The Oncoming Storm?

What's been anticipated for years, rumored to be coming soon for weeks is now in the first phase of realization. The Guardian is one of several news outlets to report:

"President Barack Obama will unveil a plan on Monday that will cut carbon pollution from power plants and promote cap-and-trade, undertaking the most significant action on climate change in American history.

The proposed regulations Obama will launch at the White House on Monday could cut carbon pollution by as much as 25% from about 1,600 power plants in operation today, according to those claiming familiarity with the plan. Power plants are the country's single biggest source of carbon pollution – responsible for up to 40% of the country's emissions."

No source is given but a conference call with White House advisor John Podesta is mentioned later in the story.  The New York Times has a similar story.

The howls of opposition are already beginning, and will be both loud and legalistic.  The regulatory action in particular is going to hit a number of factions right in the gut of their dogma.

But the politics are unlikely to be one-sided.  There are indications here and there that even in the upcoming 2014 elections, at least some Democrats are going on the offense on this issue.

And there's also evidence that Republican deniers (which means almost every Republican running for anything) are on the defensive.  This story reproduces an uncomfortable Q and A with Florida Governor Rick Scott, illustrating the bind that particularly governors and other state and local officials are in.  As noted here, effects of the climate crisis are already been felt in Florida, notably in flooding that is reaching into middle class Miami Beach homes.  Scott is trying hard to show that he's responding to such effects, while denying that he has any idea of the causes.  It doesn't sound credible.  It sounds really bad.

There's all kinds of potential here.  Stay tuned.