Earlier this week, as the Obama/Pelosi/Reid healthcare legislation was being inflicted on the nation, we told you that

 

 “Victory with the healthcare legislation, the accompanying elation and initial sense of invulnerability, followed by the realization that it may well all end in November 2010, will undoubtedly awaken a new boldness in the Democrat left that will be applied to efforts to pass Cap & Trade, Net Neutrality, Card Check, and amnesty for illegal’s.”

 

It’s happening!

 

This afternoon, newsmax.com reported –

 

“With the battle over healthcare reform won, President Barack Obama’s allies in Congress are turning their attention to climate change legislation — and drawing opposition from both sides of the issue.

Sen. John Kerry, a proponent of congressional action on climate change, said administration officials can now “pour their energy and attention” into the issue.

“In the wake of healthcare’s passage, we have a strong case to make that this can be the next breakthrough legislative fight,” the Massachusetts Democrat declared.

 

“Climate legislation is the single best opportunity we have to create jobs, reduce pollution and stop sending billions overseas for foreign oil from countries that would do us harm . . . This can happen.”

 

Because “global warming” and “climate change” have become loathsome terms, due in no small part to the fact that the science used to support them has been discredited, Democratic Congressmen are being advised to refer to the initiative as a “green jobs” effort to grow the economy.  But regular readers of The Hayride will remember that we rebuked the theory that “green jobs” are good for the economy on several occasions (see here and here if you missed them).

 

As was noted this evening at investors.com,

“Polls show that global warming ranks at the bottom of public concern. Most Americans don’t want cap-and-trade. Even those who say they do lose their taste for it when asked how much more they are willing to pay for energy. Among those who have strong views on climate science, skeptics consistently outnumber alarmists in polls.”

 

Democrats clearly demonstrated, though, in the passage of the healthcare legislation, and more so in the manner by which it was passed, that polls showing a majority in opposition to a concept is irrelevant.

 

“But who needs public opinion, anyway? Health care proved that the public just doesn’t know what’s good for it.”

 

And that same publication, in reinforcing its point, brings the argument very close to home:

 

“Then there’s the money involved in cap-and-trade. Sen. Landrieu sold her health care vote for $300 million. But there are trillions and trillions of dollars at stake with a climate bill. Under the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill passed last June by the House, Congress would issue $9 trillion worth of carbon emission allowances between 2012 and 2050, according to the Brookings Institution.

Perhaps Sen. Landrieu’s vote (now generally viewed as a no on cap-and-trade) could be changed with $600 million, $900 million or more — there would be, after all, unprecedented amounts of cash sloshing around and available to special interests with cap-and-trade.

Lowly Toledo Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur garnered $1.3 billion for her district in exchange for her vote for Waxman-Markey. Just imagine what a senator could get.

With lots of money to hand out, no respect for public opinion and conventional congressional process, and the clock ticking, don’t be surprised to wake up one morning and find cap-and-trade next to health care — shoved down our collective throat.”

Our Senator Landrieu has demonstrated that her support can be bought, and that her loyalty is totally partisan in support of her party.  That party has demonstrated with equal clarity that passing their legislation is paramount, regardless of what “we, the people” think or want.  Now times a wastin’  with the mid-term elections looming and the Democratic Party held in low regard.

The majority party feels an extreme sense of urgency to pass as much of its social agenda as possible, and they’ve shown that they know how to do it.

Get ready for round two.