John Kerry
Mr. America
“… Syria Elicits Groans In Washington”
So says a headline in Wednesday’s New York Times. And the article by Mark Landler elaborates the cosmic kvetch brought on by the Obama administration’s courting of Damascus. I’ve written about this a few times myself. READ MORE >>
Too Depressed for Outrage
In response to my item about the lackluster push for climate change legislation, reader Sophia responds: I dunno. I think people are plenty outraged but we're also depressed. Plus, We the People aren't 18 years old anymore and taking to the streets (or the beach) is simply impossible. And, as mentioned above, we aren't idiots. There are no alternatives, period, for oil and everybody knows it. READ MORE >>
Can Bingaman Pass A Climate Bill?
The Outrage, Where Is It? (Cont'd)
Does meaningful climate change legislation stand a chance? Maybe. But, as I wrote yesterday, it's going to take more pressure on Congress. Here's how one senior staffer, via e-mail, describes the situation on Capitol Hill: READ MORE >>
Cap And Trade And Systemic Failure
Politico details the Republican turn against cap and trade: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), under pressure back home from a conservative primary challenger, hasn’t come anywhere close to the climate issue that was once a key component of his “maverick” credentials. READ MORE >>
Rolling Stone's Insight
We do not know whether the president will accept General McChrystal’s proffered resignation as Commanding General. But that uncertainty does not at all detract from the real insights to be gained from this most recent contretemps between the Republic’s Commander-in-Chief and his subordinates in the field. There is a pattern here: Consider, first, the president’s leadership for the past two months, during an environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. In that light, consider his leadership in the war of counter-insurgency against Islamic extremists in Afghanistan. READ MORE >>
This story reads like it's from the Onion, but it's in Politico: John Kerry has been the most aggressive advocate of climate change legislation in the Senate this year — so aggressive that it’s rubbed some of his colleagues the wrong way. READ MORE >>
So Much For Lindsey Graham
Once upon a time, Lindsey Graham was the great conservative hope for passing climate-change legislation. He helped draft a (decent, if imperfect) bill with John Kerry and Joe Lieberman. He gave a bunch of passionate speeches about the need to wean America off fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions. He took a lot of abuse from the Tea Party lunatics in his state but stood by the effort because, by all accounts, he thought it was an important cause worth fighting for. READ MORE >>
