"Congress either moves at glacial speed or warp factor nine," U.S. Rep. Phil Hare told the Quad-City Times Editorial Board. That's pedal to the metal in "Star Trek" parlance, the speed at which health care and energy legislation has accelerated.

So we were glad to see Hare slow down and talk through issues progressing faster than most Americans - including Congress - can comprehend.

Carbon cap and trade

Hare is adamant that he believes carbon sequestering can work, a belief he really must hold as a congressman from Illinois, ninth of 25 coal-producing states in 2007.

He was personally lobbied by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel. Hare ultimately voted "yes" last week because of two key compromises.

The first compromise provided emissions leniency for rural electrical cooperatives. Another key compromise gave the U.S. Department of Agriculture a role in managing carbon emissions on farms, which Hare believes will protect farmers.

"That was a tough sell" in Congress said Hare, who then offered a whiny impression of House Republican Leader John Boehner's floor speech: "What does the USDA have to do with energy?"

Most farm groups fear escalation of fertilizer and other production costs. The compromise provision grants emission credits to some ag interests, making them lucrative players in the emissions trading created by this bill.

Hare also says he does not believe utility rate projections bandied about by power companies. Hare estimated customer costs of "20 to 40 cents per day." A Congressional Budget Office report put the average consumer cost at $175 per year, or about 48 cents per day.

Carbon cap and trade now heads to the Senate and Hare expects further compromises will require a second House vote.

"If they take this rural stuff out of the bill, I'll switch to 'no,'" he said.

Health care

Hare remains adamant that a government-funded insurance option must be part of any health-care reform he would support. Two aspects are essential: portability and the end of screenings for pre-existing conditions.

Those aspects became clear at the eight health-care forums he held throughout the district. He also was influenced by conversations with his personal physician, who described 16 hours of paperwork per week. "Any reform must look at record keeping and processing to cut costs," Hare said.

Hare thinks a government-backed insurance plan would be managed and offered through private insurers. Public plan premiums "would cost no more than 5 percent of income," Hare said.

He acknowledged that although polls consistently show "the vast majority of American people want a single-payer plan, they're not going to get it."

Hare also seemed receptive to litigation caps aimed at reducing malpractice premiums, something most Democrats have opposed. "I'd be open to take a look at it."

Democratic leadership in Washington

Hare had high praise for the president's approach and work ethic, but said he's not in lockstep.

Hare disagrees with the Obama transportation plan being pitched by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, former Quad-Citian and ex-Illinois GOP congressman. The president wants a temporary extension of the existing transportation funding bill. Hare and most House Democrats favor an entirely new bill with lots more funding for new projects.

Hare spoke respectfully of the blue dog Democrats, a group he does not belong to, but which he says "has a ton of power." He admires their role as fiscal watchdogs and thinks it resonates with voters as well.

Democratic leadership in Illinois

Hare shook his head in disgust when asked about his party's leadership at the state level. "I'm very disappointed in the Illinois General Assembly, the House, not the Senate."

Hare sees no way around an Illinois income tax hike. "Illinois is $11 billion upside down. You can only cut so many services and borrow from so many pensioners before you have to look at revenue."

He called House Speaker Michael Madigan, "a good guy, but I still don't understand why a budget bill won't go."

Hare cringes to think Illinois could lose $8 billion in federal matching funds if the state cannot pass its own capital funding bill.

"I've told the governor and every state legislator I see, 'You've got to lead.'"

Hare welcomed state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulis into the U.S. Senate race, and noted he discouraged Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan from following suit. "She asked about serving in Washington. I told her if I had little kids, I wouldn't be doing this."

"I'd love to see her run for governor, though."