Congress actually works once in awhile - read this...

[johnsonrod]

This is a great blurb from AIN Online - check it out:

EU Emissions Plan Gets Roughed Up in Congress
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]John Bruton, the European Union’s Ambassador to the U.S., received a decidedly undiplomatic reception while testifying on aviation emissions before the House aviation subcommittee on Tuesday. The ambassador got into a rancorous spat with Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), who was designated acting chairman of the subcommittee at the time. What drew the congressman’s ire was an EU proposal that an airline flying from Los Angeles to London would pay carbon allowances to the EU for the entire 6,000 miles and not just the portion flown in EU airspace. Asked why the U.S. should have to pay a premium for flying over its own airspace, Bruton responded that the pollution eventually flows over to Europe. When asked where the money would go, the ambassador said it would improve the EU ATC system. “You want to tax our airlines in order to make your air traffic system more efficient?” asked DeFazio. “You are looking for a trade war.” The dust-up ended when the congressman left the room to cast a vote on the House floor.[/FONT]

 

[Mamma]

Wow! That is a new level of idiocy. We should accept the agreement with an amendment saying we are going to impose a 5 cent/liter of gas charge on all cars operating in Europe to maintain our bridges and roads.

 

[SkiFishFly]

Carbon Allowances

Just another form of taxation. Just another power grab by politicians.

 

[sqwkvfr]

Just another form of taxation. Just another power grab by politicians.

Let's just make certain that we specify which politicians:

Democrats......with few exceptions.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Let's just make certain that we specify which politicians:

Democrats......with few exceptions.

Try to keep up, man. The EU is Europe. They don't have American Democrats over there making policy.

Beyond that, your premise is completely ridiculous, but I'm sure you rarely let facts get in your way.

 

[JohnDoe]

You guys actually think this doesn't have a chance in passing?? Other open skies crap has been, along with cabotage out of ANC, etc. etc..

It would not suprise me in the least to see this happen with the hack politicians we have running the show.

They'll put on a good chest-thumping show of "no way, not on my watch," then 6 months later when everybody has forgotten about it, it will pass as some hidden, out-of-the-way addition to some bill.

 

[Soulfly]

They'll put on a good chest-thumping show of "no way, not on my watch," then 6 months later when everybody has forgotten about it, it will pass as some hidden, out-of-the-way addition to some bill.

This is exactly what will happen. But only if the US politicians get some Gigantic benefit.......

 

[sqwkvfr]

Try to keep up, man. The EU is Europe. They don't have American Democrats over there making policy.

Beyond that, your premise is completely ridiculous, but I'm sure you rarely let facts get in your way.

Uh, in case you haven't noticed, there is an ongoing push in this country amongst Democrats for carbon taxes....and anyone who has failed to see the rampant political opportunism in which the Dems are partaking regarding the so-called global warming issue either hasn't been paying attention, shares their views and doesn't want to admit it, or is otherwise really stupid.

 

[DashTrash400]

Uh, in case you haven't noticed, there is an ongoing push in this country amongst Democrats for carbon taxes....and anyone who has failed to see the rampant political opportunism in which the Dems are partaking regarding the so-called global warming issue either hasn't been paying attention, shares their views and doesn't want to admit it, or is otherwise really stupid.

...or is so frustrated by the republican's utter hostility toward labor that they're willing to put up with some really dumb crap from democrats...

Gonna be a hard decision in november, personally.

 

[bouttime]

The biggest con in today's world = global warming.

ALL 3 presidential candidates are terrible, my vote will be for whom I dislike the least. Unfortunately that will be for McCain.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Uh, in case you haven't noticed, there is an ongoing push in this country amongst Democrats for carbon taxes....and anyone who has failed to see the rampant political opportunism in which the Dems are partaking regarding the so-called global warming issue either hasn't been paying attention, shares their views and doesn't want to admit it, or is otherwise really stupid.

I'd rather have inept, power-grabbing Democrats making up global warming and taxing Ford F350s than inept power-grabbing Republicans making up terrorist threats, spending $100s of billions on a mostly pointless war that's killed over 4,000 servicemen and women and maimed 10's of thousands more, and eroding civil liberties in our own country by deficit-spending our way to the most bloated federal workforce and budget in my lifetime (probably ever).

Tough choice. I'll take the misguided do-gooder parochial Democrats any day. They scare me a whole lot less.

Now if Republicans and conservatives in general hadn't totally lost sight of what it once meant to be "conservative," it might be a tougher choice. Since both choices, by and large, suck anymore, I guess I'll have to vote for my career.

See you at the polls.

 

[Soverytired]

I'd rather have inept, power-grabbing Democrats making up global warming and taxing Ford F350s than inept power-grabbing Republicans making up terrorist threats, spending $100s of billions on a mostly pointless war that's killed over 4,000 servicemen and women and maimed 10's of thousands more, and eroding civil liberties in our own country by deficit-spending our way to the most bloated federal workforce and budget in my lifetime (probably ever).

Tough choice. I'll take the misguided do-gooder parochial Democrats any day. They scare me a whole lot less.

Now if Republicans and conservatives in general hadn't totally lost sight of what it once meant to be "conservative," it might be a tougher choice. Since both choices, by and large, suck anymore, I guess I'll have to vote for my career.

See you at the polls.

Ugh. I agree, especially about the conservative movement of the 80's having nothing to do with the current Republican party.

Remember though . . . the democrat congress could have stopped all of this (war, bloated spending, patriot act) at any time. They did nothing.

John McCain is neither republican or conservative. At best, he's kind of like JFK . . . a President who was a democrat, but not insane when it came to national defense, fiscal responsibility, or over-reaching federal power. A guy like JFK could never be a contender for his parties nomination today. . . far too "conservative".

Anyone curious about how we keep managing to get the same bozo's running for office should do a wiki search on "the iron law of oligarchy" . . . this will only get worse and worse.

 

[JohnDoe]

And while you idiots are arguing amongst yourselves about which political party is better (Repeat this 100 times: NEITHER, they're ALL out for themselves), you are going to miss the passing of this, and other bills like it as the politicians (here) ram them up your arse in trade for something they want.

 

[ReverseSensing]

And while you idiots are arguing amongst yourselves about which political party is better (Repeat this 100 times: NEITHER, they're ALL out for themselves), you are going to miss the passing of this, and other bills like it as the politicians ram them up your arse in trade for something they want.

Huh? The European Union is going to ram something up my arse?

Let's see...what do I have to trade so I won't get my arse rammed? I've got an Alanis Morisette CD (don't ask). Will that keep my arse from getting rammed by the EU?

 

[JohnDoe]

Didn't figure this had to be pointed out and/or specified, but....apparently it does:

No, the EU won't/can't. But the politicians here will agree to it. Just like they have been agreeing to other crap associated with "open skies" and cabotage. The carrot of 1 more Heathrow slot or some pitance like that will be dangled if front of them. They will then trade your future for it in favor of themselves and the lobbiest that throw money at them.


PS: I edited my post for your benefit. Hopefully that clears things up for you.