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September 07, 2005
Spitzer Sues Dept. of Energy
The New York State attorney general led a coalition of 15 states and New York City on Wednesday, filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy. The suit cites the DOE's alleged failure to enact tougher energy standards that Congress required for 22 household appliances.The suit claims that deadlines set to stiffen manufacturers' energy requirements lapsed years ago. The state bigwigs say that such standards would save electricity, natural gas and oil--and could garner annual energy savings meeting the total energy needs of 3 million to 12 million U.S. households.
Spitzer is a high-profile Democrat. But lest any characterize the lawsuit as a blue state-red state schism, note the coalition's geographic breakdown, one that eschews such simplistic models. Besides the New York AG, other attorneys general and officials involved hail from Wisconsin, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. And the congressional standards--and the DOE's alleged lethargy--date back to the Clinton Administration.
First, I love Eliot Spitzer. This is a man who fights hard and wins. Nothing seems to phase him. In fact, it appears the bigger the opponent, the more aggressive he becomes.
But, let’s look a bit deeper at the issue. Spitzer is suing the DOE by essentially arguing the DOE is not doing its job. This is an excellent strategy; there is little actual evidence required. All Spitzer must show is a deadline exists and the DOE has not written new guidelines. This is a simple and straightforward case.
But also look at the coalition Spitzer has built for the case. This is not just a Democrat going after the DOE – it’s a broad coalition of various state’s attorney generals who are trying to save their states money in a time of escalating fuel prices. Regardless of a specific AG’s party affiliation, this is the correct path to take. All AG’s involved are doing their job; they are each looking out for the best interest of their constituents.
Most importantly, Spitzer’s entire career illustrates a very important point that Dems should take notice of: state politics matter. They are just as important and vital to the national fabric as national politics. While they may not get the spotlight all the time, they can still be used to effectively represent constituents at a time when the national government appears mired in gridlock.
Posted by Hale Stewart at September 7, 2005 06:27 PM | Permalink
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