One of my favorite items in the Sunday Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is the Congress Following the Vote feature. There is always a short description of major bills voted on in Congress the previous week with a breakdown on how the Wisconsin contingent voted…PART TWO!
This past week the US Senate passed a bi-partisan bill 79 to 20. According to today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bill S 2262 is a bi-partisan bill to promote US energy efficiency in residential, commercial and industrial sectors and throughout the federal government, the nation’s largest energy consumer. A YES vote counts on VOLUNTARY compliance, not federal mandates to reach its goals.
Did I mention this bill is bi-partisan and was passed 79 to 20 and is VOLUNTARY?
AND one of the 20 votes on the losing side was Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson. Once more our ‘senior’ senator proves that he doesn’t have a clue!
My limited understanding of what was at hand is;
“The bill authorizes $200 million of taxpayer money to “incentivize and assist” states and tribal groups to meet voluntary building codes.”
There doesn’t appear to be any teeth in the bill yet it spends $200 million of tax payer money.
Big picture this bill/$200 million is to the Senate what a pack of gum is to you or I. Therefore, the Senate basically pencil whipped it under the premise of “saving energy”.
I haven’t read it anywhere, but, I suspect Mr. Johnson’s no vote had to do with a bill where the government spends $200 million of “our” money, no checks and balances or returns and is an example of government over reach.
Mr. Johnson probably has more of a clue than you would like to believe.
I am all for saving energy, efficiency and all of that. I suspect Mr. Johnson is also. But, this bill does not accomplish that.
You’re rather suspicious, aren’t you Independent Guy. 😉 But I suspect Johnson’s vote is the typical kneejerk reaction to any idea remotely connected to Obama or the Dems. Is it your suspicion also that Johnson WOULD have voted for the measure if it actually DID have “teeth” in it? If so, I suspect you are wrong. I haven’t read the bill either but I suspect the 200M is to promote energy efficiency through various rewards etc. Hence the “incentivize and assist” section of the legislation. Just my opinion, I could be wrong. But is seems every time Johnson opens his mouth he embarrasses himself and the state of Wisconsin.
In total agreement with you on the “reasoning,” behind Rojo’s decision, he’s likely still red-faced and angry for being shown the fool he is regarding his ridiculous law suit over the ACA.
You give Johnson too much credit, Independent Guy. While your hypothesis about why “RJ the Clown” voted makes sense, I seriously doubt that he has the wherewithal to develop any sort of rationale other than that of being an obstructionist.
I can hardly wait for 2016 and Feingold.
You and I both.