http://www.frumforum.com/dem-plan-free-money-for-the-coal-industry Building a conservatism that can win again Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:50:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.frumforum.com/dem-plan-free-money-for-the-coal-industry/comment-page-1#comment-49900 kroner Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:07:40 +0000 #comment-49900 There are a lot of entrenched interest groups that have disproportionate influence over lawmakers, often to the detriment of good national policy, and you are right to decry that. We shouldn't stand for that, or for politicians who allow themselves to be so overtly influenced.<br><br>But painting this as a strictly Democratic problem is not taking honest stock of the issue. The reason these few Democratic congresspeople might successfully be able to subvert cap-and-trade is that the rest of the party desperately needs their votes to get this legislation passed. That's because nearly the entire Republican delegation opposes it altogether. And why do most Republicans in Congress oppose cap-and-trade? The main reason is that they too bow to will of the coal, oil and gas industries. They just have better cover since the party has been weaving this into their platform for decades. There are a lot of entrenched interest groups that have disproportionate influence over lawmakers, often to the detriment of good national policy, and you are right to decry that. We shouldn’t stand for that, or for politicians who allow themselves to be so overtly influenced.But painting this as a strictly Democratic problem is not taking honest stock of the issue. The reason these few Democratic congresspeople might successfully be able to subvert cap-and-trade is that the rest of the party desperately needs their votes to get this legislation passed. That’s because nearly the entire Republican delegation opposes it altogether. And why do most Republicans in Congress oppose cap-and-trade? The main reason is that they too bow to will of the coal, oil and gas industries. They just have better cover since the party has been weaving this into their platform for decades.

]]> http://www.frumforum.com/dem-plan-free-money-for-the-coal-industry/comment-page-1#comment-52200 barker13 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:12:37 +0000 #comment-52200 Yeah, Beck was talking about this the other day.<br><br>Would the MSM go along with this, provide cover? Certain Arlen Specter would, right...??? (*SHRUG*) What other Republicans?<br><br>BILL Yeah, Beck was talking about this the other day.Would the MSM go along with this, provide cover? Certain Arlen Specter would, right…??? (*SHRUG*) What other Republicans?BILL

]]> http://www.frumforum.com/dem-plan-free-money-for-the-coal-industry/comment-page-1#comment-49596 joemarier Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:01:19 +0000 #comment-49596 From everything I've read, cap and trade has more to do with trading economic/political favors in the name of the environment, than it has to do with increasing revenues to pay off the deficit. Unfortunately, the Democrats have a pretty strong tradition of opposing consumption taxes. They aren't going to implement them without paying off the states that vote their way. A straightforward carbon tax just won't happen. From everything I’ve read, cap and trade has more to do with trading economic/political favors in the name of the environment, than it has to do with increasing revenues to pay off the deficit. Unfortunately, the Democrats have a pretty strong tradition of opposing consumption taxes. They aren’t going to implement them without paying off the states that vote their way. A straightforward carbon tax just won’t happen.

]]>