3 Senators have released a “framework” agreement showing that they agree on the basics for what will constitute a decent climate change agreement in the future. And, in a nod toward the kind of consensus that will be necessary to make anything actually happen of substance, the framework comes from one Republican, one Democrat, and the one Independent we have in the senate- Mr. Joe Lieberman.

"The movement for climate change legislation in the United States Senate is alive and well," said Lieberman, somehow thinking that he is the spokesperson for a movement.

Is this supposed to replace what should have been Congressional legislation months ago with some teeth for Obama and other officials to go to Copenhagen and actually hold their heads high? At this point it doesn’t even look like we are supporting the Kyoto Protocol upgrade that the rest of the world is, if not living up to, at least talking about and working from. But our economy, of course, is too precious and important- ok, I’ll tone down the sarcasm. It is important- without burning enough fossil fuels to alter the atmospheric conditions for life on earth, we wouldn’t be this powerful.

But now, we must rise like the phoenix, literally from our own hot ashes. And while most will talk about, like the Washington Post does, how little is actually said or put forward as far as details go in this “framework,” I see it as a good sign that at least the senate understands that they are dropping the ball on this one and that they need to show the world some kind of evidence proactive motion is happening in the senate about climate change.

I actually believe Senator John Kerry when he throws out this gem:

"The reason there's not specifics [being released] today is very specifically because of the process that we are honoring.”

Of course, the senatorial process is heavily rooted in filibusters and threats that make it move slower than Kerry’s own response to problems in his own campaign for president- no matter. "We don't want to jump ahead of the committee process," Kerry said- yeah. Well, don’t wear yourself out sitting on the Lay-Z-Boy, John.

It’s nice to see that the senate is backing Obama’s call for a 17% cut in emissions by 2020, the one he is putting forward to the committee at Copenhagen. That said, it will be spring before they ever get around to voting for anything- hopefully for Kerry and his fellow democrats that means that they will have the health care reform and the climate change bill in their pockets going into mid-term elections- if not, they better watch out what else is on the soon to be truncated agenda for 2011-2012.

"The world must come together to confront climate change," said Obama at his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. "There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, famine and mass displacement that will fuel more conflict for decades."

Agreed- and as Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Ok, senate- let’s be it.