environment

It has now been revealed that a Washington, DC PR powerhouse that was recently exposed as being part of an anonymous "grassroots" pro-coal group also has significant ties to the Republican Party.

As regular readers will recall, earlier this week we exposed the ties between a new pro-coal "grassroots" group calling itself the "The Federation for American Coal, Energy and Security (FACES of Coal), and a Washington, DC firm called the Adfero Group. Adfero's client list includes Koch Industries and the US Chamber of Commerce, two leaders in the fight to confuse, distort and deny the realities of climate change - and especially to block government action that might affect their bottom line.

Brad Johnson at the Wonk Room is reporting today that Adfero also has significant ties to another very powerful group in Washington, DC that would love nothing more than to see legislation on climate change blocked, the Republican Party.

Johnson writes: "A new “grassroots” fossil fuel front group, FACES of Coal, is employing a shadowy Republican-staffed company to spread its message. The Federation for American Coal, Energy and Security — a new pro-mountaintop removal campaign that refuses to reveal its “grassroots” members — is employing a GOP Beltway shop to promote its work."

The mass amounts of hot air spewed forth daily by self righteous right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh are probably a significant contribution to the warming of our planet. Someone should do a study to confirm this.

What's less doubtful is the effect Limbaugh's blustering babble has had on Republican lawmakers who continue to ignore the mountains of scientific evidence telling us that we need to deal with the issue of global warming.

Here's a typical Limbaugh global warming quote:

"Despite the hysterics of a few pseudo-scientists, there is no reason to believe in global warming."

Many on the right in Washington regard Limbaugh as a hero. In fact, the rumor on Capitol Hill is that Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) has a Limbaugh poster stapled to the ceiling over his bed, so he can wake up to his "glorious leader" every morning. But that' just a rumor.

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has launched a campaign today urging Republican leaders to stop parroting Limbaugh and start listening to their reasonable colleagues like Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who are both taking action in their respective States.

So take a moment, sign the petition here and enjoy the short video the LCV has produced to go along with their campaign:

Of the many daunting challenges facing the next president, few loom larger than climate change.

Though the languishing economy will likely dictate his administration’s immediate priorities, many of the president’s long-term objectives will be shaped by the prism of energy and the climate. Yet, for all the talk of energy independence and a green economy, we still know very few specifics about what a President Barack Obama or President John McCain would do during his first term to tackle the climate issue.

.