Joe Lieberman is writing the Senate global warming cap-and-trade bill with Sen. Boxer's stamp of approval. The proposed bill is a straightforward piece of polluter welfare. In addition to various coal industry subsidies, the bill gives away nearly all of the emissions credits that would be traded under the cap-and-trade scheme.
According to the the Politico, at today's PPI/DLC forum Joe Lieberman said he and John Warner are open to changing their bill from a proposed 76% give-away of pollution credits to 100% auction, following the polluter pays principle:
We've heard [calls for a 100 percent auction] from some stakeholders and heard that from some of our members. We're thinking about it. Warner and I haven't closed our minds to that. It's on the table.
Lieberman almost definitely will be unveiling the bill next week. Now's the time to pressure your Senators and the environmental groups to take a stand for 100% auction.
Democratic Senators on the EPW Committee (most haven't taken a public position)
* Barbara Boxer (Chairman)
* Max Baucus
* Joseph I. Lieberman
* Thomas R. Carper
* Hillary Rodham Clinton
* Frank R. Lautenberg
* Benjamin L. Cardin
* Bernard Sanders
* Amy Klobuchar
* Sheldon Whitehouse
Environmental Lobbying Groups/Think Tanks (most haven't taken a public position)
* Environmental Defense
* League of Conservation Voters
* U.S. PIRG (for 100% auction)
* Sierra Club
* NRDC
* Union of Concerned Scientists
* World Wildlife Fund
* American Lands Alliance
* Pew Center on Climate Change
* Friends of the Earth
* Environmental and Energy Study Institute
* Urban Land Institute
Progressive Groups
* MoveOn
* Center for American Progress
* Brookings Institution
STATE BLOGS
