Four Dems Voted Against Energy Independence

by Steve

I understand that home-state senators tend to support their big industries, and don’t want to get on the wrong side of a vote in advance of an election next year. But why were Carl Levin, Claire McCaskill, and Debbie Stabenow three of only 27 votes against the energy independence bill yesterday, which passed by a 65-27 margin?

I understand why Mary Landrieu voted against it, with a big reelection next year and her track record of selling out the country to please Big Oil, even though the bill had already been stripped of the taxes on Big Oil to fund a renewable energy program. Like I mentioned earlier in the week, the bill wasn't as good as it should have been, but it is a good down payment on what a more-Democratic congress can do with a Democratic president in 2009.

But why is Carl Levin voting against an energy independence bill, even after Detroit already retreated on fuel economy standards? Levin will be reelected next year in Michigan with no problem at all. Like Levin, Debbie Stabenow and Claire McCaskill protect the auto industry, but neither of them are on the ballot again until 2012. Yet all three of them voted against energy independence while 19 GOP senators, including both GOP senators from Alaska and Tennessee voted in favor of the bill.

And to think I donated money to McCaskill.