Senator Schumer, Senate Democrats, and a Partisan Bill That Won't Pass?

On September 22, 2015, Senator Chuck Schumer joined other Senate Democrats in unveiling an environmentally based bill which would establish a U.S. policy reducing greenhouse gas admissions by 2% each year through 2025 or by at least 34% by 2025--a cut that's bigger than the target for the Obama Administration.  Democrats are hoping that this bill--which is sponsored by the the top Democrat on the Senate Energy Committee, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)--will create a more unified platform for the Democratic Party on global warming policy for years to come.  Senator Schumer stated that, "This is the kind of thing I’d embrace," and that the bill is, "a refreshing reprieve from the tired Republican mantra of ‘drill baby, drill.'"

Senator Schumer's reference to the Republican mantra 'drill baby, drill' is important to keep in mind when thinking about the predicted fate of this legislation.  This is a bill that heavily contrasts from a Republican approach that was based on increasing gas and oil production.  Because Republicans make up the majority of Congress as of right now and because both parties are becoming increasingly partisan, the likelihood of this bill passing is slim to none.  The majority of Democrats, including Senator Schumer, are highly aware of this and, as a result, mainly aim to have a more established preview of what their energy policy approach is to appeal to voters, and mainly young voters at that since younger voters tend to be more liberal, in hopes they regain control of the Senate in 2016.  Senator Schumer already predicts that, "This is going to be a huge issue in the 2016 campaign."

This piece of legislation highlights two major issues going on in our Congress today: that the political parties are more polarized than ever before and that Congress is unstable.  First, the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has opened a campaign to block even the President's less  climate change initiatives.  What would be the likelihood that legislation that's even more liberal would pass in a conservative Congress?  Party members are shifting farther away from the middle of the political spectrum, especially Republicans, and are less willing to cooperate and compromise on various issues and legislation.  And secondly, Congress can go, essentially, in any direction whatsoever in regards to which party ends up gaining control.  There's currently a severe lack of stability in Congress.  Because the members of the Democratic Party are highly aware this isn't going to pass in the Republican ruled Congress, they are mainly using this legislation they're attempting to push in order to appeal to voters and potentially regain control in the Senate for next year.  This is an unfortunate reality in Congress where not only is there a lack of legislation being passed, but the legislation that is passed is most likely to be supported by whichever party is in control.


http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/09/22/us/politics/22reuters-usa-congress-climatechange.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/us/politics/senate-democrats-to-unveil-aggressive-climate-change-bill.html?_r=0
http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/morning-energy/2015/09/092116-politicos-morning-energy-wolff-senate-dems-210323