Solar lobby hopes bill has 9th life f at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. And then, if you are a lobbyist working on the renewable energy tax credits, try a few more times. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) counts eight Senate votes so far this year on bills that would extend breaks to the solar and wind energy industries. The tax breaks enjoy widespread support in Congress, and the industries say they are critical to their growth. So far, though, none of the votes has resulted in a bill reaching the president’s desk to extend the subsidies beyond their end-of-year expiration date. Senate Republicans, backed by business lobbies like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, object to “pay-fors” in bills that would offset the costs of the tax breaks to the treasury. This week, there could be a ninth vote, to shut off debate on an extender bill....
More Bad News for the Global Warmers The issue of global warming rages on is some minds. Remarkably, there really hasn’t been much of a debate, not a serious science debate anyway. There have been shouting and screaming, predictions of doom, and the willingness to destroy our energy sources and our economy to “save the planet”. But as P.J. O’Rourke noted, there are a lot of people who would do anything to “save the planet”, except take a science course. While there hasn’t been a true debate, there has been a hugely one-sided angry monologue, heaping scorn upon those who dare ask for evidence. The one side has been heavily funded by the government, foundations, and individual contributions. The so-called “warmers” have enjoyed the unstinting support of a scientifically illiterate media, the movie industry, and many institutions that have been on the receiving end of an estimated $5 billion annually for nearly 2 decades. That will buy a lot of supporters, Ph.Ds or not. The world of science is moving quickly past these questionable events in an expanding universe of new evidence, which is showing that the current state of the global warming theory is in serious decline....