It was a squeaker and the battle isn’t over.
The House of Representatives narrowly passed the Obama administration’s controversial climate bill. The bill calls for a limit on the output of heat-trapping gases in an attempt to curb global warming – also referred to as the cap and trade program.
“The President said that once passed the plan would transform the nation’s economy and create millions of jobs." (Bloomberg)
But only eight Republicans voted for it. Forty-four Democrats voted against it. So can
Obama call it a victory?
Actually, NPR has the perspective of Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte who says nobody wins with this legislation.
“This bill has very important consequences, but those consequences are devastating for the future of the economy of this country, and it's in pursuit of the fantasy of thinking that this legislation will cause us to be able to turn down the thermostat of the world by reducing CO2 gas emissions, when China and India and other nations are pumping more and more CO2 gas into the atmosphere all the time.”
Nobody start celebrating yet, writes Newark Star-Ledger blogger and global warming skeptic Paul Mulshine. He says that Obama could quote “be better off if the Republicans in the Senate manage to kill” the bill:
“If [Democrats] pass this bill and the planet starts cooling, they will look pretty foolish. And if the planet warms, their critics will say the bill made no difference.”
What do you think the chances are that the climate bill will pass the Senate? And will it make any difference to global warming if it does?
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