The Murkowski Resolution's Failure

I caught this over at Freedom Works, but I had a little bit different, and more (long-term) positive read on it.

Hopefully, rather than speaking specifically to bi-partisan opposition to Cap and Trade (although that would also be nice), this is showing a greater understanding of and respect for the separation of power from our legislators.

The executive branch of the United States government, including all of the regulatory agencies which fall under it, is supposed to execute the policies outlined by the legislative branch.  It is not designed, intended to, or allowed to pass legislation or policy independent of the legislative branch.

Unfortunately, our legislature has bought into the idea of a bureaucracy of experts (more often a bureaucracy of people with good connections), and has given away both their right and their responsibility to legislate.  If people wanted experts on environmental policy with no accountability to the public to have final say on environmental regulations, we would have elected people with those qualifications to public office.  Instead, we want the people we elected to make laws for us to do that.  And we want to have the power of the ballot box to hold them accountable.

Unfortunately, the Resolution failed.  Fortunately, it was closer than expected, with even Democrats supporting it.  Hopefully soon our legislators will start legislating, rather than pawning their jobs off on bureaucrats.