TPMDC
Cap-and-Trade: November 2009

From Dollars To Death Panels: How Republicans Distorted Debates On Capitol Hill

Brian Beutler | November 27, 2009, 8:42AM

With Thanksgiving recess now upon us, it seems an appropriate time to revisit the hysterical Republican whoppers and talking points about the Democratic party agenda that have dominated this Congress. Herewith a top-five list:

Number Five: Paul Ryan Draws Line On Graph

Back in the Spring, when Democrats were putting together the federal budget, House Budget Committee ranking member Paul Ryan (R-WI) released a much-mocked Republican alternative, which would have basically canceled the stimulus and instituted a spending freeze of sorts. The ideas in the Republican alternative budget were roundly rebuked by experts, but Ryan wasn't deterred. Instead of accepting defeat, he unveiled some graphs suggesting that, under Republican budgets, spending would be restrained, while under Democratic budgets, it would blow through the roof.

Except his numbers weren't based on any analysis at all. Instead, Ryan used CBO numbers through 2018 and then drew an upward-sloping line on the graph completely at random. It didn't take long for Republicans to catch on and begin claiming that Democratic policies would make government spending half of GDP before the end of the century.

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Topics: Budget, CBO, Cap-and-Trade, Climate Change, Death Panels, Defense Spending, Democrats, Health Care, House of Representatives, James Inhofe, Jim Inhofe, John Boehner, Judd Gregg, Paul Ryan, Republicans, Sarah Palin, Senate

Cap-and-Trade

Climate Bill Passes Senate Committee Amid GOP Boycott, Baucus Opposition

Brian Beutler | November 5, 2009, 9:58AM

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the planet Earth

A major climate change bill passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee amid a Republican boycott this morning, setting the stage for other panels to amend the legislation. The final vote was 11-1. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)--whose Senate Finance Committee probably have its own crack at the bill--was the lone hold out. No Republicans showed up to vote.

Baucus says he wants near-term emissions targets softened, and to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from stepping in to regulate carbon emissions on its own, pursuant to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling.

After the vote, ranking member James Inhofe (R-OK) appeared on Fox News and, in predictable fashion, lambasted the legislation, calling the committee's actions "unprecedented." He also claimed that the bill is "dead."

Chair Barbara Boxer wasn't nearly so glum.

"We found, after questioning the EPA extensively, that the Republicans' demand for another EPA analysis now would be duplicative and a waste of taxpayer dollars," Boxer said.

The absence of the Republicans during the EPA's presentation was a clear message that their criticism of the EPA analysis was not a substantive one....

We are pleased that despite the Republican boycott, we have been able to move the bill.

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Topics: Barbara Boxer, Cap-and-Trade, Climate Change, Environment, Max Baucus, Republicans, Senate, Senate EPW Committee, Tom Carper

Cap-and-Trade

Voinovich Gets Emotional During Republican Climate Change Boycott

Brian Beutler | November 4, 2009, 4:32PM

The Republican boycott of Senate climate change legislation continues today. But yesterday, Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), whose objections sparked the boycott, insisted, in a tense, almost tearful moment, that his concerns were sincere, and implored Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)--chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee--to humor him.

Voinovich himself sounds pretty earnest. But at the same time, It's hard to fault Boxer, who, after years worth of hearings on the issue, knows that all the additional EPA studies and GOP placating in the world won't win her a single minority vote in committee. So why not move ahead?

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Topics: Barbara Boxer, Cap-and-Trade, Climate Change, Environment, George Voinovich, Republicans, Senate, Senate EPW Committee

Lindsey Graham

Graham: I Understand The Concerns Of Republicans Boycotting Climate Hearing

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2009, 3:32PM

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

As you may have heard, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee kicked off an amendment process on a climate change bill sponsored by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today over the howls of the committee's Republican minority.

The back story's pretty simple, and not at all surprising. The committee minority, led by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), don't want a climate change bill to move forward. The most moderate among them--Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH)--isn't pleased that official EPA reports don't paint a sufficiently gloomy picture of a post-cap and trade future and together, the GOP is boycotting committee proceedings at least until such time as they get their hands on such a study.

But then there's Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

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Topics: Barbara Boxer, Cap-and-Trade, Climate Change, Environment, George Voinovich, Lindsey Graham, Republicans, Senate

Cap-and-Trade

Boxer Slows Cap-And-Trade Markup, Implores GOP To Return To The Table

Evan McMorris-Santoro | November 2, 2009, 6:44PM

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said this evening she plans to fight Republican plans to slow the process of the cap-and-trade bill through the Senate with "patience."

"We're going to wait for them to come," she said at a press conference. "We're not going to rush this through."

Last week, the Republican members of the Environment and Public Works Committee Boxer chairs said they would boycott a markup of the the cap-and-trade bill scheduled for tomorrow. Led by committee ranking member Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), the GOP contingent on the committee say they need more time to review the law and it's potential economic effects.

Their plans to delay the bill appear to have succeeded. Faced with the GOP plan, Boxer said the Democratic majority on the committee decided to "reach our hand across the aisle" and accommodate some of the GOP concerns.