Why are Republicans Siding with Climate Scientist James Hansen on the Waxman-Markey Bill?

In a wild turn of events, republican congresspeople are siding with Climate Scientist James Hansen and environmental justice groups like WEACT for Environmental Justice that the Waxman-Markey bill isn't the right bill for fighting Climate Change. Unfortunately they may be agreeing for the wrong reasons.

James Hansen is a noted scientist and in 1998 he was the first to testify in front of Senate on the impacts of global warming. Hansen heads up the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He has come out publicly against the bill stating it will give away too much to big coal and dirty oil without making the necessary regulations to stop climate change.

Republicans are against the bill because they fear the regulations will drive these big industries away from America and into more developing countries without the same regulations. New York Times reporter Christa Marshall, reported that Hansen's words were used by republican congressional representatives as a reason for voting "no" on the bill. Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma may call Hansen to testify to the senate against this bill. This is kinda crazy because Inhofe is a senator who once came out and said "global warming is a hoax."

Although the republicans are using the science as a way to vote no on the bill, many believe they are just using people like Hansen to get no climate bill passed at all. Some democratic leaders and mainstream environmental groups are trying to downplay opponents of the bill like Hansen and hope that they can portray enough unified support over the bill to get it past into legislation. Although the bill is not perfect, it is the first real shot at any sort of regulations to halt climate change. Many supporters of the bill like policy group, 1sky fear that if we do not pass this bill this year then we may lose our window of opportunity for another 4 to 8 years. The next three years will be heavily focused on senate and then presidential elections and politicians are said to be less bold in their legislative votes during election years. Groups like Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace have come out against the bill, stating that it is too weak to make a difference and may end up creating more harm than good for low-income workers and people of color.

This debate is getting deeper and deeper but if you don't know what the heck is going on and want the quick update watch this video courtesy of the climate crisis coalition featuring Scientists and Environmental Justice Leaders on why a Carbon Tax is the way, not a cap and trade system like the one the Waxman Markey bill would create.

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Young Leader on the Grind: Tony Anderson

Green Light : Spotlight Tony Anderson

By

Reginald Larkin

“People have been very positive and receptive” says Tony C. Anderson, 26, Morehouse College alum who is taking the environmental movement by storm. Since graduating in the spring of 2008, Anderson has managed to familiarize himself with the who’s who of the environmental world. He has become a fellow with the Compton foundation, a fellowship that affords him the opportunity to have Nia Robinson, director of The Environmental Justice Climate Coalition and Van Jones , president of Green for all and senior fellow with the center for American Progress as mentors.
Majoring in political philosophy, Anderson has managed to put his degree to use by creating the “Lets Raise A Million”(LRAM) campaign. LRAM is an Environmental Justice organization that circulates compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) or smart bulbs as Anderson so affectionately calls them. LRAM plans circulate to households of a modest income. The money being are saved can be applied to other areas where funding is vital. Saving money and energy can show people how inclusive the green movement really is.
When asked what the inspiration for his campaign is, he enthusiastically responds “Hearing Nia Robinson speak at a conference about Compact Florescent light bulbs.” He goes on to explain that when it came time to choose a gift that his mother could really use he gave her light bulbs. After hearing his mother praise clean energy light bulbs with her friends it became apparent that if you could get clean energy light bulbs to households of a modest income throughout Atlanta there would be a dramatic impact in the energy usage and money spent on light bulbs.
Anderson plans to reach the million mark and take his campaign to a national level. Through his work with the Barack Obama Campaign, he gained practical political experience. Anderson had this to say of Obama’s recent achievement “The most qualified man won, but one thing that is scary is Obama’s talk of clean coal.” While there is talk of “clean coal”,Anderson has managed to generate a buzz of his own through for Florescent light bulbs. Kari Fulton, National Campus Campaign Coordinator for EJCC, says, “Tony’s work has been very instrumental in engaging college students in concrete ways, he is showing us how to save money and the planet.”

For more information on Tony Anderson and the Let's Raise a Million Initiative watch this video

and visit letsraiseamillion.org

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