Guys, the climate bill may be dead, or dying. Really bad news:

[beachmom]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/11/11/803541/-Climate-bill-withers,-replaced-by-cowardly-senators-framework

RLMiller is an upbeat guy/gal, so to read such disappointment is ... disspiriting.

Unlike Dana Millbank, TPM actually did some reporting:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/senate-to-un-well-make-climate-change-before-its-time.php

U.N. General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon stopped by the Capitol today to lobby Senators to get on board with comprehensive climate change legislation in advance of next month's U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen.

The response he got from Senators mired in the debate over health care reform? Get in line, pal.

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) joined Moon with reporters after his closed-door meeting with the Senators. All three said that there was no chance a climate change bill will make it out of the Senate by Copenhagen, and slim chance it will come after that. Kerry said the bill comes after health care and financial services reform in terms of Senate priority.

"We understand the importance of us leading on this issue," Kerry said. "I'm confident we'll pass a law as soon as it is practicable. And when I say practicable I mean after health care and after financial reform."

AFTER financial reform???? I thought it was supposed to be after health care reform. Thing is, RLMiller lays it out on how that will all work:

The climate bill and hopes for a global treaty are withering on the vine. The bill will not pass out of anywhere in time for Copenhagen, or by the end of this year. Next year, timid Senators in reelection fights won't touch it. By early 2011, politicians will focus on an overriding issue of far greater critical importance than that of the planet -- their own fates in the 2012 election.

Seeing that this is Kerry's biggest work in the Senate aside from Afghanistan, this is not good at all. Unfortunately, RLMiller is not pleased with Kerry, when I am sorry, this is not Kerry's fault. He is 1 of 100, and clearly, there is no push from the public to do this and plenty of pushback from the Right and monied interests. I am pessimistic about its prospects tonight.