Udall Offers Praise To Family Friend and Liberal Stalwart Sen. Kennedy

Via PolitickerCO's Jeremy Pelzer:

“My prayers go out to Senator Kennedy and his family. He has devoted his public life to championing the hopes and needs of America’s working families. His many accomplishments are well known, but I am particularly affected by this news because his family and mine have enjoyed a warm relationship throughout the years.

“Senator Kennedy is a natural leader who has always reached across the aisle to bring Democrats and Republicans together to do what is best for our country. To echo what many have said today: Edward Kennedy is one of the most effective Senators to ever serve in Congress. I am confident he will be back at his post soon and I look forward to working with him again as a friend and colleague.”

Sen. Ted Kennedy is a formidable political opponent, but the thoughts and prayers of everyone at SvU go to the Senator and his family.

The 2d CD Blogging Debate

Our friend (who we have never met) at Liberal and Loving It pulled off a coup. He got the three candidates for the 2d CD seat being vacated by Mark Udall to debate on the internet.

Because there would be 14 separate links, we will only link the blog and let the reader scan down. The last post is dated January 29th.

One of the reasons that we point readers to that debate is that it is a good window into the mind and motivations of Mark Udall, who went unmentioned.

They all want to get rid of the Bush tax cuts to fund their pet projects. None is admitting that they expire in 2010 regardless, and there is no money to be had from them.

Only Jared Polis among them didn't aspire to be a grandparent, and we would guess that their mention of the subject was a gentile subconscious dig by the other two, but perhaps not.

None seemed to know or want to admit that Ted Kennedy was the major author of No Child Left Behind. They all chafed at the impacts of that law.

There is much more. It is a good read, but if you are a conservative, don't expect much there that will make you happy. On the other hand, if you want to sample the environment that brought us Mark Udall, it is there in full liberal flower.

Reaching Too Far

Mark Udall sponsored an amendment to require utilities across the nation to get 20% of their power from renewables by 2020. He wants to restrict the definition of "renewable" to wind power (though not in Ted Kennedy's play place, Martha's Vineyard), and solar energy.

The bill was supposed to come to the House floor last night. It didn't. The goals have been cut to 15% by 2020 in committee and still it can't get a simple majority. Because the majority whip, James Clyburn, D-S.C., opposes the bill, Mark Udall and his cousin Tom have been acting as whips for the amendment.

CNN Money reports:

The speaker said the main cosponsors of the renewable energy standard, or RES -- Mark Udall, D-Co., and Tom Udall, D-N.M. - were still whipping up support Friday afternoon.

"They'll be reporting back to me this afternoon," she told reporters in a press conference, adding, "They felt pretty strong about it - that they had strong votes - but I count votes differently..."

[ Nancy ] Pelosi, D-Calif., Friday indicated, however, that the Renewable Electricity Standard amendment would likely be withdrawn if the proposal doesn't garner enough support to pass a simple majority of the House...

Make no mistake, this author favors a reasonable renewable energy power goal, but it should be a goal, and not an unreachable standard set in law. Different areas in Colorado claim to get 300 to 360 days of sunshine a year. Other states aren't so lucky. Likewise, the arid west can be more windy than other, more humid areas of the country.

The Udall cousins, and their ally John Salizar discovered this week that they couldn't stuff an extreme 20% "standard" down the throat of the most liberal Congress in 20 years. It remains to be seen if they have the votes to get a still unreachable 15% "standard." We will know shortly, perhaps today.

One Size Fits All, Or Does It?

Mark Udall, his cousin, Tom, and Diana DeGette are pushing for a national requirement for renewable energy. They want to force utilities to get 20% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.

While that may be doable in the windy west, where wind power is already a proven renewable source, the south is relatively windless. What are they to do? Fight the proposal, that's what.

In some ways, this is humorous. Remember Homestake II? That was the Colorado water project killed in Congress by eastern lawmakers whose districts have no water shortages. Turnabout is fair play.

We remain curious as to whether Mark has talked his friend Ted Kennedy into putting 400 foot windmills in the water within sight of Martha's Vineyard. We doubt that he has the courage to broach the subject. For that matter, Ken Salizar sees Kennedy every day and seems to be running interference for Udall. Let's ask him the same question.

Energy Questions for Mark Udall

The left is already complaining that Udall is working with Musgrave. They hope to beat her in 2008 and think Udall's cooperation doesn't help their cause. The two recently held a joint forum that will doubtless stir comments in the left wing blogosphere. Even so, the subject was of more interest than the format.

We have energy questions for Mark Udall:

If the lack of water resources is a serious problem in Colorado, and it is, why are we providing incentives to grow a crop that will gulp water when it is turned into biofuel? Do you plan to ship the corn to another state with more water and ship the fuel back? Has anyone really thought this one through?

Wind farms in Colorado are a great idea! Have you talked to Ted Kennedy about why he hates the thought of wind farms outside Martha's Vinyard? Better yet, sponsor a bill that provides Federal funds and a mandate for farms in both places and see how many of your environmentalist left friends in Congress vote for it.

Wouldn't Colorado provide more energy independence by developing gas wells on 350 acres of the Roan Plateau at a time?