Sen. Byrd blasts Energy Bill

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-11-21 01:47pm

From the Charleston Gazette, Friday Nov 21st.

November 21, 2003
Robert C. Byrd

Energy bill is another empty promise from Bush

SENATORS have before us the long-awaited energy bill. For the more than three years of its making, we have been led to believe that this was to be the piece of legislation that would go a long way toward solving our nation’s energy problems. But instead of providing for our nation’s energy security and stability, this bill does little more than codify back-room bargaining, underwrite the administration’s corporate contributors and further deepen our deficit ditch. This bill is a monstrosity of gifts for special interests. Its passage will mean another lost opportunity to shore up our nation’s energy security, provide for future economic growth and protect consumer interests.

The White House and Republican advocates may argue that this bill is national, comprehensive and strategic. It is not. Advocates argue that this is a premiere jobs bill, and hundreds of thousands of new jobs will be magically created because of the pixie dust that is sprinkled throughout this bill. But these are empty assertions. This energy bill will be neither an economic shot in the arm nor a jobs booster.

The White House and its secretive energy task force have done their utmost to dictate the terms of energy legislation for more than three years, and this energy conference bill is that dismal result. Republican energy bill negotiators took a page out of the vice president’s playbook by not undertaking their deliberations in an open, transparent and bipartisan manner. When well-placed corporate heads have a greater voice at the conference table than the minority members of Congress, we have truly sold our nation’s energy policy to the highest bidder. This conference was a shameful example of how the big-money interests who are pals of this administration continue to elbow out the best interests of the American people.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the deficit will be deepened to the tune of $25.7 billion because of mandatory spending and unbalanced tax incentives. This energy bill, like so many other bills that Congress has passed, is another empty promise, and the White House’s only major goal is to tick off a campaign pledge.

Furthermore, this bill is replete with unrealistic new authorizations that go far beyond the reality of our limited and shrinking budgetary resources. Passage of this bill is far from a guarantee that the money will flow. How many authorization bills have been passed during the tenure of this administration pledging huge sums of monies that never came into being? How easy it is to vote to authorize funding, to make a splash in the headlines and raise hopes about the funds that will flow from Washington. But when it comes to actually putting the money in the budget and supporting the promised funding levels in the appropriations bills, this administration jumps ship again, and again, and again. One need only look at the “No Child Left Behind” program to see how this game of bait-and-switch is played.

What complicates the matter further is the number of new programs that have been created in this bill. In a perfect world, I would like nothing better than to be able to support a plethora of energy programs that truly advance our nation’s ability to produce and use energy more cleanly and efficiently. But, realistically, this legislation only creates more programs that will have to compete for the same pot of money. In the end, this bill will just be another empty soapbox for the president to stand upon even though the necessary resources to carry out our energy programs will never materialize.

I certainly recognize that there are several important and useful provisions that have been included in this legislation, including a number of specific clean-coal programs which I have supported. These and several other provisions have had bipartisan support in the Senate in both the 107th and 108th Congresses. Yet, in the aggregate, this bill will not help us achieve our energy, economic and environmental goals and, in many cases, creates even bigger problems down the road.

I have long advocated developing a complementary approach toward our energy and environmental policy. Yet I have serious concerns about this bill’s liability waivers, exemptions and alterations to long-standing environmental laws, and limited consumer protection provisions. Furthermore, like several major tax-cut bills and the Homeland Security legislation, special deals have been stuffed into the nooks and crannies of this bill.

Yet some of the matters that rightfully should have been dealt with in this legislation are glaringly absent. I speak, for example, of the coal miners’ Combined Benefit Fund. Nearly 50,000 retired coal miners and their dependents are facing an imminent crisis. These miners, who live in every state, are in danger of having their health-care benefits cut due to a financial emergency in the fund, created by law, to pay those benefits. These are elderly men and women. In fact, most of them are elderly widows, who are truly among America’s most vulnerable citizens. Yet, among all the billions of dollars to help oodles of special, corporate interests in this bill, I find not a penny — not one penny — to help these elderly Americans.

