Along with about a dozen other bloggers, I had an opportunity to meet with former President Bill Clinton in his New York offices today (apologies for the content delay created by my presence at the meeting). During this time, I was able to ask him about the Agriculture Committee holding up the Waxman-Markey climate change bill.
In regards to the committee's attempts to have the USDA determine who receives carbon offset credits, President Clinton said that "too many carbon offsets have nothing to do with agriculture" for the USDA to become the appropriate regulatory agency. He added that "it's not the right thing to do. Keep it in the EPA."
President Clinton did note that Chairman Peterson, like many of the Democrats on the committee, comes from a conservative and rural district. However, making the USDA the regulatory authority is something that "not even the coal industry" would support.
Further, toward the end of the meeting--which covered a wide range of topics--President Clinton told the assembled bloggers that one of the best things they could do for elected Democrats is to function as a "counterveiling" source of progressive pressure. That is, he encouraged us to offer left-wing criticism of Democrats on key policy areas, and that we should urge our leaders and elected officials to favor further reaching, more community-focused public policy. In fact, he indicated that he would have wanted more such progressive media pushing him during his time in office.
Additionally, President Clinton told the assembled bloggers that they should focus their pressure in a "sophisticated" pattern, focusing specifically on members of Congress who could be the most influenced. By this, he meant Democrats in safe blue districts afraid of primary challenges, and members of both parties in districts that could be swung in the next general election. He also indicated that he believed this was the start of anew progressive era in the federal government--the first since the mid-1960's--and was hopeful that major progressive agenda items on health care and climate change would pass as a result.
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I have to say, it all made sense to me. Hopefully, the climate change activists, media figures and organizations who have stayed surprisingly quiet about the Agriculture Committee hijacking the Waxman-Markey climate change legislation will take this advice.
And no, I am not making this up. President Bill Clinton really said this all to me, and other assembled bloggers, today. The other attendees, and soon to be released photos, will be able to verify that this took place and that all my quotes are accurate.
I know it is surprising, but this did really happen. He isn't very Villagerish, even if he is a bit hesitant to call himself left-wing. He certainly seems to welcome left-wing criticism directed at him personally, becuase it he believes it provides him room to break away from the Village. That might explain why the Village hated him so much during the 1990's.
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