Graham withdraws support for climate legislation
By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 25, 2010; A03
The effort to enact comprehensive climate and energy legislation this year suffered a critical blow Saturday when Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), the key Republican proponent of the bill, withdrew his support because of what he said was a “cynical political” decision by Democrats to advance immigration legislation first.
The move forced the other two authors of the climate and energy bill, Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), to cancel a much-anticipated news conference planned for Monday at which they were to unveil the plan they negotiated with Graham.
Graham, who spent weeks working with Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) on an immigration measure that will appeal to both parties, wrote in an open letter Saturday to leaders of the climate effort, “Moving forward on immigration — in this hurried, panicked manner — is nothing more than a cynical political ploy.”
Late last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) raised the idea of bringing up immigration legislation before an energy bill, and President Obama on Friday criticized Arizona’s tough new immigration law and said Congress must act on immigration or risk leaving the door open to “irresponsibility by others.”
In an interview, Graham said he has become convinced that Democrats have decided to push for an immigration overhaul in an effort to mobilize Hispanic voters, a key political bloc, and that only a focused effort on a climate and energy bill could ensure its passage.
Democrats denied that election-related considerations were driving the focus on immigration, and the White House, Reid, and Kerry and Lieberman said they would continue to press ahead with the climate and energy effort.
Even so, Graham’s departure greatly undermines Democrats’ prospects of picking up the handful of Republican votes needed for passage. “If Senator Graham leaves the effort, a long shot becomes a no-shot,” said Joe Stanko, who heads up government relations for the law firm Hunton & Williams and represents several industries that would face new federal regulation under a climate bill.
more here at WaPo
==============
Joe Romm must be having a conniption fit about right now.
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Graham is a democrat in republican clothing.
He is reviled in the upstate portion of South Carolina.
For those “not from around here”, South Carolina has three areas of the state, the low country which are the coastal counties, the midlands which as the name implies is the middle area of the state, and the upstate which are those counties which are close to the mountains and the NC and Georgia borders.
He has been censured by at least 4 county party organizations for his actions.
Today he would not be re-elected, but unfortunately, he doesn’t have to stand until 4 years from now. He is basically an untrustworthy lawyer. Hopefully, we can get rid of him at that time. His counterpart in congress, Bob Inglis will lose his re-election bid because he declared himself a hot earther and that doesn’t sit well with the local population of the 4th district of SC.
Looks like Graham is right, for the wrong reasons. Much like the warmenistas are wrong, for the ‘right’ reasons.
Unfortunately, Senator Graham’s concern for “moving forward — in this hurried, panicked manner” does not extend to climate-related legislation. He is still mesmerized by the AGW narrative, and will continue to move forward in a hurried, panicked manner to vastly expand government powers under the guise of “stopping Anthropogenic Global Warming.” Whatever your take on illegal immigration, it is at least a fact rather than a theory.
All Tax/Cap delays greatly appreciated!!
On a related note, according to Chris Horner, there is more bad news for the Obama administration and their push for all things “green”coming Monday:
“You’re going to see the first ethics scandal in the Obama administration. We’ve got our hands on some internal documents revealing a serious conflict of interest at a very high level on these green jobs and stimulus and the policies that Carol Browner was talking about. It isn’t Ms. Browner, but it is someone tied to Al Gore.”
– Chris Horner
http://www.hootervillegazette.com/horner
“Moving forward on immigration — in this hurried, panicked manner — is nothing more than a cynical political ploy.” – Sen. Lindsey O. Graham
Ditto AGW!
That’s very good news but I still have ambivalent feelings about Grahams move!
He is not in any way motivated by the science or better the lack of it and simply plays power politics over the heads of the electorate.
It’s time for a shake up and get some sensible people elected next time.
“A miracle just happened”
Graham heads for the exits. Let’s hope this at least puts this ill-conceived legislation on hold until after the November elections. Working to overturn Arizona’s right to protect itself in the manner of their choosing from drug cartel-related violence will further energize the right.
