Earlier this week, I profiled three candidates on the the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Dirty Dozen list who are running for the House of Representatives. Yesterday, I continued my series with Part 2--Four Filthy Senators. Both of these diaries described the anti-environmental records of candidates who consistently vote (or promise to vote) against clean energy and natural resource conservation.
Join me over the fold for part 3, in which I profile the final three GOTeaP senate candidates on the LCV's list, all of whom put the Tea in GOTeaP. I also include a first from the LCV--a propostion has been named to the list, making this a Dirty Baker's Dozen. Most important of all, I include action items for their Democratic opponents and the No on 23 campaign.
CO-SEN: Ken Buck vs. Michael Bennet
Let's go through the Tea Party checklist. Bad for reproductive rights? Check. Bad for the economy? Check. Bad for civil rights? Check. Bad for the environment? Check!
Buck vehemently opposes comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation and denies the sound and settled science of global warming.
"Ken Buck has been parroting the lies and misinformation of corporate polluters and as Senator would side with Big Oil over Colorado families at every opportunity," said Tony Massaro, LCV Senior Vice President for Political Affairs. "His extremist views on climate change put him far outside the mainstream, while his support for the failed energy polices of the past make him unfit for the U.S. Senate."
Ken Buck prioritizes expanding on the dirty energy policies of the past over moving Colorado’s growing clean energy economy forward... Buck has said "While I think the earth is warming, I don't think that man-made causes are the primary factor. I am one of those people that Al Gore refers to as a skeptic."
No, Mr. Buck, it makes you a denier and climate zombie.
The LCV isn't done with Buck. Here's their campaign ad about him.
Even climate change denier Ken Buck uses Facebook!
Fortunately, we have an alternative, Michael Bennet, who is surprisingly strong on alternative energy.
In December 2009, Bennet cosigned a letter to Senate majority leader Harry Reid and President Obama urging them to consider supporting the Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act (S.2755). The letter, signed by the bill’s sponsor and cosponsors, explained that this bill could create as many as 10,000 new jobs. The letter further stated concern that China and other countries are passing the US in production of alternative energy, and that this bill would provide an opportunity to reduce that trend.
Good for you, Senator Bennet!
Michael Bennet's Act Blue page
WI-SEN: Ron Johnson vs. Russ Feingold
My wife lived in Wisconsin for years and can't believe Russ Feingold is running behind this cracked teapot. Neither can I. As for the LCV, let me say they're less than amused.
Johnson vehemently opposes comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation and denies the sound and settled science of global warming.
"Ron Johnson belongs back in school rather than in the U.S. Senate. His outlandish claims that sunspots are somehow causing global warming shows he could use a few more science classes before he’s allowed to influence federal policies aimed at reducing pollution, protecting public health and creating clean energy jobs for Wisconsin families," said Tony Massaro, LCV Senior Vice President for Political Affairs. "His extremist views on climate change put him far outside the mainstream, while his support for the failed energy polices of the past make him unfit for the U.S. Senate."
Ron Johnson is open to drilling in Great Lakes like Lake Superior and Lake Michigan and consistently defended BP in the aftermath of the Gulf Coast oil spill. Johnson owns up to $315,000 in BP stock, up to $101,000 in Exxon Mobil stock and up to $50,000 in Occidental Petroleum stock... He has said that "I absolutely do not believe that the science of man-caused climate change is proven...I think it's far more likely that it's just sunspot activity, or something just in the geologic eons of time where we have changes in the climate."
Sunspot activity--riiight. Could you say that again, nice and clear so that everyone can hear you?
Thank you, climate zombie.
Now Russ Feingold in his own words from his own website on energy...
"From over-dependence on oil, to global warming, to record gas and heating oil prices, it’s clear that now, more than ever, we must put renewed focus on securing energy independence for America. Forging a new way forward when it comes to energy will improve our nation’s security by making us less dependent on potentially unfriendly countries.
I’ve long supported actions that promote renewable and innovative energy and also improve energy efficiency. These policies not only have the potential to bring down prices, they also provide new economic opportunities in both rural and urban areas across Wisconsin and around the nation."
...and the environment.
"Wisconsin has a long tradition of conservation. Former Governor and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day in 1970. Throughout his life, he was a tireless advocate for environmental protections. I’m deeply honored to hold the seat he once occupied in the U.S. Senate.
Our conservation efforts are indebted to the work of another Wisconsin environmentalist, Aldo Leopold, co-founder of the Wilderness Society. Wisconsin was also the home state of the legendary John Muir, the first president of the Sierra Club, whose ideas about conservation and the essential role of wilderness in nature inspire environmentalists to this day.
I will continue to work hard to protect our public lands, ensure safe drinking water and breathable air, end environmentally harmful subsidies, and preserve the quality of Wisconsin's environment."
That's music to my ears!
Russ Feingold's Act Blue page
DE-SEN: Christine O'Donnell vs. Chris Coons
In all of the brouhaha (with emphasis on HA-HA!) over Pristine Christine's goofy statements and complete ignorance of the Constitution, most of us haven't even thought about her environmental positions. The LCV has, and made her their final pick of their Dirty Dozen candidates.
