, Christopher S., Connecticut, 5th voted Aye
    * Himes, Jim, Connecticut, 4th voted Aye

    Delaware all Aye

    * Castle, Michael N., Delaware, At-Large

    Hawaii all Aye

    * Abercrombie, Neil, Hawaii, 1st voted Aye
    * Hirono, Mazie K., Hawaii, 2nd voted Aye

    Maine all Aye

    * Michaud, Michael, Maine, 2nd voted Aye
    * Pingree, Chellie, Maine, 1st voted Aye

    Massachusetts all Aye

    * Capuano, Michael E., Massachusetts, 8th voted Aye
    * Delahunt, William, Massachusetts, 10th voted Aye
    * Frank, Barney, Massachusetts, 4th voted Aye
    * Lynch, Stephen F., Massachusetts, 9th voted Aye
    * McGovern, James, Massachusetts, 3rd voted Aye
    * Markey, Ed, Massachusetts, 7th voted Aye
    * Neal, Richard E., Massachusetts, 2nd voted Aye
    * Olver, John, Massachusetts, 1st voted Aye
    * Tierney, John, Massachusetts, 6th voted Aye
    * Tsongas, Niki, Massachusetts, 5th voted Aye

    New Hampshire all Aye

    * Hodes, Paul W., New Hampshire, 2nd voted Aye
    * Shea-Porter, Carol, New Hampshire, 1st voted Aye

    New Mexico all Aye

    * Heinrich, Martin T., New Mexico, 1st voted Aye
    * Lujan, Ben R., New Mexico, 3rd voted Aye
    * Teague, Harry, New Mexico, 2nd voted Aye

    Rhode Island all Aye

    * Kennedy, Patrick, Rhode Island, 1st voted Aye
    * Langevin, Jim, Rhode Island, 2nd voted Aye

    Vermont all Aye

    * Welch, Peter, Vermont, At-Large voted Aye

    • bk

      It seems to be much more liberal than the states around it.

      • pilgrim

        .

  • http://www.obandcompany.com daezy

    Nearly got there. Can’t stop the tears, but can’t give up either.

    • DONTREADONME

      shed tears, as a male it turns to anger and frustration. Those tears will do you better. It is better for your body and your mind.

      Anyway, hang in there, we tried but again nobody seems to listen. There may be some hope left in the Senate, get in there and start making sure your Senators, whoops, you’re in California, Ok call some other state’s Senators and make sure they understand that you want them to stop this legislation. Smile :)

    • 6eorge Jetson

      51 Senators do not a filibuster break.

  • izoneguy

    I guess we will see when most of the country gets POed with higher energy bills??

    If they don’t want to read the 1200 page bill and the 300 page admendment then they should at least read the links here:

    http://www.heritage.org/LeadershipForAmerica/energy-and-environment.cfm

    I think 219 House members are going to have a tough road the next 18 months.

    • izoneguy

      How the Waxman?Markey Climate Change Bill Would Affect the States, by Congressional District

      http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/upload/wm2504_table1.pdf

      Let’s just highlight the Republicans that voted YES.
      (Call to congratulate them)

      Mary Bono Mack (CA) (202) 225-5330
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$442 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$566 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?4,712 Jobs

      Castle (DE) (202) 225-4165
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$690 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$606 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?4,049 Jobs

      Kirk (IL) (202) 225-4385 (And he?s seriously considering running for Senate!)
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$404 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$493 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?4,164 Jobs

      Lance (NJ) (202) 225-5361
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$379 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$599 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?3,842 Jobs

      LoBiondo (NJ) (202) 225-6572
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$329 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$570 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?3,575 Jobs

      McHugh (NY) (202) 225-4611
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$364 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$556 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?3,247 Jobs

      Reichert (WA) (202) 225-7761
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$453 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$556 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?3,247 Jobs

      Smith (NJ) (202) 225-3765
      Gross State Product Loss in 2012 ?$420 Million
      Personal Income Loss in 2012 ?$565 Million
      Non-Farm Job Job Loss in 2012 ?4,756 Jobs

      But I really doubt these folks will be in Washington D.C. much longer anyway. So they will only hear about until they are defeated for re-election.

      • TNJim

        Too bad more people don’t peruse their great research more. By that I mean Dims. I guess to them Heritage is just part of the VRWC.

        Kinda like the CBO…

        • izoneguy

          They only listen to dear leader:

          • bk

            “If only Bush had signed Kyoto we wouldn’t be in this mess, so it’s not our fault your bill went up so much.”

  • http://brockwayfamily.spaces.live.com/ Erick Brockway

    That supposed Republican representatives could with open eyes, despite all the shenanigans pulled by opposition Democrats, with any conscience at all vote for this piece of garbage.
    If AT LEAST I knew somehow that they actually read and understood the whole thing and voted for it anyway, I could disagree with them but know they voted on principle with full knowledge.
    But they didn’t. They couldn’t. It was either some backroom political buy off, or more probably a blind sacrifice made to the altar of Gaia at the behest of Preacher Algore.
    Either way it’s disgusting, something I’d expect of a Democrat, but not a Republican. If they act like Democrats, then they are the opposition and must be defeated.
    Sure, somewhere along the way I’m sure they voted the right way on something that I should be appreciative of; but on something as momentous and far-reaching as Cap & Trade it goes to core principles and that can’t be ignored or forgiven.
    What next, a yes on the takeover of health care?

    • bk

      The guy who filled in for Michael Savage said that’s what a Democratic Congressman said he was told.

      • Common_Cents

        One of the R’s that voted for crap and tax announced $600k of fed money payola buyoff for projects in his district. Others were in the millions and tens of millions. Not only is he a trader, he was really stupid to fall for only $600k. either way he doesn’t deserve to be in office.

  • http://www.the41stvote.org rcov092

    their corruption. Did you ever think yhat you would see Henry Waxman being held up, in broad daylight, on live TV for as much as 50.0 million dollars for a vote (Alan Grayson, (Shameless Whore, FL)). Even more amazing was Waxman handing it over with nary a wimper.

  • jarrod21

    I assume there’s a provision in the bill to raise my pay to $250k per year. I mean, the pres-uh-dent said that nobody making less than that amount would pay a dime more in tax. Since I’ll be helping pay for this boondoggle I imagine my check is in the mail. Right?

  • 1stRichard

    LIST YOUR EVENT AT WWW.TEAPARTYPATRIOTS.ORG

    Please go to www.teapartypatriots.org

    Please go to http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/ and list your event. Please try to coordinate with others you see posting events there.

  • melvinwinter

    That’s the title of this Onion-style parody of yesterday’s vote. Check out the picture as well: http://www.optoons.blogspot.com/ (June 27 entry)

  • crazymountain

    Hopefully this bill will die in the Senate and be gone. However there are 220 (or those up for re-election out of the yeas) who won’t be seeing the inside of the House after 2010, except as tourists. That is IF Obama doesn’t have a Reichstag fire of his own and become a lifer, like all his heroes…….