Talk of the Town?
This week I had the unexpected luck to be present for the
unveiling of the "Future of Global Warming Legislation." This was the title of an event hosted by the Center for American Progress in which Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy
Independence and Global Warming, was the featured guest. I went into the event under the impression
that the congressman would have a variety of inspiring remarks relating to the
impending votes on a landmark climate bill in the Senate and the scenarios for
complementary House action. Instead, to my euphoric surprise, the Congressman
introduced his own climate legislation that will indeed (out of necessity) be
the future of
Rep. Markey's bill, the Investing in Climate Action and
Protection Act, creatively branded as "iCAP"
(the congressman is a big fan of technology in addition to fixing global
warming), will reduce carbon emissions nationwide by 85% by 2050 and invest all
self generated revenue from the bill in clean energy technologies and energy
assistance for American citizens making less than $110,000. This bill is truly revolutionary in that it
actually meets the scientific need to reduce
With a bill like this - a bill that pushes the envelope of political possibilities - you would think it would be the talk of the town, right? Well oddly enough, with limited news coverage it appears that Rep. Markey's bill may be Too Hot to Touch, as CBS News put it. Even the nation's leading environmental organizations, while they welcome this bill, seem to show hesitant enthusiasm for the legislation.
Monday evening the Senate will begin debates on America's Climate Security Act - a bill that will cap carbon emissions by 65%. While I have lovingly supported this bill by reassuring myself that, "we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good," I am beginning to wonder if the reason for this statement was not due to the absence of the perfect bill but is instead because of the fear of revolutionary perfection too often cultivated in DC...