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Teague’s vote on cap-and-trade bill was ‘daring’
I’ve written before about the tightrope U.S. Rep. Harry Teague, D-N.M., has walked on energy issues.
As an oilman and a Democrat, he doesn’t necessarily fit the mold typically associated with either. His job requires him to work with a Democratic Congress and president whose policy views are sometimes left of his, but, at the same time, he must worry about re-election in an oil-and-gas district.
In that context, Teague voted last week in favor of a controversial cap-and-trade energy bill that passed by seven votes. Now The Politico is out with an article that says, of all the junior House Democrats who voted for the bill, Teague’s vote “may have been the most daring of any in his caucus.”
From the article:
“An oilman, Teague represents the most conservative part of a state that often is called ‘Little Texas.’ Until he was elected last year, the oil- and gas-dependent 2nd District had not elected a Democrat for more than a quarter-century.
“As Teague himself noted in an interview with a local paper last month, ‘Sixty-five percent of the public schools in New Mexico are paid for by oil and gas.’”
Teague explained to the news organization why he voted for the bill:
“When this bill came out of committee, I could not consider supporting it without some specific changes being made to protect New Mexicans in the rural areas and small communities that I represent. That’s why I fought to add provisions to keep down gas prices in rural areas, to hold onto refining jobs in smaller communities and to protect the 180,000 rural electric customers in my district.”
Last year, Teague authored a guest blog in the Washington publication The Hill in which he wrote that Congress “needs someone who understands the oil and gas industry, and who is ready and able to work with alternative energy.”
“For too long, our energy policy has been dictated by extremes, none of which are willing to work together to find a comprehensive solution to the mess we’re in,” Teague wrote. “I want to change that.”
What will Teague’s constituents think about his vote? Time will tell.
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Sorry Mr. Jones, but extensive research by National Association of Manufacturers and Charles Rivers Associates show that the bill would result in anywhere from 1.8 to 7 million net jobs “destroyed” over the next 10 years. When shown this study at the committee hearings, Chu, Jackson, and LaHood all said that the bill would create jobs. Of course the Three Obama Stooges had no data, facts, or research to prove that, just partisan political hot-air.
Like Harry Mr. Jones, you should read the bill and see the job destruction, higher taxes on all goods and services, and higher fuel and electricity prices that are embedded in this huge tax and spend measure. It will also create a new derivitives market ripe for manipulation and corruption by Wall Street.
In NM, which is among the three largest oil and gas producers in America, this bill will result in much lower employment in high paid oil industry jobs, and NM will not get the manufacturing and research jobs for solar and wind, they will go to the industrial heartland and first tier universities (of which NM only has third tier). This bill is an overall disaster for NM. Wake up.
It was good vote. The guy is doing a good job. While he obviously has gas and oil industry ties, he did the right thing.
Besides, this bill is good for New Mexico. Our State is poised to become a leader in renewable energy.
Heath says: "His job requires him to work with a Democratic Congress and president whose policy views are sometimes left of his,". No, not at all, and his many votes on leftist issues like this climate travesty are examples he is just as "left" as Pelosi and Obama. The 4000+ pages and attachments of this bill has many surprises for those who haven't read it. Did you read all of it Harry? I doubt it. This bill rewards many special interests, none of which are in the 2nd District, and punishes other business interests which are his constituents in the 2nd. The citizens are smart enough to see the higher taxes as they hit all their purchases that use energy. Then they will know how to vote come 2010.
It was brave, and also sensible, of Teague to vote for this bill. He will have more clout with his fellow congressmen when future energy legislation comes up as he has demonstrated that he is willing to work to protect NM interests while advancing President Obama's agenda.