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 Warming Up a New Politics?Posted on Jul 1, 2009By E.J. Dionne Hours before the House passed its cap-and-trade bill last week, freshman Democrats Tom Perriello and Frank Kratovil were pondering the political fallout of the votes they were about to cast in favor of a plan Republicans were denouncing as “cap-and-tax.” “Maybe we should be called the conscience caucus,” said the 34-year-old Perriello, who won his southside Virginia district last year by 727 votes even as Barack Obama was losing it by 7,512. He recalls Kratovil, 41, replying that perhaps they would be known as the caucus of soon-to-be-unemployed congressmen. Kratovil, who narrowly won a Maryland district that Obama lost to John McCain by 18 points, does not remember his precise reply to Perriello. But he acknowledges that “it would have been easier politically not to take that vote.” That some highly vulnerable Democrats in the House were willing to face tens of thousands of dollars worth of Republican attack ads as the price of supporting a bill to curb global warming is the untold story of what, so far, is the year’s most dramatic legislative showdown. Advertisement All of that is true, but it misses another dimension of the fight: a number of relatively young, politically vulnerable House members who had campaigned on promises to cleanse the environment decided that this vote was a risk worth taking. “A bill created by the old politics,” says Perriello, “was passed by the new politics.” Well, yes, but as Perriello is the first to acknowledge, old politics operated right to the end. Take the cases of Kratovil and Colorado’s Betsy Markey, another freshman Democrat from a district Obama lost. Both represent significant numbers of farmers. Their votes weren’t secured until the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., won last-minute changes protecting farm interests. For Kratovil, one key was making sure that Maryland farmers, who already work under stringent state-imposed environmental standards, would receive the same benefits under the bill as farmers in states with less-demanding rules. For Markey, major issues included helping rural electric cooperatives and protecting dairy farmers who feared the bill might impose a “cow tax” for cattle producing methane by way of, shall we say, a thoroughly natural process. Kratovil said he could not have supported a bill that hurt agriculture, “which is huge as an economic engine vital to my district.” With the amendments, he was free to vote in line with his core campaign promises: to promote “renewable fuel, to reduce our dependency on foreign oil, and to protect the environment,” including the Chesapeake Bay. But another factor is changing the political calculus: the rise of a substantial alternative energy business that encompasses wind and solar. For the first time, the political meaning of the word energy is not confined to oil and gas, even if old energy is still far more connected politically. Among the employers in Markey’s district are Vestas, a leading supplier of wind power, and Abound Solar, a spinoff of research at Colorado State University that manufactures photovoltaic panels. Markey adds that a large strip of her district is one of the most promising parts of the country for producing wind energy, and “this bill really helps our eastern plains.” Underscoring the dawn of a new energy politics were the eight Republican votes cast in favor of the bill, notably those of Mark Kirk of Illinois and Mike Castle of Delaware. Both are considering campaigns for the U.S. Senate next year, and they may see a future that others in their party don’t. Still, for many potentially vulnerable Democrats who backed the bill, there will be short-run political pain. Perriello and Markey were among 14 House members targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee for their votes. In Perriello’s case, a tough television ad predicts huge increases in electricity prices. Perriello is philosophical about the assault, though he says he’s surprised that Republicans are “using information they know is fundamentally wrong.” He plans to use the July 4th weekend in his district to talk about the urgency of energy independence and the potential for renewable energy jobs. Perriello’s fate will be a test of just how new our politics have become. E.J. Dionne’s e-mail address is ejdionne(at)washpost.com. © 2009, Washington Post Writers Group Previous item: Political Foolishness and Teen Pregnancy Next item: Suddenly, a Trillion Dollars Is Too Expensive? Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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America Performs Its Familiar Role of Propping Up a Dictator
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By Night-Gaunt, July 4 at 1:56 pm #
My assessment is that it is a charade. Finger puppets of democracy for the masses as the Cabal’s agenda goes forward. To remove our republic and replace it with a paradise of dog-eat-dog Capitalism and piety on every street, TV and place you go. Oh, and no protections for you & me. If you aren’t of the elite, the rich, powerful and in control then why have you pissed off God? Being Calvinists they believe everything is predestined from the silver spoon up their ass to us working as wage slaves in corporate sweat shops or killing apostates on the battlefields.
