No Limit

Obama says Cap and Trade is dead.

Environmental groups and industry seem headed for another battle over regulation of greenhouse gases, as President Barack Obama said he will look for ways to control global warming pollution other than Congress placing a ceiling on it.

"Cap-and-trade was just one way of skinning the cat; it was not the only way," Obama said at a news conference Wednesday, a day after Democrats lost control of the House. "I'm going to be looking for other means to address this problem."

Legislation putting a limit on heat-trapping greenhouse gases and then allowing companies to buy and sell pollution permits under that ceiling narrowly passed the House in 2009 as a centerpiece of Obama's domestic agenda, but it stalled in the Senate.

Republicans dubbed the bill "cap-and-tax" because it would raise energy prices. They then used it as a club in the midterm elections against Democrats who voted for it. Thirty of the bill's supporters were among some 50 House Democrats whom voters turned out of office Tuesday.

"It's doubtful that you could get the votes to pass that through the House this year or next year or the year after," Obama said Wednesday.

If he starts in with EPA regulations or some such the Rs in Congress could gut the EPA budget. No money for you suckers.

And passage doubtful? More like impossible. Especially with coal state legislators in Congress violently opposed. If it couldn't get past the Senate when it was dominated by Democrats how much more unlikely is it to get passed with the new crop? Especially when you consider that some of the new Senators like Mark Kirk will be seated as soon as the election results are certified.