Posted on 10/25/2014 12:07:34 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It wasn’t long ago that coal executives were openly discussing their dream of Republicans seizing the White House and making Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe — who believes climate change is a “hoax” concocted by greedy scientists — the head of the EPA.
Now, they have a second chance. As dark money groups and SuperPACs backed by millions of dollars from the fossil fuel industry are propelling Republicans to a Senate majority, climate science-denying politicians are likely to seize control of key committee chairmanships, a coup for companies seeking to pollute the atmosphere with impunity. What’s more, Inhofe is slated to become chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, with oversight of the EPA.
Republic Report took a look at how the U.S. Senate would likely change under GOP control:
– Environment and Public Works Committee: Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) is in line to take control of the EPQ chairmanship, which would give him authority over the EPA. Inhofe, who has compared climate change activists to Nazis, has already signaled that he will go after regulators on a raft of issues concerning greenhouse gases, from methane leaks to the new rules over coal-fire power plants.
– Subcommittee on Science and Space: As current ranking member of this subcommittee, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has a good shot at becoming the chairman. This vital subcommittee oversees the National Science Foundation, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and issues relating to federally funded scientific research. Cruz is a proud denier of climate change science. When he ran for office in 2012, Cruz told reporters in Texas that global warming ceased in 1997. Earlier this year, in an interview with CNN, Cruz again questioned the science, claiming the “data are not supporting what the advocates are arguing.”
– Homeland Security and Governmental Reform Committee: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), in line to take control of the Homeland Security Committee, would likely use his perch to continue to harass scientists. The committee is the Senate’s chief investigative and oversight body. Johnson has already distinguished himself with outbursts against Dr. James Hansen, using a hearing earlier this year as an opportunity to tell the award-winning NASA scientist that climate “science is far from settled.” Johnson, who claims that “sunspot activity” is responsible for any changes in climate, has also railed against groups pushing for reform, accusing one of “environmental jihad.”
– Budget Committee: Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) has brushed aside the threat of climate change, calling the debate over the issue a “waste of money.” As the next possible chair of the Budget Committee, Enzi may have a chance to rewrite the budget and reduce funding for agencies attempting to regulate carbon pollution. There has been talk about Republicans shutting the government down in a bid to defund the EPA over its climate change rules. Enzi has already criticized the EPA’s coal regulations, and could move such a strategy forward.
Should Republicans take a majority of seats in the U.S. Senate, the caucus would be led by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and John Cornyn (R-TX), two men who have refused to answer fairly simple questions about the threat of manmade climate change.
Moreover, the Senate Republicans have indicated that they will not only block the few and fairly weak proposals to deal with climate change, but are just as interested in using their power to intimidate environmental non-profits. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) has recently published reports listing the American Lung Association and the National Wildlife Foundation as part of a nefarious environmental cabal. Though the Vitter reports fail to show any wrongdoing by the non-profits, he has already sent investigative letters to some groups.
Oooooooo.....this is to scare the pothead Greenies to run to the voting booths to vote for millionaires and billionaires who live in mansions, fly in private jets and lecture the common man about his meager carbon footprint.
Lee Fang
Lee Fang, a freelance journalist, is the former Senior Investigator for United Republic and a former investigative blogger for ThinkProgress.org. He has broken stories that include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s foreign funding, the attendance of U.S. Supreme Court justices at secretive political fundraisers and the stealth efforts by lobbyists to orchestrate and control the Tea Party. Lee’s work has resulted in multiple calls for hearings in Congress and the Federal Election Commission. His book on the campaign to block Obama’s domestic priorities is slated for publication in late 2012.
It is a hoax. It is also their money laundering operation.
It’s not going to happen you have to win GA (down), KS (down) NC (Karl Rove’s boy blew it)
The author must have made a look up mistake.
“Climate deniers” now is written as “Lib arts majors who actually attempted a physics course and escaped with a gentlecretin’s grade of D-”.
Gasp, my very very BAD!
I was knocking the libs, not the so-called climate deniers.
We “deniers” are the ones who actually passed physics.
I shall ban myself for a bit and beat myself with wet copies of the Hillabeast’s latest lie...er...book.
Climate changes twice a day, unfailingly.
From his diseased lips to God’s ears......
Makes a lot more seems than leaving it in the hands of the climate change fairies, including the author....
I’m not a climate change denier.
The Earth has been getting warmer or colder for 4,000,000,000 years. The only constant in Earths environment is change. It will continue to change till it’s consumed by the Sun.
Man has been on earth .00075% of Earth’s age or 300,000 years.
Earth will continue to change after man is long gone.
The universe is dynamic. Suns supernova, galaxies collide, planets are formed and lost in black holes daily.
Man is merely a brief observer, not the cause.
Global Warming on Free Republic
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