Report thisBy gezelda, July 3 at 5:27 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Why will the U.S. go to war and spend many trillions to kill people and tear up an entire country when they were not entirely sure that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction? Then turn around and gag over spending several trillions to cut pollution from oil and gas and create thousands of “green” jobs because they are not entirely sure that global warming is real?
Report thisBy Samson, July 3 at 9:12 am #
Here’s what’s strange about American politics. In the last election, the Democrats massively out-fund-raised the Republicans. Obama and the Democrats broke all the records on money raised. Obama is a very popular President with high approval ratings. In general, a sizeable majority of the American people support a policy of doing something about climate change.
So, shouldn’t it be the politicians that opposed this bill that should be quaking in the boots at the powerful political machine that is going to steam-roller them in the next election. Shouldn’t they be the ones fearful of ‘attack ads’ in the next election? Along with an angry and popular President coming into their district? And facing an electorate demanding actions about why they won’t do anything about climate change?
This was what I’ve never understood about Democrats. How they won’t use political power when they hold it? They won’t use their podiums and ability to talk to the people to really talk to the people. Obama and the Democrats could clobber these Republicans right now, yet they seem to hold back and pull their punches.
Why aren’t the Democrats running their own attack ads accusing Republicans who oppose this (and even stronger measures) of destroying the planet. Accuse them of standing with the ever-popular oil companies. Oil companies and health insurance companies are all hugely hated across the land. Yet the politicians who stand with them get a free pass politically. Why?
Watch the Democrats pull their punches in every fight for at least a decade, and eventually you start to ask the question about whether they really want to fight. Or is this all a big charade?
Report thisBy Purple Girl, July 3 at 7:05 am #
“God’s Green Earth”- Best defensive Liberal ad I have ever seen!
Report thisInteresting the Repugs and their Holey Roller zealots are all about God and ‘Godliness’, except when it might effect their pocketbook,Clean rewable energy, healthcare,SCHIP….Do they even still taut the phrase WWJD anymore- or was that too coutnerproductive to the Corp overlords agenda.
It wobbles the mind how Rightwingers can claim a Religious doctrine of charity, empathy and love, yet support a political party which abhors all three. What kind of psychotropic meds are dispensed to registered Repugs at these Rallies, Teabagger parties, Church? Obviously their political leaders have some means to control which schizophrenic state their followers are experiencing at any given time.Or more likely they are all posers, who only use their religious ‘credentials’ to malign and betray the rest of US.I think it worthwhile for Dems to resurrect the poignant question “What Would Jesus Do” whenever confronted with one of these Deceivers and their hypocritical arguments.
By Big B, July 2 at 11:02 am #
Has no one been paying attention, according to Fox News (yea, I cannot believe i was watching it either, but it’s the only thing on the YMCA gym in Wheeling WV where I work out. Kinda explains alot about WV doesn’t it?)but I digress, all the fox news pundits say that global warming is a lie, and part of a global commie conspriracy led by the egghead science community. So just put your trust into the corporations, and their lapdog politicos, and all will be well.
And buy some hip waders, and a small raft.
Report thisBy Outraged, July 2 at 2:06 am #
“Perriello and Markey were among 14 House members targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee for their votes. In Perriello’s case, a tough television ad predicts huge increases in electricity prices.
Perriello is philosophical about the assault, though he says he’s surprised that Republicans are “using information they know is fundamentally wrong.”
If this were simply a republican v democrat scrape it would be one thing. It isn’t. Remember, these republicans, for the most, are not the traditional type. They are capitalist ideologues, losing their choke hold on America and they will fight like the rabid dogs they are. Look how far we’ve come…...(I actually somewhat agree with E.J.), but it will continue to be a tough fight.
Using information THEY KNOW is fundamentally wrong is their M.O., more correctly it should be understood as propaganda or lying. “Surprised”.....? Mmmmm…. No.
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