Last Thursday, we celebrated Earth Day. So now what are we doing this week as a follow-up? We're learning that bipartisan efforts at climate legislation appear to be on the rocks in the U.S. Senate.
While the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman bill is far from perfect, I'm pretty sure it would be better than nothing. As the Sierra Club notes, "The Kerry-Graham-Lieberman proposal can serve as a foundation on which we can liberate America from dependence on foreign oil, create millions of new clean energy manufacturing, construction and service jobs here at home, and slash the carbon pollution that is threatening our economy, our health and our climate."
The Sierra Club adds, "But it will only serve as a solid foundation if the Senate completes it." And that's the rub. Right now the bill seems to be headed for legislative limbo.
Different commentators have different opinions on whose fault it is, but it seems to boil down to the possibility that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to put immigration reform before climate change -- which some see as a campaign move.
And Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is apparently threatening to abandon climate change negotiations (and the bill that bears his name) unless Reid drops the immigration reform efforts.
Immigration has nothing to do with climate change -- at least not directly. But the climate -- indeed, this very planet -- is being held hostage while politicians play their games.
How can they not care?
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