“Don’t drink the Kool Aid”, is a figure of speech and it means don’t allow yourself to be manipulated and brain washed. The house Republicans are convinced that climate change is not a problem. Therefore, it does not need to be fixed. They are 
convinced that Friday’s passing of the climate bill is the end of society as we know it. They claim millions of jobs will be lost, everyone will be taxed into poverty, and our freedom will be taken away. But there were eight brave Republicans, including Dave Reichert (D-Wa), who did not agree and cast their vote to pass the American Climate and Energy Security Act (ACES).
The conservative rhetoric was turned up this week on Fox news, which seems to be where many Republican constituents get their source of news.
Rush Limbaugh was in rare form, restating his claim that global warming is a hoax, forced on Americans, with the sole purpose of robbing them of their money and freedom. He displayed his extraordinary ignorance of the subject, by claiming the climate bill would “tax the carbon dioxide that we exhale.”
The steaming piles of Fox News misinformation continued with Fox and Friends, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck, who angrily portrayed the bill as a massive attack on Americans. Although the talking-heads had different opinions on how much ACES will cost Americans; ranging from $2,000 to $3,100 per year, until 2050. These unofficial, fearmongering projections, were partially based on a flawed MIT report, that has now been discredited by one of it’s own authors. According to a recent Congressional Office Budget analysis, actual initial cost per house hold will be an average of $175 per year. A small price to pay to fight against potentially catasrophic climate disasters, from rising sea levels, drought, species extinction, increased human health issues, etc.
Another Republican bone-of-contention is the claim that millions of jobs will be lost, resulting in a weakened economy, due to high cost energy. They are convinced of this dark and pessimistic prediction and refuse to even consider the fact that millions of green jobs will be initiated as America tranisitions into a new generation of non-polluting energy sources, manufacturing, investing, and a new energy revolution that will wean America off of foreign oil.
Not all Democrats voted for the bill to be passed (44 no) for various reasons and many were concerned that the bill wasn’t strong enough.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh) had this to say, “today's bill is a fragile compromise, which leads some to claim that we cannot do better. I respectfully submit that not only can we do better; we have no choice but to do better. Indeed, if we pass a bill that only creates the illusion of addressing the problem, we walk away with only an illusion. The price for that illusion is the opportunity to take substantive action.”
However, California’s Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s statement said this, "Although this bill is not perfect, it is a significant step in the national fight against climate change and it puts the United States in a position of leadership in international climate negotiations that must produce a global solution to this global problem."
The climate and energy bill will have an even tougher fight in the senate, which is expected to take up the debate in August or September. The hope is that the senate can look at “global” considerations, as well as the need for geographical “taking care of my own back yard” compromises. It will be imperative for President Obama to have a strong place of leadership at the climate change meeting in Copenhagen this December.
But the fact remains; the climate bill never would have made it out of the house, if it weren’t for eight brave Republicans: Reichert (WA) Bono Mack (CA), Castle (DE), Kirk (IL), Lance (NJ), LoBiondo (NJ), McHugh (NY), Reichert (WA), Smith (NJ).
It took a lot of courage for these congressional representatives to cross over the aisle. They are already being called traitors by members of their party. Conservatives are a vengeful bunch and bloggers are demanding their constituents have them tarred, feathered, and run out of town on a rusty rail. How fast the worm turns. Not a single conservative has thought to ask WHY these Republicans voted the way they did. No sir, they are just automatically guilty of a treasonous act and should be voted out of office!
***
Tell these Republicans “thank you”
Other articles of interest:
Reichert crosses over to pass energy bill
Rush Limbaugh, global warming, and suseptible conservatives
For photo credit run cursor over photograph * Copyright Jean Williams 2009 *
Comments
Yes, it is true that 8 republicans 'refused to drink the kool aid'.
But 44 Democrats lined up for a good swill!
Thats what I like, the Dems twist everything including the Trade and Tax bill being good and
no we do not thank the Republicans who obviously trading for something. Good your Democratic Party is not. Destroying America.
I don't think the Climate Bill should have been passed. I think it's a corporate lobbyists' bill, and one of the biggest lies in U.S. energy policy is at the heart of it, the conflation of clean energy and energy security. The latter is an excuse for the clean coal unicorn, more domestic drilling, and nuclear power. I think this bill is going to make things worse.
Hey Bob, maybe you missed the part where the Democrats didn't vote for the bill, because many of them thought it was too WEAK and wouldn't be effective fast enough, not because they were buying into the Republican "swill".
I think I agree with Arnold on this one. And from everything I have heard, the bill was actually strengthened from where it started. This was a close one! Those few Republicans made a difference. I will remember that my/our Representative (Reichert) did this, it's important! Of course he's been voting with Democrats a lot lately. He did say, "I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh". And he didn't apologize! Great story Jean!
