Filed under: MPG, Carbon Offset, Legislation and Policy
In this corner, we have the current champion, weighing in at a pretty and firm (classified), the Speaker of the House Nancy "Leader of the Pack" Pelosiiiii! And, in the far corner, we have the challenger, a battler with a long, long record of victories, that Congressman from the great state of Michigan and current chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, none other than Rep. John (The Dingellsaurus) Dingell! This battle will decide the House version of the 2007 Energy bill which recently passed in the Senate.John wants to protect the jobs of his constituents in his district - Big 3 auto jobs - and so he opposes the 35 mpg average fuel economy goal already in the Senate version of the bill. He is also a latecomer to accepting the idea of global warming and doesn't want it solved on the backs of his supporters. With his experience in the House - he has been there since 1955 (52 years!) - he knows every trick in the book to delay, to revise, and to fashion a bill that will exclude the 35 mpg by 2020 car and SUV requirement in the Senate bill. If so, the Speaker has a plan to add it back in during an early round with an amendment from the House. But she better make sure she has the strength (votes) to land that punch before she tries it.
Pelosi is liable to be the overall favorite as she is fighting against global warming and wants to show that her party can move ahead on that issue on automobiles. Dingell, of the same Democratic party, has strong support from Detroit and hopes he can maneuver in the match up to reduce some of the health care costs his friends have to carry.
All in all, this is match not to be missed. Watch what happens when these opponents get in the clinch. Between global warming, health benefits, carbon taxes and efficiency, something is bound to happen. The winner will not take all but will take most. After all, this politics, not boxing.
[Source: New York Times]
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