Denial of Science? Are we living in the middle ages?

Republican candidates are still denying science

Mitt Romney: Republicans Should Not Embrace the Ideas of Al Gore & Liberal Left. In 2004, when Mitt Romney announced Massachusetts’ first climate action plan, he told reporters that he didn't want to talk about "is there global warming or is there not, and what's causing it.” Romney pulled out of negotiations on a plan to control carbon dioxide emissions in the Northeast citing concern over economic impacts. Romney rarely comments about climate change. In a statement last month, he criticized Republicans for "embracing the radical environmental ideas of the liberal left." Romney said, "Republicans should never abandon pro-growth conservative principles in an effort to embrace the ideas of Al Gore.”

Ron Paul Voted Against Increasing Fuel Efficiency for SUVs. In 2001, Paul voted against applying stricter fuel economy standards to sport utility vehicles, matching the ones that apply to cars, of 27.5 miles per gallon in 2007. Increasing CAFE standards would reduce our dependence on foreign oil, cut global warming emissions and save consumers thousands of dollars annually at the gas pump.

Duncan Hunter Voted to Weaken the Clean Air Act. In 2003, Duncan Hunter voted to move forward with plans to weaken the Clean Air Act’s anti-smog requirements by extending deadlines for certain cities that missed deadlines to clean up unhealthy air.

Mike Huckabee Dodged Taking Position on Global Warming, But Said The “Earth Belongs to God” and We “Have No Right to Destroy It.” Asked if he would make global warming a central issue in his campaign, Huckabee said “I don’t try to get into the middle of the science of global warming.”

Jim Gilmore: No link between greenhouse gasses and global warming. In March 2001 Gilmore stated that “…there is not a solid link between greenhouse gases in that warming or at least human conduct and industrial conduct in that warming. But on the other hand, I think other people are presenting different kinds of facts as well. I'm open to it. I know the president certainly is. It's a proper thing to examine. But we shouldn't jump to conclusions based upon old ideology. And I think that's what the previous administration did.

Sam Brownback Voted Against Bill To Cap Future Emissions, Won’t Use Term “Global Warming.” The Wichita Eagle reported that Brownback voted against a bill in 2003 to cap 2010 emissions at their 2000 level.” In early 2007, he “declined to use the term 'global warming.'”

Rudy Giuliani is raising money hand-over-fist in Texas--partly as a result of his Houston law firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, one of the most high-profile lobbyists for the oil, gas and energy industries. The firm is perhaps the nation's most aggressive lobbyist for coal-fired power plants, heavy emitters of air pollutants and carbon dioxide, a gas associated with global warming. Environmentalists say the firm played a significant role in persuading the Bush administration to roll back major provisions of the Clean Air Act. From the New York Times:

...In addition to collecting $89,000 in contributions from Bracewell partners and employees, Mr. Giuliani has held a fund-raiser in Houston. The firm’s managing partner, Patrick C. Oxford, is a top-shelf Bush fund-raiser with a wealth of contacts within Republican money circles.

...It is difficult to say just how much of Mr. Giuliani’s contributions from those industries stem from his affiliation with Bracewell, but employees of companies in those sectors, including several Bracewell clients, have contributed more than $400,000 to Mr. Giuliani’s campaign so far.

"From clean air to mercury pollution to global warming policies," said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters, "Giuliani’s firm has been perhaps the most anti-environment voice in Washington, representing some of the biggest corporate polluters."

These candidates are either in serious denial or seriously in the pockets of big oil and gas lobbyists. You decide. But for information on the climate crisis and what you can do to solve it see the following:

www.climatecrisis.org
http://www.giss.nasa.gov/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/

And of course the only Republican candidate to take climate change seriously is John McCain. But with him you get war: not a good thing for the environment.