The future framework for failure

With the Copenhagen conference well underway, Democrats in the Senate have taken the opportunity that an increased focus on climate change by the media (more specifically: Sarah Palin's ideas on climate change by the media) to release their own framework for a climate bill. Sure, we could discuss what's in it, from 17% greenhouse gas cuts to government loans for nuclear reactors, but why waste time when the whole damn thing will be changed by the time it's passed? No, instead we'll focus on yet another example of Democrats not understanding how the Senate works, the basic concept of negotiations, or just how badly they've set themselves up for failure.

"We would like to underscore the fact that the framework we are releasing today is a starting point for our negotiations going forward," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
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Kerry has for weeks been working with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., on broadening the Senate bill in hopes of gaining more Republican support.
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But the three acknowledged they are nowhere near getting the votes needed to overcome a certain GOP filibuster threat on any climate legislation. "We don't have 60 votes," said Lieberman.

Graham said the commitment to expand nuclear energy and open new opportunities for new oil and gas drilling both on shore and on the Outer Continental Shelf is hoped to attract additional support from Republican senators.

Christ John, you fell for it again. You actually thing this bill you released is a starting point for negotiations? No, this bill you outlined is the best this bill will ever look. Things will not move forward, they will move backward. You already admit you don't have the votes and already weakened your position in any future negotiations by crafting a bill that already starts off as a massive compromise and will still yet have to be compromised in order to pass. Why? Because you wanted Republican support. Because apparently you haven't been paying attention to the past couple of years. You magically got Graham on board and your only other two options come from Maine. The rest of the Republicans will vote against anything you propose based on general principle.

So let's see here, we have an optimistic Democrat introducing massively important legislation that absolutely has to be passed in order to stave of a giant problem that has been ignored for decades. Because he actually thinks that the other side can be bargained with he starts off by offering huge compromises in order to marshal bipartisan support that will never come. Remind me again, how did this plan of action work out for bailouts, the stimulus, financial reform, and health care? Ah, good 'ole Democrats: fool them once, no offense taken; fool them twice, no worries, you can just keep on foolin' them. I can't wait to see how this all unexpectedly blows up in Kerry's face. I'm sure it'll really surprise him when the has to whittle away this bill into nothing.