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Filibuster may slow climate change bill
The Department of Water and Power San Fernando Valley Generating Station
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Bill Radke: On Capitol Hill today, Al Franken will be sworn in as the Democratic senator from Minnesota, after eight months of counting and recounting ballots
in his close race. That's important because Democrats now have 60 votes, and every vote will count this week as senators begin work on the climate change bill. From the Marketplace Sustainability Desk,
Sarah Gardner reports.
Sarah Gardner: Senate passage of a climate change bill will be even tougher because of the Senate rule that allows a minority to block a vote by filibuster.
Frank O'Donnell at Clean Air Watch:
Frank O'Donnell: Because of the filibuster threat, the bill in the Senate will be no better than the views of the 60th senator, because it may take 60 votes to break a filibuster.
O'Donnell expects intense pressure in the Senate to water down the greenhouse gas reduction targets. There also could be fireworks if senators try to include a trade clause already in the House bill. It imposes tariffs on goods from countries that don't regulate greenhouse gases.
Chelsea Henderson Maxwell was a climate advisor to former Senator John Warner of Virginia:
Chelsea Henderson Maxwell: You could end up having a little trade war on the floor of the free traders versus the non-free traders. It'll add an interesting dynamic to a debate that's really about energy.
The Senate Finance committee takes up that issue tomorrow.
I'm Sarah Gardner for Marketplace.
But the problem lies in the fact that we have to build airplanes. That requires steel. Someone has to manufacture it. I am tired of outsourcing our companies oversees so that they can profit off us and pay cheap labor I am not disputing the fact that we need to be more concious of our enviornment (which people should have been doing since day one.) And global warming or cooling or as they now call it climate change only exsit in the minds of al gore and his conspiritors. The real point is its come down to wall street vs. mainstreet not republican vs. democrat. Who is really looking out for the best interest of the PEOPLE.
It's not a matter of which country is able to pollute more. It is a matter of doing the right thing. Everyone loses when it comes to destroying the environment.
Besides its been proven over and over that although it costs industry more to install new equipment and generate alternative energy - actually CREATES more jobs.
I believe this bill if it is passed by the senate will be the end of our economy as the bill will cost the average household 3200 dollars per year in new taxes and would ship off our manufacturing plants to other countries. Lets face it we still need steal. So we are going to get rid of our jobs and send yet another industry over sees so they can profit and we can fall into a further depression. Just because we dont make the pollution doesn't mean that brazil china or japan wont make it. Only we wont profit from it. SO if this bill passes it will create "Go Green" jobs however 2 of every 10 will be pemenant jobs and every 100 jobs it creates , it destroys thousands. This bill will not help to flurish our economy. The house was tricked into signing this bill. After they were handed a 300 page amendment to this bill at 3 AM. How twisted is our government? Are they really for the people?
