Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy
White House threatens to veto energy bill again
Recently we reported that the CAFE issue was largely settled in the energy bill. On CSPAN Monday, Edmund Andrews of the New York Times even dared to say Dingell "lost." Do not underestimate the power of the Dingell side, you have no idea of the power he possesses. Don't believe me? Let's keep in mind that, according to the Detroit News, Dingel did an interview Saturday where he said he got no help from the White House.
On Monday, though, the White House threatened to veto the bill noting problems with which agency would regulate CAFE, which I find an odd problem for the Bush Administration to bring up now. I think this is Bush responding to Dingell's wishes, so don't be surprised if we see the supposedly settled issue of CAFE revisited many more times or the energy bill not pass at all because of issues with CAFE. Dingell is all powerful and makes the Sith Lord look like hash browns.
Related:
[Source: Detroit News, CSPAN]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Domenick 7:49PM (12/04/2007)
Nice picture. I always thought wearing glasses made people look smarter. I guess not. ^_^
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BlackbirdHighway 9:12PM (12/04/2007)
Domenick, you must be too young to remember Jerry Lewis.
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susan.kraemer 9:50PM (12/04/2007)
Last chance for us green drivers to lobby (vote comes up Wednesday) for these sensible long overdue measures: call the congress switchboard to get through - specially for these two hold outs:
Domenici (R) New Mexico
Snowe (R) Maine
(202) 224 3121
Incentives for Hybrids. It establishes a plug-in hybrid/electric vehicle tax credit for individuals and encourages the domestic development and production of advanced technology vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Repealing Big Oil Giveaways to Invest in Renewable Energy. The measure repeals about $21 billion in tax subsidies for Big Oil, mainly including provisions from H.R. 6, which passed the House in January, and the President’s budget. It closes a loophole written into the international tax bill (H.R. 4520) and rolls back the 2005 Energy Bill tax break for geological and geophysical expenditures.
The Renewable Energy Standard provision, which was contained in the House-passed bill, requires utilities to generate 15 percent of electricity from renewable sources – such as wind power, biomass, wave, tidal, geothermal and solar – by 2020. It permits utilities to meet up to 4 percent of their target through energy efficiency.
A 15 percent Renewable Electricity Standard will reduce global warming emissions and lower energy prices and fossil fuel and natural gas consumption and is endorsed by a broad range of businesses, manufacturers, electric utilities, environmental, labor, farm, and faith-based organizations.
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GreyFlcn 12:29AM (12/05/2007)
Looks like Domeneci demands his Nuclear Pork.
http://action.foe.org/pressRelease.jsp?press_release_KEY=283
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/washington/31nuclear.html?ei=5090&en=a84a18d418eb04e8&ex=1343534400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
http://greyfalcon.net/energyresearch.png
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Domenick 5:04AM (12/05/2007)
BlackbirdHighway: I only wish I was too young to remember Jerry Lewis. But maybe I should commented instead, "Where are her hands?"
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Tim 7:14PM (12/05/2007)
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.
What exactly is, is?
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Dad 10:08PM (12/05/2007)
Until President Bush arrived, there was no support for renewables like SDHW or PV or Wind Power or insulation or energy efficient windows, etc. President Clinton DID nothing except BIG fat SUVs and cheap gas.
I just installed a solar domestic hot water heater (SDHW) because of GW and Federal Tax Credits. When the President Clinton was in charge for 8 long dry years with absolutely no plan for renewable energy I wanted to go renewable. With President Clinton a lot of talk and no action. And look at the mess we are in after 8 years of neglect by President Clinton. Gas guzzling SUVs and cheap gas. What a freaking legacy. Makes me ashamed to be a Democrat. None of these incentives existed under Bill Clinton.
So bad mouth Bush. I do it every day. But for those of you that get a rebate for buying a Hybrid vehicle, or Federal tax credits when you install solar hot water heatr or photvoltaics or wind power or add insulation to your attic, remember one little fact, it happened under President Bush's watch.
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Wildgoosechase 12:54AM (12/06/2007)
It's hard to stomach given what they teach in universities but to date the president that has signed the most environmental laws was none other than Richard Nixon. Almost makes you think Republicans aren’t exactly monsters at all.
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Harvest 11:25PM (1/08/2008)
CAFE is a dumb program which shifts blame from the consumer to the manufacturer for a problem that is not necessarily their fault.
Wouldn't a fuel tax make more sense? Include a couple of exclusions for commercial transport and you'll see consumers clamoring for more efficient cars and auto-makers more than happy to make them.
Anyone who thinks this most recent CAFE program is going to have any sort of positive impact needs to read the fine print of the bill, especially the flex-fuel loophole.
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mughal 10:52AM (3/02/2008)
Bill again in White House as 1stfirstgentleman on december 2008 USA [44th firstLady]
http://www.1stfirstgentleman.us/
http://www.whowillbenextuspresident.blogspot.com/
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