Today’s Politics Are Tomorrow’s Climate Policies (2)

• The next three weeks are crucial to both Republicans and Democrats standing for election.
• As Americans continue to put the economy and inflation at the top of their priority lists, the momentum has swung back to Republicans, who rank higher with voters on these issues.
• The House of Representatives is much more Trump-centric than the Senate.
• Realistically, Congress is finished passing major climate legislation for at least the next two years — probably four or more, depending on the outcome of the 2022 and 2024 elections. The most that can be hoped for are refinements to the already passed legislation based on experience.

Part 1 of the series, Today’s Politics Are Tomorrow’s Climate Policies, focused on the politics of the 2022 midterm elections surrounding the US Senate. Control of the Senate is still something of a 50/50 proposition, although in recent weeks there’s been a shift of momentum towards the Republicans.

Whatever the outcome of the Senate elections, the upper chamber will be a moderating influence on a Republican controlled House of Representatives. More Trump-centric than the Senate, the House under the leadership of Kevin McCarthy will be ground-zero in the continuing culture wars.