RPV: You're a "Radical" if You Believe Global Warming is Happening!

In the up-is-down, black-is-white world of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV), we now have one of the craziest things I've ever seen: an email claiming that Steve Shannon is a "radical" because - get this - he believes the overwhelming scientific evidence that anthropogenic global warming is taking place. In reality of course, the "radicals" are people who reject the science and claim that man's emissions of greenhouse gases are not causing serious disruptions to the planet's environment. People like Ken Cuccinelli, a proud global warming denier (as he repeated in this debate). But wait, it gets worse. In the press release, our friendly RPV claims that somehow, since Steve Shannon believes the overwhelming scientific evidence that global warming is taking place, it thereby means he supports policies that supposedly will do all kinds of terrible things (none of which are true either, by the way). Check this garbage out:

In Shannon's only opportunity to question Cuccinelli, he essentially asked why his opponent did not fully agree with those who say that global warming is threatening modern civilization. The query puts Shannon squarely in line with those in the environmental lobby and the Democratic wings of Congress who are aggressively pursuing Cap-and-Trade legislation, a known job killer that will increase the price of energy, boost the cost of doing business and raise expenses for every person living in the United States.

Cap-and-Trade is a scheme in which entities that exceed a government-imposed emission limit would be forced to buy "credits" from entities which emit amounts under the limits. Many analysts and employers have concluded that the idea would increase costs to consumers and severely limit the ability of private companies to create jobs.

In reality, of course, capping carbon and/or putting a price on it is essential if mankind is to stop out-of-control planetary warming. Also, of course, far from being a "known job killer," putting a price on carbon is likely to jumpstart a major new "clean tech"/"green energy" industry in the United States and create major new incentives for the lowest of low-hanging fruits, energy efficiency. In the long run, that would save American homeowners and business enormous sums of money that currently is - literally - going right out the windows and doors. Capping and/or putting a price on carbon is also likely to slash our energy trade deficit, helping the overall macroeconomy, while simultaneously enhancing U.S. national security by helping us kick our "addiction" (as George W. Bush called it) to Saudi (and other countries that don't like us) oil. These are the facts. But in RPV world, where up is down and black is white, fact is apparently fiction. This press release is a prime example.

P.S. If the RPV wants to educate itself on global warming, they can check out National Geographic, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, the United States Global Change Research Group, the National Science Foundation, Time Magazine, and a million other sources. Of course, given that they're a bunch of extremist right-wing ideologues who only care about fossil-fuel-industry corporate profits, they won't read any of this (or "believe" it even if they do), but I thought I'd suggest it for the rest of us.

UPDATE: Demonstrating that the RPV is not only out of step with science, it's even out of step with the mainstream of its own party and even energy industry leaders, here are some quotes from leading Republicans on global warming.

John McCain (5/12/08): "We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great. The most relevant question now is whether our own government is equal to the challenge."

George W. Bush Part I: "Today we live under the twin threats of climate change and security of energy supply."

George Bush Part II:

Firstly, the challenges we face call for immediate action. We all know that climate change is a fact. Science has swept away the last doubts as to humanity's role in causing global warming. At the same time oil prices are hitting record levels.

We need action now and at all levels at society - by governments, individuals, researchers, business and industry. We must never forget that time is not renewable.

George W. Bush Part III: "The way to meet this challenge of energy and global climate change is through technology, and the United States is in the lead. The world is on the verge of great breakthroughs that will help us become better stewards of the environment."

Sarah Palin: "I believe that man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming, climate change."

Dominion CEO Thomas Farrell: "[Edison Electric Institute] has endorsed climate change principles intended to help ensure that U.S. climate policy is successful in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also addressing the cost implications to consumers."