Dems more confident on energy bill

Posted: Friday, June 26, 2009 4:50 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress, Democrats

From NBC's Mike Viqueira

The debate on the energy bill is wrapping up. It's going to be close, but House Democratic leaders are now slightly more confident that they can pass the measure.

Evidence that the high pressure whip effort by President Obama and Democratic leaders is paying dividends. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), who had taken the floor just this morning to disparage the bill in no uncertain terms and who later voted against the procedural measure to bring it to the floor, has now changed his mind.

Doggett took to the floor moments ago and said he will support it.

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Comments

What earmark put Doggett over the top? And how much did taht earmark cost the hard working American taxpayers?

Telly Doggs, Oklahoma (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 5:01 PM)

Nothing like the feeling of selling your soul to the devil, ehh Mr. Doggett?

B Crocker (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 5:02 PM)

This bill will hurt the poor. And ALL of us will pay more for energy. That is a tax! Plain and simple.

Click this link if you have the courage to see the other side of this issue, http://www.catostore.org/index.asp?fa=ProductDetails&method=&pid=1441420

Cicero (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 5:03 PM)

Maybe we should get a plaque, inscribe all the names of the reps voting yes on that bill, and put it up with notation "Here are the names of the Congressional men and women that killed off the industral base of the formerly great United States".

Read It and Weep (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 5:05 PM)

President Obama is an excellent negotiator! No doubt he told Doggett that while it wasn't a perfect bill and was watered down, it was likely the best we're going to get. After all, if the blue dogs and republicans don't want to support it now, they certainly aren't going to support it when it reduces emissions even more.

It is so good to finally have this country moving in the right direction. If only we didn't have to listen to the constant drivel from the GOP and libertarians about how the only answer is a total free market with no regulation, no taxes, and no government.

Here's an example of how this bill will be successful. Last summer, when gas hit $4/gallon, people cut back on driving, increased usage of public transportation, and changed their buying habits to favor more fuel efficient cars over giant gas hog SUVs.

By making energy cost more, people and industry are going to have a huge incentive to reduce usage and become more efficient. Those that do will be able to produce lower cost products. Those that don't will have to charge more and will go the way of the dinosaurs (I know that is a stretch for the non evolutionary, global warming is hoax crowd).

It is NOT going to push jobs out of the US. That is already happening because labor is so much less expensive in India and China. Most of what is still manufactured in the US is made here because it requires American technology, or it is too big and expensive to ship around the world. This bill will improve American technology. And it will drive up the cost of shipping big and expensive products around the world.

It is a winner all around!

Chris - IL (Sent Friday, June 26, 2009 5:09 PM)

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