L.A. Times: Senate Split on Climate Change Bill 'Disastrous'

The Los Angeles Times, in an editorial, said the divide in the Senate over climate change legislation was so serious that any such bill would have a hard time getting approved this year. Noting that Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., were working on legislation that could attract 60 votes, the Times wrote: "But Democrats from Southern and coal-producing states are reluctant to sign on, and attracting any GOP votes will be a challenge; many believe the chances are slim that the bill, which sets a cap on emissions while allowing polluters to trade carbon credits, will be approved this year."

The Times wrote that failing to write a strong bill "would be disastrous in more ways than one. With no commitment to cut greenhouse gases in the U.S., it would be next to impossible to get other big polluter nations on board in Copenhagen in December for a global agreement on fighting climate change. Another year's delay will make future efforts more expensive and less effective. With a third of all Senate seats up for election in 2010, it will become even harder to pass controversial legislation."