Video: Dingell admits defeat, will vote for energy bill
In September, I wrote Dingell would kill CAFE. Earlier today, I wrote he played a part in delaying a vote on the energy bill in the House. However, a rebel alliance has pushed the vote through, and it should happen later today. We'll have more updates the vote occurs. Until then, I thought this was a must see; the video above is the great John Dingell himself admitting defeat and saying he will vote for the energy bill. So, did he lose? No, the bill is dead.
Huh? In the video above, John says the White House showed no interest. No interest? They threatened to veto it Monday and repeated the threat to veto it again today, again citing Dingell's problem with the CAFE portion of the bill. That's lack of interest? Why would Dingell doublespeak like that? John did the same thing, as you can see in the old video below the fold, when he proposed the gas tax which everyone knew he did not really support.
The energy bill needs friends and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should have just given Dingell a delay, dropped three MPG from CAFE and all of her problems would have gone away. Along with the veto threat from the president, there is a fillibuster threat when the bill goes to the Senate. What will we see in the vote tonight? Will the bill pass? Will the CAFE standard in the bill be lowered? Stay tuned.
Related:
[Source: CSPAN]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
why not the LS2/LS7? 5:18PM (12/06/2007)
Dropped 3mpg? WTF?
It's a 2020 target, there's plenty of time to lower it later if we run up against a wall.
Lowering our target now is dumb.
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Lascelles Linton 5:50PM (12/06/2007)
why not the LS2/LS7?, Dingell supported a 32 MPG CAFE standard. That's what I meant by drop MPG by 3.
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John 7:38PM (12/06/2007)
The energy bill isn't ALL about CAFE.
Good grief!
Do greenies know ANYTHING at all?
Their knowledge of economics is already often woeful...
Sheesh!
Go read up on what's holding up the energy bill.
(Hint: Since you'll think it's normal and never notice it, the bill is a Statist wonder after a back room maneuver by a few House Democrats who no doubt are smarter than we are. They couldn't resist a new government mandate for another industry--and for the states. The Senate told them no, as did the manager of the bill and the White House.)
While you're at it, go read Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand.
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susan.kraemer 7:13PM (12/06/2007)
Pelosi just got the entire energy bill passed!
Victory!!!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/6/16349/0973
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susan.kraemer 7:25PM (12/06/2007)
John,
autoblog green is about cars, hence their interest in improved mileage. Most green sites are celebrating today the many green goodnesses in this green energy bill.
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John Smith 7:39PM (12/06/2007)
Why would they celebrate a bill that will be vetoed?
http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSN0649532120071206
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John Smith 7:40PM (12/06/2007)
Sorry about the double-post.
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Dad 8:39PM (12/06/2007)
"The energy bill needs friends and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should have just given Dingell a delay, dropped three MPG from CAFE and all of her problems would have gone away"
Nancy did not want the bill to pass. That is why she did not negotiate.
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rgseidl 6:57AM (12/07/2007)
Pres. Bush has indeed said he would veto the bill in its current form, which is to be expected in a landmark piece of legislation drafted by his political opponents. The main bone of contention is subsidies for renewable electricity at the expense of direct subsidies to the highly profitable oil industry. Bush has never much cared about the auto industry, except as an instrument to generate demand for dino-juice - which tighter CAFE rules would curb.
With modifications reflecting the power of the oil & gas lobby in the Senate and White House, a watered-down Energy Bill could yet be signed into law early next year. Something may be better than nothing at all. However, time is running short, because as soon as the primaries winnow out the parties' candidates, confrontation will replace what little co-operation exists today.
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Tim 10:52AM (12/07/2007)
What I hate about these bills is that they all include the words "...and for other purposes" in their title so the socialists and Neocons can throw in unrelated pork and special consideration kickbacks to their corporate and special interest sponsors.
There should be ONE bill for EACH purpose so arm twisting, extortion and back room deals couldn’t’ happen. Then again, the legislature is made up of mostly lawyers so you know that backroom deals are happening and NONE of these "deals" are good for "We the People".
If your favorite legislator is also a lawyer, don’t vote for him/her because they are automatically guilty of conflict of interest because they will ultimately make money by litigating the laws they write.
It's impossible for lawyers to be honest because they are trained to make their living by either telling half-truths or by twisting the meaning of words.
Where’s the damn boarder fence? It's a crucial part of our national defense and security.
Whatever happened to term limits and FULL and COMPLETE disclosure of all campaign contributions? Why do ALL projections go well past the next election cycle?
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