Nearly all GOP Senate candidates deny global warming

[depakid]

A pretty big "duh" in our Energy & Environment forum- so not much sense in posting this there:
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A comprehensive survey of the Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate finds that nearly all dispute the scientific consensus that the United States must act to fight global warming pollution. Remarkably, of the dozens of Republicans vying for the 37 Senate seats in the 2010 election, only one -- Rep. Mike Castle of Delaware -- supports strong climate action. Even former climate advocates Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) now toe the science-doubting party line. If Castle loses his primary to Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell, the GOP slate will be unanimous in opposition to a green economy.

Many of the Senate candidates are signatories of the Koch Industries' Americans For Prosperity No Climate Tax pledge and the FreedomWorks Contract From America. The second plank of the Contract From America is to "Reject Cap & Trade: Stop costly new regulations that would increase unemployment, raise consumer prices, and weaken the nation's global competitiveness with virtually no impact on global temperatures." In reality, a carbon cap-and-trade market -- by rewarding work instead of pollution -- would increase jobs, lower electricity bills, restore American competitiveness, and forestall a climate catastrophe.

Overwhelmingly, the Republican candidates not only oppose action to limit global warming pollution, they question the validity of climate science. Here's a sampling of the report :

Gov. John Boozman (Ark.)

Well I think that we've got perhaps climate change going on. The question is what's causing it. Is man causing it, or, you know, is this a cycle that happens throughout the years, throughout the ages. And you can look back some of the previous times when there was no industrialization, you had these different ages, ice ages, and things warming and things. That's the question.

Rep. Roy Blunt (Mo.):

There isn't any real science to say we are altering the climate path of the earth.

Rep. Rob Portman (Ohio):

When you analyze all the data, there is a warming trend according to science. But the jury is out on the degree of how much is manmade.

To recap: 97 percent of climate experts agree humans are causing global warming, but 97 percent of GOP Senate candidates disagree.

More: http://www.grist.org/article/2010-09-13-deniers-gop-senate-candidates-global-warming/

[stuntcat]

1. for me this says it all about them

Science haters, Earth haters, animal haters. They think "God" chooses them :eyes:

I have one issue for the rest of my life.

[JDPriestly]

2. So, have you seen an all-out strong campaign by the Obama administration

to educate the American people about this issue? I haven't. There has been quiet discussion -- very rational, very measured. But that is not what is needed. There must be an effort to capture the attention of Americans to this issue once again. Gore tried. But we need something more effective. It would be great if Hollywood could step up to the plate and support an all-out education effort.