Republicans: still clueless about their own emissions

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Republican Congressman Steve Pearce represents the second congressional district in New Mexico. The effect of climate change on nearly every aspect of life have been noted, and are predicted to be profound unless action is taken (reports ). However, Pearce’s head is deep in the White Sands , because he’s convinced that:

โ€œThe entire question of global warming is one that has a lot of myth associated with it and probably less science.โ€

โ€“ Debate with Rep. Wilson (R-NM01), April 29, 2008, Los Alamos, New Mexico (video)

It’s even sadder that his view is shared by 74% of his fellow Republican lawmakers.

Here are the results of a recent National Journal โ€œcongressional insiders poll โ€œ, in which both Democratic and Republican lawmakers wereย asked:

Do you think it’s been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth is warming because of man-madeย pollution?

 GOP National Journal poll global warming

Inย contrast:

Democrats, National Journal poll on global warming

Some quotes from Democrats:

โ€œAnd there is plenty of proofโ€“in changing weather patternsโ€“to prove it.โ€

โ€œOnly the loonies thinkย otherwise.โ€

โ€œYes, it’s time to move beyond this debate and do something aboutย it!โ€

Some quotes from Republicans:

โ€œReasonable people have doubts. For every Al Gore, there is an intelligent scientist armed with legitimate facts to debunk him.โ€

โ€œIn the ’70s, the ‘consensus of scientists’ was that we were beginning global cooling. Now it is global warming. Excuse me if I am skeptical of this newest form of secular religion. Perhaps we should pause and take a breath before we drink the newย Kool-Aid!โ€

โ€œThe Earth is warming, but we don’t know whether it’s caused entirely by humans or whether human actions can changeย it.โ€

In summary: Democrats prefer science and solutions, whereas the free market-touting Republicans are stumbling around their personal flat Earth, blissfully wallowing in Inhofian logic.

As New Mexico GOP Representative Heather Wilson said to Steve Pearce at the debate in Losย Alamos:

[During an EPW hearing on climate change] I asked a question about the scienceโ€ฆ one of my colleagues said ‘the science is already decided’. It bothers me that attitude prevails in some circles.โ€

I’d rather be in that circle than yours, Heather.

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