US Senator Barbara Boxer today finally brought the historic debate over climate change to the US Senate. 74 Senators voted to proceed with a debate, thwarting a filibuster threat. As Senator Joe Lieberman noted at the pre-motion press conference, this is the first time the US Senate will be debating remedies for global warming in any meaningful way.
President Bush threatened his veto before the debate over whether there would be a debate this week had even begun. He claimed the market-based "cap and trade" proposal in the bill would increase gas prices. Senator Boxer noted that gasoline prices had increased 250% under President Bush precisely because there is no policy to end Americans’ dependence on petroleum.
While OWD prefers a carbon tax and regulation of the gas supply over the current legislative proposal for "cap and trade," in order to meet carbon dioxide reduction goals, there’s no question an historic threshold has been crossed. A real debate over energy policy has begun. The key to an honest debate is the recognition that the interests of the consumers and the environment are co-joined. The only way to cheaper gasoline is by getting cleaner fuel and shedding our dependence on the petroleum economy. "Cleaner and cheaper" should be the rallying cry of the movement, one that will embrace Americans who now face $4 per gallon gasoline no matter where they live, with no end in sight.