Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)
Senate Majority Leader and Anarchist
In an attempt to more closely align the U.S. with global environmental accords and agencies, the White House and the Environmental Protection Agency want to reduce the number of American coal-burning plants and encourage states to invest more effort into developing alternate fuel sources like solar and wind power.
New E.P.A. regulations to advance those goals are expected to be announced this summer. In final preparation for that event, the E.P.A. is requiring each state to submit a plan explaining how they would cut greenhouse gas emissions within their individual borders. The E.P.A. has been, and is continuing to, work with state leaderships to assist them with this requirement.
Republicans have made it clear they intend to fight this development; but they are also facing the reality that, even if they pass legislation to slow or block new E.P.A. regulations, the President will most certainly veto the legislation and they will never be able to summon the number of votes needed to override his veto.
what eye thynk: Facing reality has not been a hallmark of Republicanism since 2008, whether the issue was healthcare, the deficit or climate change; and now that the GOP holds the majority in both the House and the Senate, they see no reason to dismantle their ostrich-inspired, head-in-the-sand, anti-environment crusade.
In fact, they plan to build on a barricade they created late last year when the Republican dominated House passed legislation that would make it basically illegal for scientists to advise the E.P.A.--because why would a government agency that regulates how humans effect the world of natural science need advice from scientists when they have the Republican party--whose members have made it very clear they are not scientists--eager to advise them instead? (Somehow this made sense to Boehner and his bunch.)
But, faced with the fact that neither the White House nor the E.P.A. seem inclined to bow to the GOP on this issue, what is a leading Republican lawmaker to do? Well, if you're Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), you demonstrate your mastery of the anti-science clan's agenda by encouraging anarchy. In an op-ed piece, written by the Senate's top Republican and published in The Lexington Herald-Leader this past Wednesday, Mr. McConnell urged states to "reject (the) Obama mandate for clean-power regulations...The Obama administration's 'so-called' clean power regulation seeks to shut down more of America's power generation under the guise of protecting the climate...Don't be complicit in the administration's attack on the middle class."
(Notice how he worked the GOP's 2015-Official First-Quarter Talking Point, "attack on the middle class" in there? Give the Mitch-ster a gold star!)
Mr. McConnell suggested our states should, "Think twice before submitting a state plan...Without your support, (the administration) won't be able to demonstrate the capacity to carry out such political extremism."
He is completely ignoring the fact that, under the Clean Air Act of 1963, the executive branch, (that means the president, Mr. McConnell), is required (yes, required) to "develop and enforce regulations to protect the public from airborne contaminants." The Supreme Court has upheld that requirement on more than one occasion.
The E.P.A., which was created in 1970 for the sole purpose of expanding federal enforcement of the regulations set forth by the executive branch, has also seen its function upheld by the Supreme Court. But, hey, you go ahead and encourage our states to ignore these federal requirements, this federal agency and these federal laws, Senator McConnell, because...well...Republican.
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) said, "It's unprecedented that a leader in the Senate would call on states to disobey the law...I can't recall a majority leader calling on states to disobey the law, and I've been here almost 24 years."
As the New York Times pointed out yesterday, "Since the moment his party regained control of the Senate, Mr. McConnell has made clear that he intends to use all legal, legislative and political means available to fight Mr. Obama's climate agenda."
Mitch McConnell may want to promote himself as a Republican role-model of "responsible government," but fomenting anarchy in order to encourage the continuation of GOP obstructionism does not a make him a leader.
Leaders don't create roadblocks. They build the road.
a road to the bridge to nowhere?
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