Assemblyman Dan Logue’s AB 118, The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which would have suspended AB 32, went down in global warming flames this afternoon. It seems not even a timely Wall Street Journal editorial or the citizens who testified at the hearing about their AB 32-created problems could persuade the zealots on the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee.
Like every other committee, the numbers are stacked against Republicans (Steve Knight and Danny Gilmore are the only Republicans on Natural Resources). After brief testimony on the bill, Democrats launched into their typical condescending speeches about how the citizens who testified for AB 118 don’t understand the ramifications of global warming.
Committee members Jerry Hill and Wesley Chesbro actually likened voting for AB 118 to doing nothing in the face of a looming “disaster” such as the Nazi threat of the 1930s. It was hard to follow his reasoning, but it also appeared Hill compared AB 32 regulations to FDR’s suspension of certain American rights in the middle of World War II.
Committee Chair Nancy Skinner lectured AB 118 supporters that while she understood job loss is a problem in California, it was her understanding the state was receiving most of the venture capital for green jobs in North America and creating jobs. Logue quickly corrected her by clarifying that for every green job created, two jobs were lost in the state. And many green companies launched in California left for Nevada after finding California’s business regulation too inhospitable to their company.
Amusingly, Skinner encouraged AB 118 supporters to visit the San Diego Tribune web site to hear Governor Schwarzenegger explain why he hasn’t suspended AB 32 with the jobless rate so high, even though the bill allows for suspension. As expected, the bill was voted down on a party line vote.
Adding insult to injury, the very next bill heard after AB 118 was voted down was AJR 26 (by committee member Chesbro), which requests federal funding to help “natural resources adaptation for the protection and conservation of our nation’s wildlife, habitats, coasts, watersheds, rivers, and other natural resources and ecosystems in the face of climate change."
Committee hearings like this are a reminder of why the initiative process is indispensible. Now Logue will take the AB 32 fight directly to voters.
This entry was posted
on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.
January 11th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Republicans will make a giant mistake if they continue to be anti-environmental. Swing voters, particularly women DTS voters, are heavily pro-environment. AB 32 also is the linchpin of the growing green jobs economy here in California. And it’s why major players in our economy, such as PG&E and the ski industry, supported AB 32.
January 11th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Many voters are post-materialist, but when these regulations kill jobs do we need to send more of our productive citizens to Texas because we are making California a non-competitive state to do business?
We are reducing our tax base due to thousands fleeing our state, and if you want the government programs we need to BRING BACK THE TAXPAYERS.
Of course we want clean air and water, but we need to come up with solutions that will make it AFFORDABLE for the businesses.
Because clean air and water is not free.
I may not agree with the majority here on social issues, but on economics the blogpen here are right on the money.
January 11th, 2010 at 12:00 am
It was rather sad to attend a legislative hearing such as the one today on AB 118, thinking and hoping our representatives would actually listen to and pay credence to real concerns from real citizens about over-regulation in the state of California. But, that was obviously not the case this afternoon, as the outcome was predetermined by our ruling elite and not a single mind was ever-so-slightly changed. Despite listening to real testimony from business owners and employees suffering from the affects of over-regulation, the vote to kill AB 118 went ahead as planned. The ruling class, it seems, does not care for the common man or woman and is after some ethereal dream of “wonder” planet. Besides that, they apparently enjoy listening to themselves talk more than they like hearing from their constituents — giving off a huge volume of carbon dioxide in the process. Oh, don’t tell them the dirty little secret that plants actually survive on carbon dioxide. We may never get them to shut up. Of course, they could always go home and read a second-grade science book and learn something on their own! With a rapidly growing contingent of dissatisfied citizens, their days in politics are numbered.
January 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Actually, AB 32 is CREATING jobs — thousands of them in the growing green economy. That’s why its supported by companies large and small, including PG&E and the ski resorts that employ thousands and contribute heavily to our state offers.
The Tea Party eco-bash last year was a complete flop. Mainstream Californians (as evidence in the PPIC poll) strongly support AB 32.
So, Republicans, keep attacking it. It only helps Democrats, particularly among swing voters in the suburbs.
January 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Steve, first of all AB32 is probably the most anti-environmental thing we could do. You do know that wealthy is healthy? CA and US is most carbon efficient under free market than the going-backwards places like E.U. Get real: when faced with facts about LOSS of jobs and the unsustainability of massive subsideis necessary for a few “green jobs” most voters don’t mind a delay in AB32 implementation. That venture capital? Chasing tax dollars NOT technology. and wait until they hear the rest of the climategate story…
January 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I am reading this post and wondering what sort of financial interest Maviglio has in AB32?
Steve is denying that while people support conservation – they will not support Luddites. The case will be made easily that AB32 was a feel-good bill whose consequences were not thought out.
January 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Hey Steve, AB32 is going to CREATE jobs just like Obama’s Stimulus “saved or created” jobs. Oh goody, with the incredible success of Obama’s stimulus, I cannot wait to see how AB32 succeeds.
January 19th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Aside from having worked ont he communications for the legislation under Speaker Nunez, my “financial interest” is that AB32 is creating jobs in the new economy while the polluters of the old economy want to derail it.
Maybe Aaron and Ken can read the front page story on the Bee over the weekend that says just that: http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/2469433.html.
The most recent PPIC poll has 66% support for the bill. Good luck with that initiative.