Dems Use Nukes to Lure GOP to Climate Bill

Republicans need a net gain of 3 seats, and 5 Dem-held seats are toss-ups

(NEWSER) - Thanks in part to a rash of Democrats retiring from the Senate , things are looking pretty good for the Republicans in 2012. In the first edition of its 2012 race ratings, The Hill places five seats currently held by Democrats in the “toss-up” column—and Republicans only need a net gain of three seats to win control. Three of those toss-ups are due to retirements; the other two are Montana Sen. Jon Tester and Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson. More»

3 years in the making; first of its size in the nation

(NEWSER) - While climate legislation flounders in Congress, California is taking the lead: Air regulators there voted yesterday to cap industrial greenhouse gas emissions and instate the first carbon-trading program of its size in the US, the Los Angeles Times reports. “Most political people said we should do as little as possible as slowly as possible” because of the economy, said an official. "We are being cautious and careful, but in the context of a very bold effort." More»

(USER SUBMITTED) - With all the focus on the House, the GOP has been quietly laying the groundwork to take back the Senate and stun the Democrats. The GOP needs to win 10 Democratic Senate seats while not losing any of their own. A tall order in anybody's book, but tossup races in several states that were thought to be Dem safeties—Wisconsin, Washington, and California—bring the possible seats the GOP could capture to 11. More»

It's as politically inconvenient as ever, but Senate must pass true cap

(NEWSER) - Wouldn't it be great if you woke up this morning, opened the newspaper, and read all about how climate-change deniers were right all along? Al Gore thinks so, but instead, you'll find his op-ed piece in the Times, warning that while climate deniers might've gotten a chuckle over leaked emails, the overwhelming majority of science supports the fact that global warming is more perilous than ever—and just as inconvenient. More»

Kerry, Lieberman, and Graham are crafting an alternative

(NEWSER) - So long, cap-and-trade. The idea is all but dead in the Senate, with Joe Lieberman, John Kerry, and Lindsey Graham working on what the Washington Post calls a "radical, behind-the-scenes overhaul" of the bill to curb greenhouse gases. It's expected to be unveiled next month. Though cap-and-trade has passed the House and been the main legislative approach for a decade, it simply has too many political and corporate opponents to survive in the Senate, write Juliet Eilperin and Steven Mufson. More»