Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Pelosi’s end run around Petro-Dems (with Markey as fullback)

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Throughout the years, one of the main obstacles to Democratic action on energy independence has been midwestern Democrats, especially those representing the interests of the Detroit Dinosaurs, the auto industry. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), for instance, has opposed mandatory increases in auto efficiency standards, while remaining a fairly reliable liberal Dem in other regards. And Rep. John Dingell sounds pretty much like a flat-earther global-warming skeptic.

It’s excellent news that Speaker Pelosi has at least made an attempt cut through the seniority-mandated nonsense about the climate, and appointed my own Rep. Ed Markey as head of the new  Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Needless to say, Dingell isn’t too happy about being trumped by Pelosi and Markey, his erstwhile protégé:

The member of Congress with the most to lose under the new arrangement is Representative John D. Dingell, a Michigan Democrat who has been a longtime champion of Detroit automakers and who has consistently resisted forcing them to boost the fuel economy of their vehicles.

… The new Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming is charged with probing climate change and developing approaches to slowing the pace of global warming. Markey, the 16-term Democrat who is expected to be named chairman today, would almost certainly bring a more aggressive approach to the issue than Dingell and some of the other current committee chairmen.

This shows urgency, guts and vision from Speaker Pelosi. She is plainly not just going back to pre-1994 business as usual from the Democrats. Great job!

And Mr. Markey — let us know what we can do to help. We’ve got your back.

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Comments

  1. There are lots of petro-Dems, including some newly elected ones like MT gov Schweitzer and MT Sen Tester.

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    It turns out that lots of states have coal deposits in them.  Check it out:

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    So, lots of Dem Congressmen tend to be pro-coal, including some from Dem or Dem-ish (Congressional-wise) areas like Penn, Ohio, KY, WV, TN, Illinois, Missouri, Dakotas, Montana, Colorado, and New Mexico.

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    So, what to do?  Well, you’re going to keep hearing about so-called clean-coal as well as CTL (coal to liquids) using the FT (Fischer Troph) process.  These methods won’t do jack squat for reducing carbon emissions, but they will help relieve the trade deficit of some of its energy costs.  The key is for the rest of the Dems to notice these maps:

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    Wind energy resource map (not where the turbines are, but where the wind is):

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    Solar energy resource map (not where the solar cells are, but where the sun shines):

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    Between wind power and solar power, you’ve got most of the Senate (but a smaller percentage of the House, due to the dense but neither super windy nor super sunny Northeast).  Although New England doesn’t have much in the way of renewable energy prospects w.r.t. most of tUSA, you also have a bunch of pro-renewable energy Dems in Congress from New England, and they “get it.”

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    In short — it’s easy to see why coal gets such a lobby from Congressmen, but it’s also easy to see how the Dems could easily build a coalition of advocates for wind and solar energy, from most parts of the country.

  3. I have had some run-ins with Markey regarding his past support on Iraq, but I have to admit that his latest position on the global warming committee, and his defense of net neutrality had been extremely welcome.

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    I am still not sure where he stands on Iran, and whether he would support a resolution in Congress denying the President authorization to attack Iran.

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    But, credit where credit is due.  He deserves a hand.

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