27 GOP’ers run risks with ‘no’ vote on climate bill

Since Friday’s House vote, there’s been a lot of political reporting about how risky a “yeah” on the climate change bill would be for Democrats in conservative districts, or in districts that depend heavily on coal for their electricity.

If you take the climate vote in isolation, however, it seems more likely that more Republicans who voted against the bill will be vulnerable in 2010.

As the National Journal’s Ron Brownstein points out, 20 of 49 House Democrats from districts that Republican John McCain carried last November voted for the climate change bill. The vote could be used against Democrats in districts that lean Republican already, especially in states that are dependent on coal.

The reverse, Brownstein notes, is true for more Republicans:

In contrast with the Democrats from split districts, 27 of the 34 Republicans from Obama-districts held with their party and voted against the legislation. California crystallized that trend: Of the eight Republicans there in districts that Obama carried last year, only Mary Bono Mack from Palm Springs supported the bill.

When it came to the Republicans, however, Brownstein didn’t take that observation to the next level: Read more

LOL GOP video: How not to appear cool

An unintentionally funny video of the GOP’s noble efforts to fight the Waxman-Markey climate change bill has got to cheer the bill’s supports. As Grist’s Kate Sheppard says:

Now the House Republican Conference has produced a “greatest hits” reel on their travels (and if these were the highlights, we’d hate to see the lowlights).  With melodramatic music and stiffs in suits, we think it could be the comedy sleeper hit of the summer.

I’m actually most fond of the red arrows that leap across the map from city to city, as if we’re in 1940s espionage drama.

Seriously: this can’t be for real. Did some congressmen con his colleagues to give the contract to make the video to his out-of-work grandpa?