Monday, July 03, 2006

The Three Non-Believers; Ineptitude Run Rampant

Well guys, it looks as though we have yet another reason not to vote for Bob Corker, Van Hilleary, and Ed Bryant this fall--they do not believe scientific fact.

In their debate Thursday night in Knoxville, each of the the Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate took their turns bashing the scientists and the reports that all say that global warming is indeed real and a pressing threat to our world.

The question that was asked of the Republicans was the following:

“The overwhelming body of reputable scientists have found that the mean temp of earth in increasing, and we that we are approaching what is known as the so called tipping point, where irreversible damage will occur to our planet and way of life. Do you agree that the scientific debate on global warming is over? If so, what steps would you support to take us back from the tipping point?”

And here is what the three "scientists" had to say in response:

Ex-Mayor Bob Corker: “You know, there are a body of scientists who think what the questioner said is true, there is a body of scientists who think that's not the case. It’s just part of the changes that are taking place.”

Ex-Congressman Van Hilleary: “Well, I heard Al Gore say the other night that the debate was over, but I'm not sure that he convinced me. He hadn't convinced me a whole lot over the years.”

Ex-Congressman Ed Bryant:I'm not saying that we have to do away with gasoline powered cars, we're going to have to drill where we have to drill, we have to build more refineries out there.”

The world's top scientists have said plainly that the debate on whether global warming is real or not is over. The only question now remains what are we going to do to stop this crisis. That is what we should be debating.

For the Republican candidates to try and discredit those scientists and their findings just to play to their base and try to advance a narrow partisan agenda, just shows the people of Tennessee that they just can't be taken seriously on issues of great importance like global warming.

In response to the less than pathetic answers from the Republicans on global warming, Congressman Harold Ford Jr. said the following:

“We need a new generation of leadership that embraces the best ideas, not the most extreme. It does not matter that the ideas are Democratic or Republican, only that they are good ideas.
“Good ideas are based on facts, not narrow ideology. Pretending the world’s climate isn’t changing is like pretending the world is flat, or that men didn’t walk on the moon. You can pretend all you like, but it doesn’t make it so.

“My opponents should have spent some time in the UT labs before trying to pass themselves off as experts. They could have read the 2001 report from the National Academy of Sciences that begins, ‘Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth’s atmosphere as a result of human activities.’ Or they could have stopped off to see Senator Baker, who had the vision to write the Clean Air Act and base it on science.

“Given a choice between statesmen like Howard Baker and the National Academy of Sciences on one hand, and my opponents on the other, I think Tennesseans know who was working for positive change, and who is advancing a narrow ideology.

“I do agree with one thing Van Hilleary said last night. He said, ‘The only way you can really determine how we will be once we go to Washington is how we’ve always been.’ When it comes to electing partisanship over solving problems, my opponents are all the same. And you can’t have change with more of the same.”

Congressman Ford is correct: it is time our elected officials embrace what is best, not what pacifies a small, extremely partisan group of people. As we have saw over the past 5 years, partisan wrangling gets us nowhere.

Our next U.S. Senator needs to be someone who understands that.

Global warming is far too great of a threat for us to simply continue to ignore. This is one of those times in history that calls for political and courage will from our leaders to stand and and do what is right. This shouldn't be a political issue. It is a moral one.

I am proud that Harold Ford Jr. lives in the reality based community and know global warming is real.

However, the same can't be said for his opponents. But that shouldn't surprise anyone. We must remember that we are talking about the same people who do not think energy independence is an issue worth talking about. (Not a coincidence that our vast consumption of oil and other materials is what is warming the Earth) It seems it is a pattern of ineptitude with these guys.

Tennesseans deserve better leadership than that.

Lets elect Harold Ford Jr. this fall and restore common sense and real moral leadership back to the United States Senate.

182 Days

Days of Congressional Inaction on Ethics

Above is the number of days that have passed since Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to bribing Congressman.

It is also the number of days in which Congress has failed to pass an ethics reform bill that would limit private travel, ski and golf junkets, and would call for a full disclosure of expenses by lobbyists on members of Congress.

It is time for Congress to step up and pass an ethics reform bill that would do all of the above. In addition, it is time to end the pork barrel spending system as we know it and establish an independent ethics commission that would review ethics complaints against members of Congress.

I am proud Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is fighting for that reform!

Read Congressman Ford's call for reform of the House rules here!