The U.S. Senate looks on track to take one measure in the post-election, lame-duck Congressional session to address the most serious challenges of our oil addiction and our heavy carbon footprint. This will be, as I understand it, an effort to fast track a piece of legislation introduced by Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid: S. 3815: Promoting Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles Act of 2010.
Let us be clear, the idea that the Senate (and Congress) might actually fast-track something to deal with America's addiction to oil is -- on the face of it -- a good thing. Even if we didn't face the looming prospects of future economic shocks and security risks due to Peak Oil colliding with increasing demand, that a significant portion of America's trade deficit is going to put oil in our McSUVs (that we drive to Wal-Mart to buy Chinese-made products) is something that should be on the top of Congress' agenda for addressing with serious and meaningful legislation.
However, the idea that that will be throwing more money into subsidizing fossil-foolish addictions is a sorry excuse for responsible legislating.
continued at Daily Kos....