OT…looks like severe weather in the US thus far in 2010 is at a 10 year low.
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/newm.html
We should deal with immigration first, because the swarm of immigrants into this country could cause it to tip over.
I am unable to understand the voters in South Carolina that vote for this man.
After all it is not a liberal state but Graham always seem to try to be cozy up with the libs similar to John McCain.
It’s well he did this; even if he did it for the wrong reason.
It was a bare-knuckled political ploy that let Graham off the hook.
The Dems were clearly out to buy millions of new votes, something even Lindsay could see was about to place him in compromising shackles.
Says volumes about the “Climate Agenda” based on collective consciousness is neither good for the Earth nor good for America, being driven by ulterior motives.
Just another layer peeled off the onion of shameless Polyscience.
This train in Washington is off the tracks and out of control – period. The worst President in American history in sync with the worst congress and senate equals an environment so unstable that any type of bill can be passed to the determent of our country’s future. This is not my “president” and these are not my “representatives” – I’m sorry, but that’s the way I feel.
Don’t for one minute think that the Climate Bill is off the radar…
As a Canadian I don’t quite understand what this really means. Does this kill it or is just a political move
OT but, my name is Graham, so every time this guy is mentioned it feels like they’re talking about me… I do like the idea that I’ve finally come to my senses. 😀
“Moving forward on
immigrationclimate regulation — in this hurried, panicked manner — is nothing more than a cynical political ploy.”That’s more like it!
There is no evidence that Sen. Graham has “come to his senses.” Sounds like he’s just annoyed that this pet project of his has gotten pushed aside so Obama and the Democrats can try to push amnesty for illegal aliens through first.
/Mr Lynn
Romm is burning.
Sen. Graham’s action was rather predictable. It didn’t take no stinking model to predict it. He had been under heavy pressure to justify his support. He simply could not come up with a better reason than to say that if not this bill then the next bill would be extremely onerous. It’s amazing how those charlatans call this a “climate bill” when it would have NO effect whatsoever on arresting or even stabilizing climate change trends.
“Moving forward on immigration — in this hurried, panicked manner — is nothing more than a cynical political ploy.”
Hmmm….so Sen. Graham finally understands: EVERYTHING this administration does is a cynical political ploy. Everything is about arrogance, power, and containing the unwashed. Mr. Obama himself sums this up nicely in his latest panic / rush-to-pass / cram-down comment on immigration legislation saying Congress must act on immigration or risk leaving the door open to “irresponsibility by others.”
Sounds an awful lot like the group-think that propelled the concept of AGW so far with nothing but anecdotal and fabricated data as support.
Just goes to show what most have said all along – AGW is all about politics, nothing about science & this just hammers it home. I mean come on – if the politicians really thought AGW was a planet-threatening crisis, it would be at the top of the agenda. The reality is that AGW is nothing more than a convenient way for the government to dip their hands deeper into our pockets with an energy tax. Even if you believe AGW is real, the prescribed reductions in CO2 emissions are nothing more than a token gesture.
Graham will resume whooping for Cap and Trade once Obama and Co. bribe him with sufficient porkbarrel money or a nice post-Senate sinecure.
DJ Meredith: “We should deal with immigration first, because the swarm of immigrants into this country could cause it to tip over.”
Agreed.
But hopefully not tip over, as in capsize…like Hank Johnson’s Guam.
Don’t know if y’all were aware of this, but there’s a viral youtube video making the rounds. William Gheen supposedly “outed” Graham. Gheen used the lame excuse that he was “afraid” that “liberals” were using the knowledge to pressure Graham into a more appropriate political stance.
Moderator, I submit that this comment is on topic. Perhaps the “liberals” “prodded” Graham into his AGW stance, and now that he’s been “outed” Graham is losing his fervor?
Why can’t he just say, I just realized it’s all a big lie, to guilt trip taxes from people.
Wouldn’t the truth be best?