Climate Bill Doesn't Go Far Enough

(NEWSER) - The cap-and-trade climate legislation that could come up for a House vote tomorrow makes no economic sense and “is likely to be the biggest tax in American history,” write the editors of the Wall Street Journal. Democrats are defending the bill with an incomplete Congressional Budget Office estimate that itself admits “does not indicate the potential decrease in gross domestic product.” And that will be disastrous. More»

Environmentalists call payments 'waste of taxpayer money'

(NEWSER) - Whatever the good intentions were, the $89,000 the House of Representatives spent on carbon offsets doesn’t seem to have done much, the Washington Post reports. Most of the money went to fund programs that were going on anyway or had already ended. “It demonstrated why offsets are controversial and possibly pointless,” said one environmental activist. “This is a waste of taxpayer money.” More»

President delivers closing argument to enthusiastic crowd

(AP) - President Obama described the stakes of this weekend's health care vote in stark terms today, using words uttered so rarely out of the White House that they seem all but banned: "If this vote fails." What then? "The insurance industry will continue to run amok," the president declared, pointing to rising rates, denials of coverage and limits on care. More»

In coal-country, Republicans turn election into vote on Obama policies

(NEWSER) - Republicans are latching on to the idea of a Democrat-led “war on coal,” hoping to woo anxious residents of coal-country states like West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio by presenting their rivals as hostile to the industry—and it's working, and could lead to the Election Day demise of some Democratic House incumbents. Dems deny the war exists, and most have good records when it comes to the industry; some even voted against cap-and-trade legislation. But that hasn’t blunted the power of the rhetoric. More»

Executive order requires federal agencies to reduce waste, conserve energy

(NEWSER) - Federal agencies have until 2020 to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 28% under an executive order President Obama signed today. The order also calls for improvements in energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste reduction. "As the largest energy consumer in the United States, we have a responsibility to American citizens to reduce our energy use and become more efficient," Obama said before signing the order. More»