Henry Waxman’s radical climate change agenda has hit a bump in the road: moderates. In other words – politicians who know killing the economy in their home states would be disastrous for their political careers. Either way, it’s still good news even if it is just politics as usual. Not that I wouldn’t mind seeing a few Democrats run on their sword. Just not this sword.
After months of haggling, he still doesn’t have a deal that moderates will support. On Wednesday, he had to back offhis threat from a day earlier to skip a key subcommittee vote after members raised a ruckus. And, to top it all off, the president and others are breathing down his neck to wrap up work on climate change so that Waxman can turn his focus to the blockbuster fight of the summer over health care reform.
“Henry has some decisions to make,” said Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), a key moderate voice in the negotiations. “Everyone has been very clear about where they need to be to get to ‘yes.’ … The chairman has a very good read of the committee.”
This is the first real test for House Democrats since Barack Obama moved into the White House. Failure to move this climate change measure through the chamber would be a body blow to the whole party — even if isn’t going anywhere in the Senate. And negotiations, to this point, have only highlighted the divisions Waxman must try to bridge.
