Victories and Setbacks

Well, today is full of news to celebrate--and news about set-backs. First the good news:

1. Congress passed and Pres. Bush actually signed a new energy bill today that includes the first increases in automotive fuel efficiency standards since 1975. The new law also promotes alternative fuels. In order to avoid a veto, the final version of this law lacked some features that was originally approved by the House: taxing oil companies and using the revenues for investment in clean energies: wind, solar, geothermic, and biomass. There is more to do, but we don't have to wait until a new president before finally doing something about oil consumption and the environment.
2. Both the courts and Congress are standing up to the Bush admin. on the torture tapes. Subpoenas are being issued to key administration figures. This cover up won't go away.
3. Movement is growing in the House Judiciary Committee to hold hearings that could yet lead to the impeachment of VP Dick Cheney--despite all attempts by Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) to bury this. Get involved in the effort.
4. Congress has voted to stengthen the Freedom of Information Act in a clear rebuke to the Bush administration's hyper-secrecy--which would have made the Nixon White House look transparent by comparison.
5. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) will drop out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination. That's a victory for Republicans, Democrats, and anyone who doesn't just love nativist screeds, immigrant-bashing, and utter xenophobia! Now, maybe the other GOP candidates won't feel compelled to "out Tancredo Tancredo" as Tancredo himself charged at one of the GOP debates. Now, if only Mike Gravel (D-AK) and Duncan Hunter (R-CA) would also begin thinning the packs. No wonder comedian Jon Stewart calls this race clusterf@#ck to the White House. :-)
6. And Congress has slashed funds to Burma: ending trade in gems, timber, and banking until the military government releases all political prisoners and allows free and fair elections.

Set-backs;

1. The Democrats have once more caved to Bush on funding for the war in Iraq. Another $70billion down the drain.
2. Bush vetoed a new version of S-CHIP, even though it responded to his previous criticisms. They will try to override his veto in January--and we citizens need to let all Representatives and Senators know that we want this S-CHIP expansion to pass.
3. Pundits are downplaying the war in Iraq as an election issue, now (just as they did in '04), but as FAIR shows, it's the media, not the voters who have lost interest now that the violence is less than last year.
4. Although the U.S. was stopped from completely de-railing the environmental meeting at Bali, it did delay any agreement on firm carbon caps for 2 years. We have to work hard to get firm--and deep--cuts in carbon emissions.