According to a new report by the government's National Climatic Data Center, this past summer was the hottest in 70 years. According to USA Today, this summer saw "temperatures not seen since the Dust Bowl..." Why is this happening? Jay Lawrimore, chief of the data center's Climate Monitoring Branch, says that "the trend is definitely toward warmer weather" and is not an isolated event." Gee, that's a big surprise. Can we say, "An Inconvenient Truth?"Speaking of global warming, the New York Times reports today that "NASA Scientists See New Signs of Global Warming," with "higher temperatures and a retreat of the sea ice over the last two winters offered new evidence that the gases were influencing the region+óGé¼Gäós climate."
Look, there's no doubt about it anymore, global warming is here, it's clear, and it's a major problem to deal with. So what are the Georges - Bush and Allen - doing about it? Well, nothing, of course. In fact, they're making it worse by a combination of: a) inaction on the problem, including refusal to negotiate with the rest of the world on taking action; b) opposition to raising fuel economy and other energy efficiency standards, by far the quickest way to get big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; and c) continued market-distorting subsidies to their pals in the fossil fuel industry.
I suppose we shouldn't be surprised at George Allen's behavior, given that he has received $800,000 or so from oil and other energy companies. Never let it be said that George Allen doesn't know exactly where his own interests lie, even if they completely contradict the interests of the public he has sworn to serve. It's not all Republicans, by the way, that are as unenlightened as George Allen. Unfortunately, though, George Allen is no Arnold Schwarzenegger when it comes to global warming.
P.S. Just a reminder that George Allen is rated ZERO by the American Wilderness Coalition, ZERO by the Defenders of Wildlife, and a paltry 5% by the League of Conservation Voters. He's also rated ZERO by Planet Earth.
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
I don't blame Allen for the weather, but I do believe he should be held accountable for his inaction on these issues.