Really. What are you thinking? Anyone who believes that a TAX is the answer to "global warming" needs to be checked out(i'm sure with the free health care I will be paying for) This TAX will solve nothing.
Good bye USA if the senate passes this farce.I do believe they have a little better sense, I do hope so.
Jack, where are you going?
It is apparent to me and many others that this bill is just another way for the government to increase both tax revenue and control of the economy and citizens of the US. The question of global warming is certainly far from settled since there are thousands of reputable scientists who disagree with the man made climate crowd. Maybe that's why the administration is trying to ram this thing down our throats without giving people a chance to read it and see what it will cause. I am convinced that if this bill gets through the Senate that our economy is headed for a crash and burn we have never seen before.
The analogy of "Don't drink the Kool Aid" is strangley accurate, when it comes to describing radical right fringe fanatics. I know of several folks that are conservative Christians, nice people in most respects, with reasonable intelligence, but when it comes to Obama or any Democrat, they just go off the deep end about everything they perceive as "socialism and taxation". If Obama put a $1000 check into every Republican's pocket, they would still find something to complain about. It is what they do.
The naysayers on global warming can listen to all the oil industry purchased scientists they want to, but it won't change the real facts. It just isn't in a conservative's nature to be enlightened about anything. They cling to their beliefs and their religion stead fastly, and truth be damned.
I agree, it took a lot of courage for those Republicans to vote against their self-righteous party.
I think everyone on here is an idiot...except for the ones who agree with me.
Rush Limbaugh is my hero and he along with Hannity and Beck are the true patriots and scholars of critical thinking.
I don't know what I would do if I didn't have them to tell me how to think!
If Obama put a $1000 government check in every republicans pocket YES they would still complain. Why? Because it is NOT his money! The government produces nothing! Obama confiscates money from the working folks and puts $1000 in the pockets of those who he wants to be continuously dependent on his/democratic handouts. Why can’t you libs get it? IT IS NOT YOUR MONEY! You wouldn’t exist if it were not for confiscatory taxation of the investors that create the jobs you are killing with your cap and tax bill. When a company has higher expenses for gas for their delivery trucks the price of an orange in Maine goes up! They do not absorb the additional expense to keep the cost of an orange low! You liberals are ignorant cool aid drinkers in lockstep and pro-rata for failure!
It is always so entertaining to read the rantings of angry, self-righteous conservatives. Most of them are just pompous, judgemental know-it-alls who like to call everyone,who disagrees with them petty names, and say things like "You liberals are ignorant cool aid drinkers in lockstep and pro-rata for failure!"
Actually, "don't drink the Kool Aid" is a reference to a 1978 revolutionary mass suicide that took place in Jonestown, when the leader ordered everyone to drink grape flavored Kool Aid (spelled with a K) laced with cyanide. Then, 909 people actually did it...took their own livess and fed the Kool aid to their children, too!
There were eight Republicans who had enough brains in their heads to think for themselves and not drink the Kool aid. This a baby step forward and gives me hope for conservatives every where!
The Climate Change Bill is a Farce, that will burden American taxpayers even more, plus there are many scientist who says THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS NATURAL, NOTHING EVER STAYS THE SAME. IDIOTS IN CONGRESS, DTV AND NOW CLIMATE CHANGE.....TOTAL IDIOTS
Coco, really? Just because you say so? AND YOU PUT YOUR RANTING ALL IN CAPS LIKE THIS? Well, that settles it then. Sigh...
Keep buying the Global Warming Hoax, I'm laughing all the way to the bank.
ACES is a joke.
Dennis Kucinich is correct. He is the one who is stating the actual truth, and the facts.
Even before it was watered down, ACES did not do anywhere near enough or quickly enough to reduce GHG pollution. Without massive changes to the way we use carbon as fuel, this planet is done for. The window of opportunity has already closed to prevent serious permanent damage, delaying action now will just make things worse, that much more quickly.
I love the way these cranks on the internet with no science training beyond high school think they know more than 90% of the scientists on the planet...as if their "common sense" outranks decades of study. It would be funny if some of them didn't hold elected office.
The eight republicans were bought off. Maybe not with cash, but nobody has actually read the whole bill yet, have they?
Hubbabubba
I am so sick of hearing about how many scientists buy into this crap. Most scientists don't know crap about GW. That's like saying all lawyers are experts in antitrust law. Or all engineers know how to build a bridge. What is true, however, is that most scientists are on the public dole, and are under tremendous pressure to be politically correct to receive funding. That makes their motives suspect, to me.
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