It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule. -Gandalf
Lucky bastards. They didn't have to worry about the climate of future generations.
A few weeks ago, I asked Can the Democrats be THAT stupid? about the 2007 Energy Bill. The overwhelming consensus was that they would be.
We were wrong.
The Democrats are rolling back oil subsidies, extending renewable credits, subsidizing hybrids and electric vehicles, and lots more.
There may be a filibuster-- or a veto.
The Dems are not backing down.
This is a test for America. Can we still pass reality-based policy?
This is a test for our community. We criticize Dems when they back down or support silly legislation. Will we help them now?
Please set aside the primary wars for a moment. The outcome of this test will literally shape the weather of those that live after us.
The House and Senate passed slightly different versions of the 2007 Energy Bill, and the two have been reconciled over the last few weeks. For a while things looked very grim.. it looked like they would eliminate all solar, wind and renewable energy subsidies, and give Bush and the Republicans everything they asked for.
Our community expressed its outrage in several rec-listed diaries.
But the Energy Bill that appears to actually be emerging is surprisingly good. Here's the Cunctator's take, and A Siegel's.
Let me try to summarize the good and the not-so-good.
Good
Repeals oil subsidies You know those oil and gas subsidies the free-market Republicans and oil companies like so much? They're gone. All $21 billion of them.
Incentives for hybrids and EVs This will help promote the wave of innovation in the American auto industry that Devilstower recently wrote about.
Efficiency Require more efficient appliances and help people improve their homes. This stuff works, really, really well. But y'all know that. I wrote a diary on my own humble efficiency efforts entitled Negawatts! How I slashed my electricity use and it got 600 comments.
Renewable Portfolio Standards Right now, 25 states require that utilities should get at least some energy from renewable sources. If this passes, all 50 states will have to get 15% from renewable sources. That's progress.
Loans to small businesses to help promote efficiency This both helps save energy and helps keep our businesses competitive as energy costs rise.
Increased CAFE standards 35 mpg by 2020. This is a lot lower than I would have liked, but it is the first increase in decades.
Update: No subsidies for nuclear power The Senate version of the bill contained tens of billions of subsidies for nuclear power. According to reports, this version has none.
Not-so-good
This Bill is not perfect. It has several sins of omission-- no Carbon tax, no phase-out of coal, etc. But most of those aren't politically feasible. It also has a few sins of commission: CAFE standards are weak, and it supports Biofuels (whose primary advantage is that they play well in Iowa) and "clean" coal (even the "cleanest" coal still requires destruction of mountaintops and poisoning of rivers).
But the bottom line is that this bill is a huge step forward. It is likely as good as any politically possible bill. It may even be better.
Naturally, Bush is like to veto it. Just like he vetoed S-CHIP. But the Democrats fought back, and regained much of what they lost in the veto.
And Senate Republicans may filibuster.
Passing this Bill is a test for America. Can we still pass reality-based legislation? Can we prevent Bush and the Republicans from stopping all progress?
If we win, the Democrats may learn that fighting is better than pre-capitulating.
If we lose, the Democrats may yet learn that fighting and losing is also better than pre-capitulating.
Passing this Bill is a test for Daily Kos
When the Democrats looked like they were about to cave, we called them on it-- and rightly so. Now, they are giving us a Bill as good as political reality will permit-- perhaps even better.
Let them know we appreciate their courage.
Let them know we like it when they challenge Bush.
Let them know we appreciate their (mostly) reality-based policy.
Let them know that this is why we knocked on doors, made phone calls, and volunteered for campaigns in 2006.
Let them know that this is why we will knock on doors and make phone calls next spring, summer and fall.
Update:Let them know that this Bill is a good start, but it is only a start. We desperately need a moratorium on new coal plants, real CAFE standards, and everything else the climate scientists say is necessary. We expect these in the 2009 Energy Bill.
How to let them know
-Leave a comment below
-If you have never called your Rep/Senator before about energy issues, now is the time to do so.
-Register your call with the Sierra Club's tool
-50 Reps (30 D, 20 R) identified by the National Wildlife Federation as swing votes on Global Warming.
-If you live in the southeast, be sure to call your Rep/Senator.. because there are fewer renewable options in the southeast, they are less likely to support.
-Call the leadership... just to say "thank you."
Pelosi: 202 225-4965 (fax 202-225-4188) Reid: 202-224-3542 (fax 202-224-7327)
The Democrats are finally showing significant spine and taking a big political risk. A lot of powerful economic interests, and much of the media, will struggle to make their lives miserable so they never do so again. Let's do everything we can to make this go as well as possible for them.
The bill may be voted on today or tomorrow... that's when the fireworks will really start. Let's get ahead of this.