EU Referendum’s Richard North:

This passage of this bill does not signify any great “green revolution” or “growing” climate “awareness” on the part of Congress. Instead, the methods and manner that the Pelosi-led House achieved final passage, represents nothing more than unrestrained exercise of raw political power, arm-twisting, intimidation and special interest handouts.
The House of Representatives passed a bill it did not read, did not understand. A bill that is based on crumbling scientific claims and a bill that will have no detectable climate impact (assuming climate fear promoters are correct on the science and the bill is fully implemented – both implausible assumptions).
Proponents of the bill made spectacular claims in their efforts to impress the urgency of the bill on their colleagues. Democratic Congressman G.K. Butterfield reported claim that the bill “will literally save the planet” reveals just how out of touch scientifically, politically and economically many of the bill’s supporters have become.

Think what you will about the Waxman-Markey bill (I’m not a fan, to put it mildly), but the way it has been pushed through (the whole “unread” thing, to start with) reflects extraordinarily poorly on the American political system. Are the techniques that were used unprecedented? Of course not, but the fact that they apparently bother Obama so little ought to worry just a few of those who believed that his election would usher in an era of more open government and a more democratic political process.