Dems Remain Skeptical on Climate Bill | Before It's News

The Hill reports, “[O]ther lawmakers said a nationwide cap on emissions is now substantially less likely. ‘It’s going to be difficult,’ said Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.).” Further, The Hill notes, “A senior Democratic senator said Obama knows the chances of passing climate change legislation are slim and wants to avoid a public failure.”

And Roll Call points out skeptical comments from Sens. Mark Pryor (D-AR) and Ben Nelson (D-NE): “‘I don’t think it moved the discussion that much,’ said Sen. Mark Pryor, who predicted the administration will quickly back off the idea of a comprehensive climate bill. ‘At the end of the day, my guess is they won’t push it that hard,’ the Arkansas Democrat said. ‘I think the president wants it. … I just don’t think there’s 60 votes to do that, even with the oil spill.’ . . . ‘His call to action may not have been about any specific piece of legislation. … I accepted it more in the spirit of, “We have to do something,”’ said Nelson, who called anything resembling cap-and-trade, which he opposes, ‘implausible’ in the current political environment.”

Democrats weren’t very enthusiastic about the prospects of cap-and-trade yesterday, either. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) told Bloomberg News, “There’s not a great call for it in the Democratic caucus . . . .” And Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said, sensibly, “The climate bill isn’t going to stop the oil leak. . . . The first thing you have to do is stop the oil leak.”