We'll begin with the best part of the Kerry-Lieberman climate bill (the best of what I've read so far). Obviously, the emissions reduction should be much larger, but this isn't awful considering the loudness of the opposition to any cuts at all.
Emissions would be cut by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and by more than 80 percent by 2050. It would also provide for a separate, more urgent limit-and-reduction schedule for super-greenhouse gases and black carbon. Greenhouse gases that would be limited are: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons emitted as a byproduct, perfluorocarbons, and nitrogen trifluoride. It requires the phase-down of HFC consumption to 15 percent of the baseline by 2032.
And the worst part:
"Clean" coal technologies would be invested in through annual incentives of $2 billion for researching and developing carbon capture and sequestration methods.
Enough with the "clean" coal. It's time to move on. Even if they figure out a reliable sequestration process, coal energy is still dirty energy. Mountaintops will still be removed, runoff will still pollute water supplies and mines will continue to collapse/explode.