O’Donnell vehemently opposes comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation and has deemed urgent action on climate unnecessary.
"Christine O’Donnell has been parroting the lies and misinformation of corporate polluters and as Senator would side with Big Oil over Delaware families at every opportunity," said Tony Massaro, LCV Senior Vice President for Political Affairs. "Her extremist views on climate change put her far outside the mainstream, while her support for the failed energy policies of the past make her unfit for the U.S. Senate."
O’Donnell prioritizes expanding the failed dirty energy policies of the past over growing Delaware's clean energy economy... With regards to comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation, she has said "In this race, I am the only candidate who has pledged to not only vote against it but advocate against it."
"Instead of promising to fight to ensure Delaware leads in the creation of the 21st century’s clean energy economy, O’Donnell is running for Senate to block a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill that creates jobs, reduces carbon pollution and increases energy independence," said Massaro.
Oh, well, she's a Tea Partier. Would you expect any different from her?
Speaking of Tea Partiers, it's time for an encore performance of "Tea Time with Sarah Palin" which features all of the Senate candidates profiled in this series, plus a cameo by Marco Rubio.
A disturbing trend has emerged among many Republican Senate candidates: a refusal to accept the sound and settled science that man-made carbon pollution is causing the planet to warm. If these candidates win in November, the number of card-carrying members of this "Flat Earth Society" will rise exponentially in the world's greatest deliberative body. Take action: pledge, share, vote. www.flatearth.tv
Fortunately, we have Chris Coons running against Prissy Chrissie. Here's what Chris himself says about his environmental positions.
As Delawareans continue to see their fuel and energy prices increase, they must consider becoming good environmental stewards. That is why Chris Coons, in his role as County Executive, took steps to address the county’s own energy consumption and emissions in order to bring costs down for taxpayers and protect the environment.
As Senator, Chris will continue what he started here in Delaware to encourage all governments and businesses to inventory their greenhouse gas emissions, develop an action plan for reducing these emissions and become more energy efficient.
Chris is also calling for a nationwide cap and trade program that will help establish a price on carbon and unleash the creativity of American ingenuity to help solve the increasing effects of Greenhouse gases on the environment.
Now, that's what I want to read from a Democratic candidate.
Bonus: California Proposition 23
The LCV has never included a ballot proposition as part of its Dirty Dozen before. It must be bad, really bad for them to do that.
Today, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which works to turn environmental values into national priorities, and the California League of Conservation Voters, announced the unprecedented addition of ballot measure Proposition 23 to the 2010 Dirty Dozen list. For the first time, LCV named the oil industry-funded ballot measure to its trademark Dirty Dozen program that targets candidates for Congress based on its attempted threat to California’s landmark air pollution standards and leading clean energy industry. LCV and its sister organization LCV Education Fund have contributed $1.2 million so far to defeat this dirty energy measure.
"With corporate polluters having successfully blocked comprehensive energy and climate legislation in the U.S. Senate, it is more important than ever that we beat back this deceptive effort funded by Texas oil companies to kill California’s clean energy economy," said LCV President Gene Karpinski. "If Big Oil and Dirty Coal successfully repeal California’s clean energy law, there’s no doubt that these dirty energy interests will ramp up their efforts to stifle new energy policies in Congress and in other states – and that’s why LCV is working with California LCV to mobilize our members in California and around the country."
The primary funders of Prop. 23 are Texas oil companies Valero and Tesoro whose California oil refineries are among the top ten polluters in the state. Prop. 23 would let these Texas oil companies and other polluters off the hook - drastically increasing air pollution and public health risks. Each year, California's air pollution crisis contributes to thousands of premature deaths, hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks, and thousands of trips to the hospital for California families.[1]
"The Texas oil tycoons and their dirty coal buddies are spending millions to sell this cynical scam," said Warner Chabot, CEO of the CA League of Conservation Voters. "They don’t care about our clean air standards or the billions being invested in clean technology jobs. Their real goal is to keep us addicted to their oil. Prop 23 deserves the Dirty Dozen label and it deserves to be dumped in the trash can of history."
Prop. 23 would kill clean technology jobs, innovation and billions of dollars of investment in California. Since 2005, California clean energy jobs have grown ten times faster than the statewide average, with 500,000 employees currently working in the state’s leading clean energy industries.[2] California's clean technology sector received $9 billion cumulative venture capital investment from 2005-09, including $2.1 billion in 2009 alone. [3]
By keeping consumers dependent on fossil fuels, Prop. 23 would also increase household electricity costs in California by 33%. These added costs would reduce economic output in California by more than $80 billion and cost over a half million jobs by 2020.
Oh, yeah, it's bad. The good news is that it's losing.
Support has fallen below 40% for Proposition 23, a measure that would suspend the state's greenhouse gas law.
Just the same, don't let up.
No on 23: Stop the Dirty Energy Prop.