There was a chance in this bill to help them, to provide a fix for the program that Congress designed to fulfill our promise to them. But the conferees failed to make that fix. The effort was killed by too many greedy hands grabbing for their own piece of the pie. I hope that the House and Senate committees of jurisdiction will act next year to ensure that our government keeps its promise to these retired miners. Certainly, compassion for the old and the sick should prevail over greed.

This legislation comes to us at the end of a session, and the Republican majority is attempting to serve up this elaborate and expensive dessert. But these are just empty calories — a delicious photo opportunity for the president, rich filling for industry lobbyists, but in the end, only empty calories and heartburn for the American taxpayers. Sadly, when all is said and done, the American people will continue to stand in the bread line, hungry for a comprehensive, national energy strategy.

This is a condensation of Thursday’s floor speech by Sen. Byrd, D-W.Va.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-11-21 02:05pm

Just throw in some massive appropriations for West Virginia and I'm sure the King of Pork will be pleased.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-11-21 03:54pm

Durran Korr wrote:Just throw in some massive appropriations for West Virginia and I'm sure the King of Pork will be pleased.

and let him burn a few crosses for old times sake.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-11-21 05:25pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Durran Korr wrote:Just throw in some massive appropriations for West Virginia and I'm sure the King of Pork will be pleased.
and let him burn a few crosses for old times sake.

Oh hush.

Besides, we need that pork so we don't get 600 (as of this morning) families homeless from flooding again. The worst part is that most of them were hit earlier this month, so they lost what was left!

Hamel · Post by **Hamel** » 2003-11-21 08:53pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Durran Korr wrote:Just throw in some massive appropriations for West Virginia and I'm sure the King of Pork will be pleased.
and let him burn a few crosses for old times sake.

What~

I don't get it

Hamel · Post by **Hamel** » 2003-11-21 08:54pm

Oh, I get it

HARDY penisvaginaandabobross HAR HAR

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-11-21 09:06pm

Perhaps the senator believes we should go back to burning crosses for our energy needs.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-21 11:06pm

I grow quite tired of this "well, he was in the KKK, therefore every argument he makes is automaticaly invalid" ad hominem shit. At least try and make an argument while insulting his dubious background.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-11-21 11:54pm

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, Fearless Leader Santorum ignores the energy bill while doing his utmost to defend us from the evil homosexual conspiracy...

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-11-22 02:16am

Durran Korr wrote:Just throw in some massive appropriations for West Virginia and I'm sure the King of Pork will be pleased.

I guess the billions for coal wasn't enough.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2003-11-22 07:22am

Vympel wrote:I grow quite tired of this "well, he was in the KKK, therefore every argument he makes is automaticaly invalid" ad hominem shit. At least try and make an argument while insulting his dubious background.

We're just tired of the left painting the right as a bunch of cross burners
while ignoring their own people's dubious backgrounds.

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-11-22 12:25pm

MKSheppard wrote:
We're just tired of the left painting the right as a bunch of cross burners
while ignoring their own people's dubious backgrounds.

Dude, the Senator's a DEMOCRAT

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-11-22 02:43pm

MKSheppard wrote:
Vympel wrote:I grow quite tired of this "well, he was in the KKK, therefore every argument he makes is automaticaly invalid" ad hominem shit. At least try and make an argument while insulting his dubious background.
We're just tired of the left painting the right as a bunch of cross burners
while ignoring their own people's dubious backgrounds.

But in doing so, youuse Ad hominem attacks, that make you look like an ass.

Stop dodging the issue.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-11-22 02:47pm

Xenophobe3691 wrote:
MKSheppard wrote:
We're just tired of the left painting the right as a bunch of cross burners
while ignoring their own people's dubious backgrounds.
Dude, the Senator's a DEMOCRAT

And former (or so he says anyway) klansmen.

