More lost time

When Bush was elected President in 2000, my first thought was that we had lost four more years to address the issue of global warming.  Then Bush beat Kerry in 2004; four more years of inaction.  It was such a relief when Obama was elected in 2008--at last the issue would be dealt with in a meaningful way.  Obama tried, but as with so many of his policies, the Congress has not been helpful.

Yesterday the Senate did defeat a proposal to block the E.P.A.’s efforts to limit greenhouse gases.  The vote, however, was 50-50.  Not only that, but a measure to impose limits on E.P.A. regulations drew 12 Democratic votes.

As Mitch McConnell noted, “Altogether, more than 60 senators voted in favor of four amendments that, to one degree or another, would restrain the E.P.A.’s power to regulate carbon emissions from farmers, manufacturers and power plants.”  He is optimistic that the E.P.A. will be stopped.

In the House, in the meantime, the debate was on a bill to repeal the E.P.A.’s scientific findings on greenhouse gases.

I thought about Galileo when he had to recant his theory that the earth revolved around the sun.  He is reputed to have muttered under his breath, “But still it moves.” As for the earth, but still it warms.  And now Democrats are joining with Republicans to water down already weak regulations.  I only hope they live long enough to see what they have done.