Daily Briefing - 1/18/07

As I write this, debate "rages" on the floor of the House over H.R. 6: The CLEAN Energy Act, which cuts subsidies and reforms royalities forcing Big Oil to pay their fair share. It is a solid step in the right direction in our ongoing fight against global warming. It is an odd feeling to have Congress do the right thing with regards to global warming.

Even more surprising is the traction global warming bills are beginning to get, from the great Boxer-Sanders bill which will cut emissions 80% by 2050 to the less stringent but quite worthy McCain-Lieberman bill to the less-than-stellar Bingaman-Specter bill. The fact that Congress has put global warming at the forefront of its agenda shows that they are finally catching up to the majority of the American public. Bout darn time.

MW
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Daily Briefing – 1/18/07
655 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Bill on climate move to spotlight in new Congress
o Here is a graphic that compares the three bills
o Feinstein and Boxer differ
o Akaka joins with Boxer and Sanders
- Bush might finally get real
- Insurer trade group launches global warming web site
- Nuclear energy should be a part of fight, says PG&E chief
- Rutland Herald: Vermont can lead on global warming
- Global warming “just a natural cycle”
- Grist: Bright lining
First 100 Hours: Energy
- Democrats say House energy bill will pass
- Grist: Enviros delighted by House energy bill
- Oil lease chief knew of error
- TomPaine.com: Energy control and political power and Funding an energy future
- Washington Times: Democrats’ taxing energy policy
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- House approves cut in student loan rate… WOOHOO
o Senate to consider bill
- U.S. will revise trade pacts to meet Democrats’ demands on little things such as labor rights
- Wow, talk about transparency… Sen. Tester’s schedule
- Franken for Senate?... He’s thinking about it.
- Novak: GOP is in a quagmire
Potential ‘08ers…
- Obama (Got Hillary scrambling), Edwards (throwing his $.02 in on the surge), Biden ad Hagel (cosponsor a no-troop-rise bill), Clinton (steps up criticism of war)
- WSJ editorial: It’s Hillary versus everybody else
Other News from the Media
- The White House likes “clean coal” too
o Response from Grist
- Looking at California’s water scenario
…and the Blogosphere
- MYDD: National trends for ’08 Dems
- They don’t like H.R. 6 over at RedState
- Instapundit gives us a porkbusters update
- Grist:
o The political climate: Senate and House
o Checking on Canada
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- We had to know this was coming
- Hugh Hefner, 80, wants another kid
Quotes O’ the Day
“I guess there is a little bit of a manhood thing here where one side is going to show the other.” ~ Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) giving a reason why the ethics bill was stalled in the Senate.

“I’ve been losing arguments to a good-looking brunette for 22 years, so I’m used to this,” Mike Pence (R-IN) said, referring to his wife, Karen, and now presumably, to Nancy Pelosi, the new speaker.