In an otherwise informative and well-written article on local climate action, “Cities, States Aren’t Waiting For U.S. Action on Climate,” Post reporter Juliet Eilperin gets the lead paragraph wrong:
With Washington lawmakers deadlocked on how best to curb global warming, state and local officials across the country are adopting ambitious policies and forming international alliances aimed at reducing greenhouse gases.
Washington lawmakers are NOT deadlocked on how best to curb global warming. Most Democrats and a few Republicans want to take action to curb global warming. President George W. Bush and the congressional leadership want to take no action.
For instance, as Think Progress posted last week, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) said that if Republicans remain in power after the November elections, Congress won’t “do anything meaningful” on climate.
Or consider the Senate. The bill from John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) that would put an absolute cap on U.S. greenhouse gas emissions received just 38 votes in the summer of 2005. John Shanahan, senior Counsel to Senate Environment Committee chair James Inhofe (R-OK), said in February 2006:
“You need sixty votes in the U.S. Senate to pass anything. They have got 38 right now. And they may go for something ‘super light’ to win a few more symbolic votes. But they will never get sixty.”
Contrary to the implication of Eilperin’s lede, the White House and the conservative lawmakers who control Congress aren’t wrangling with progressive politicians over “how best to curb global warming” — they are dead set against any action at all.