Comments on: Dingell’s fatal blunder — refusal to compromise http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:48:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Rick C http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22857 Rick C Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:24:38 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22857 Dingell can serve best by getting the hell out of the way of progress which he has successfully blocked for so long, or is it so long, as in, so long Dingell. Dingell can serve best by getting the hell out of the way of progress which he has successfully blocked for so long, or is it so long, as in, so long Dingell.

]]> By: crf http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22849 crf Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:50:39 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22849 This is good for the Democratic party, and for Dingell as well. The task of reducing carbon dioxide and of advancing new energy sources shows the necessity of new laws, policies and relationships with automakers, and with industry in general. A person who has been intimately involved with the current course of industrial policy may find it personally and politically difficult to engage in very thorough criticism and reform of those same policies. Dingell is needed in this process, but not as a leader needing to move forward quickly in a new direction. He'd be more effective as a necessary critic. This is good for the Democratic party, and for Dingell as well.

The task of reducing carbon dioxide and of advancing new energy sources shows the necessity of new laws, policies and relationships with automakers, and with industry in general. A person who has been intimately involved with the current course of industrial policy may find it personally and politically difficult to engage in very thorough criticism and reform of those same policies.

Dingell is needed in this process, but not as a leader needing to move forward quickly in a new direction. He’d be more effective as a necessary critic.

]]> By: Jim O'Rourke http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22826 Jim O'Rourke Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:11:58 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22826 Ah, Dirty Dingell hoist on his own petard - how satisfying and appropriate. Ah, Dirty Dingell hoist on his own petard – how satisfying and appropriate.

]]> By: alex http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22811 alex Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:10:19 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22811 Here are the latest official figures on CO2 - it's not good: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=from-bad-to-worse-with-greenhouse-gas-emissions Kyoto countries emissions rose between 2000 and 2006. If you include the US and China the picture is far worse. Stop worrying about where you get your wine from or the US (ex) car industry's emission standards. These factors are not going to make an iota of difference. Get Obama over to Poznan pronto. Here are the latest official figures on CO2 – it’s not good:

http://www.sciam.com/ article.cfm?id=from-bad-to-worse-with-greenhouse-gas-emissions

Kyoto countries emissions rose between 2000 and 2006. If you include the US and China the picture is far worse.

Stop worrying about where you get your wine from or the US (ex) car industry’s emission standards. These factors are not going to make an iota of difference. Get Obama over to Poznan pronto.

]]> By: alex http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22810 alex Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:00:12 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22810 Joe, Petty politics and playing "green credentials" game is not going to change anything. You need to get back to the really big issues of how the US is going to lead the world down a contract and convergence road to a low carbon future. This is all about real politics at a global level. Joe, Petty politics and playing “green credentials” game is not going to change anything. You need to get back to the really big issues of how the US is going to lead the world down a contract and convergence road to a low carbon future. This is all about real politics at a global level.

]]> By: PurpleOzone http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22806 PurpleOzone Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:15:54 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22806 Don't underestimate some of the people behind Waxman. Dingell has been an impediment to dealing with climate change. Obama says this is what he most wants to work on (and I expect his job creation/economic program will include a substantial boost to 'green' jobs). Also, Dingell has been weird at times -- why go after David Baltimore? (later awarded a Nobel Prize in biology). I was surprised he was still in Congress. Not the brightest bulb there. Don’t underestimate some of the people behind Waxman. Dingell has been an impediment to dealing with climate change. Obama says this is what he most wants to work on (and I expect his job creation/economic program will include a substantial boost to ‘green’ jobs).

Also, Dingell has been weird at times — why go after David Baltimore? (later awarded a Nobel Prize in biology). I was surprised he was still in Congress. Not the brightest bulb there.

]]> By: Ray http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22797 Ray Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:21:24 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22797 I am an ultra conservative, fiscally that is. And even I applaud this. Dingell and his Kabbul including the CEO's of the Big 3 and the Union Officials should be imprisoned for what they have done to the American public. Good for Waxman. Great post! I am an ultra conservative, fiscally that is. And even I applaud this. Dingell and his Kabbul including the CEO’s of the Big 3 and the Union Officials should be imprisoned for what they have done to the American public. Good for Waxman.

Great post!

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22796 David B. Benson Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:21:23 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22796 Glad DIngall fell on his ... Glad DIngall fell on his …

]]> By: Russ http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22788 Russ Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:35:28 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/23/dingells-fatal-blunder-refusal-to-compromise/#comment-22788 <i>Two days after Mr. Waxman announced his challenge this month, Mr. Hoyer asked if he would be willing to wait two years, to allow Mr. Dingell, the longest-serving House Democrat, a graceful exit and to preserve the Congressional seniority system. Mr. Waxman said no.</i> This really grinded my gears. The result is a good start, but it shows what we're still up against. "Wait two years" - time-servers indeed. In Hoyer's world, everything is just a big joke, and the only thing that matters is the stupid political game. Waxman said No. I hope that No wasn't just out of personal ambition; I hope it's also because he's fully aware that we have a real Situation here, and we no longer have the luxury of stupid frills like "graceful exits" and the "seniority system". In his defense Dingell and his supporters could only summon pointless and irrelevant nostalgia. For example John Lewis said in effect, because Dingell helped get the Civil Rights Act and Medicare passed back in the 60s, he should have a welfare chairmanship, sacred in perpetuity. Even if you believed Dingell's career had been mostly constructive when he wasn't carrying water for Detroit, still he could appeal only to the past, thereby implicitly conceding he has nothing to offer the present or future, except obstructions. Waxman's been generally good so far; now hopefully he can <i>really</i> get to work. Two days after Mr. Waxman announced his challenge this month, Mr. Hoyer asked if he would be willing to wait two years, to allow Mr. Dingell, the longest-serving House Democrat, a graceful exit and to preserve the Congressional seniority system. Mr. Waxman said no.

This really grinded my gears. The result is a good start, but it shows what we’re still up against. “Wait two years” – time-servers indeed.

In Hoyer’s world, everything is just a big joke, and the only thing that matters is the stupid political game.

Waxman said No. I hope that No wasn’t just out of personal ambition; I hope it’s also because he’s fully aware that we have a real Situation here, and we no longer have the luxury of stupid frills like “graceful exits” and the “seniority system”.

In his defense Dingell and his supporters could only summon pointless and irrelevant nostalgia. For example John Lewis said in effect, because Dingell helped get the Civil Rights Act and Medicare passed back in the 60s, he should have a welfare chairmanship, sacred in perpetuity.

Even if you believed Dingell’s career had been mostly constructive when he wasn’t carrying water for Detroit, still he could appeal only to the past, thereby implicitly conceding he has nothing to offer the present or future, except obstructions.

Waxman’s been generally good so far; now hopefully he can really get to work.

]]>