Why the fuck is it Democrats get free pass on the issue? He was one of the cross burning bastards. Fucking hypocrites.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-11-22 02:56pm

Vympel wrote:I grow quite tired of this "well, he was in the KKK, therefore every argument he makes is automaticaly invalid" ad hominem shit. At least try and make an argument while insulting his dubious background.

The senator made no real arguement against the energy bill, so I don't feel inclined to make one either.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-11-22 03:44pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
Vympel wrote:I grow quite tired of this "well, he was in the KKK, therefore every argument he makes is automaticaly invalid" ad hominem shit. At least try and make an argument while insulting his dubious background.
The senator made no real arguement against the energy bill, so I don't feel inclined to make one either.

he never makes much of an argument anyway. he's a long winded old coot that rambles on and on about next to nothing.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-22 09:49pm

Stormbringer wrote:
Why the fuck is it Democrats get free pass on the issue? He was one of the cross burning bastards. Fucking hypocrites.

Free pass on what? Since when is his former membership of the KKK a burning issue about anything and everything he fucking does? If it's relevant, by all means bring it up- in this case it means sweet fuck all. The guy left the fucking KKK in 1950 (after joining in the 40s)- and became a senator in 1952. I'm sorry, but this 'free pass' stuff is BULLSHIT. The concerns about racism among Republicans (can you say David Duke?) is far more recent than what this guy did half a century ago and has long since abandoned.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-22 09:52pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
The senator made no real arguement against the energy bill, so I don't feel inclined to make one either.

No real argument? What classifies as a 'real' argument?

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-11-22 11:22pm

Vympel wrote:No real argument? What classifies as a 'real' argument?

In this case something with lots of numbers that explains why the plan would not meet our future energy needs. Vaguely pointing at the corporate special interest boogy man and asking why a welfare check for coal miners isn't part of the deal does not apply.

Knowing Bush I don't doubt that his plan is flawed, but this pathetic excuse for an arguement does nothing to shine light on the issue.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-11-22 11:56pm

Vympel wrote:Free pass on what? Since when is his former membership of the KKK a burning issue about anything and everything he fucking does? If it's relevant, by all means bring it up- in this case it means sweet fuck all. The guy left the fucking KKK in 1950 (after joining in the 40s)- and became a senator in 1952. I'm sorry, but this 'free pass' stuff is BULLSHIT. The concerns about racism among Republicans (can you say David Duke?) is far more recent than what this guy did half a century ago and has long since abandoned.

Tell that to the people that hounded Strom Thurmond (or for that matter Trent Lott's remark about him). It's hardly germane to the issue but I'm disgusted at the double standard here. How many people have made the kind of issue out his past that people have of Strom Thurmond?

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-23 12:02am

Stormbringer wrote:
Tell that to the people that hounded Strom Thurmond (or for that matter Trent Lott's remark about him). It's hardly germane to the issue but I'm disgusted at the double standard here. How many people have made the kind of issue out his past that people have of Strom Thurmond?

Strom Thurmond's segregationist past hardly ever came up in recent memory- he was treated with bipartisan deference and respect (maybe too much, considering accusations he was senile, if true). The only reason his segregationist presidential bid came up in the news at all recently was because Trent Lott suggested the country would've been better off his presidential bid had been successful (a idiot statement by a real fucking idiot). Byrd sure never used his political office to stand in the way of civil rights now, did he? Because by the time he was senator that was behind him. It's a useless comparison.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-11-23 12:19am

Byrd sure never used his political office to stand in the way of civil rights now, did he?

Except for voting against the fucking Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-11-23 01:41am

Durran Korr wrote:
Except for voting against the fucking Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Then in that instance, he's an idiot, along with the *many* others in the House and Senate who did so. Still has jack shit to do with his opposition to an Energy Bill. It's damn annoying to see "well, he was in the KKK over 50 years ago" every time his name comes up on these boards. If it's not relevant, and it isn't, don't bother.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-11-23 12:32pm

Remember kids! Nothing is a red herring against a Democrat in the U S of A!

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-11-24 07:21am

Didn't he also vote against the Equal Rights Ammendment of 198(4?)