<br /> A landmark climate change bill on the brink of passing the Oregon state legislature now seems to be dead.<br />The bill would have used a market mechanism to reduce carbon pollution, says Gizmodo.<br />All 12 Republican state senators absconded from Salem late last week or refused to appear at the statehouse.<br />This sparked a state police manhunt until the senators threatened the police to be left alone.<br />Five days after the debacle began and with the Republicans still MIA, state Democrats have caved.<br />“This is the biggest failure of public leadership in Oregon in recent memory.” Tera Hurst, executive director of Renew Oregon<br />Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney said the bill would not move forward due to lack of votes. <br />
