jackassery

What's behind Newt Gingrich's proposal to abolish the EPA?

Everyone on the internets is busy mocking Newt Gingrich's call to abolish the EPA. And that is as it should be -- I would never ask anyone to stop mocking Newt Gingrich. Rarely has the universe mixed pomposity and dimwittery into such an exquisitely mockworthy package. I do want to note, however, that what Gingrich is trying to pull off is not just old-fashioned Republican-style "leave corporate polluters alooooone!" Don't get me wrong: Newt wants to remove constraints on polluters! But he knows (unlike his buddies in Congress) that such a baldly retrograde position will not be popular with the public, which actually likes clean air. So he needs some kind of alternative. That's why he's proposing to replace the EPA with something called the Environmental Solutions Agency.

Georgia farmer sued for growing too many vegetables

Local government has caught an organic hobby farmer tomato-red-handed growing a downright offensive number of vegetable plants on his property outside of Atlanta. What's an "acceptable" number of vegetables anyway?

Another pathetic day in the U.S. Senate

Today was an important day for the energy bill. Sort of. The entire Democratic Senate caucus met to discuss how to move forward on climate and energy. Kerry, Bingaman, and Cantwell all presented — and argued for — their respective bills. (They made videos, too — Kerry’s; Cantwell’s.) The intent was to make some kind […]

State of the planet: Cynical tweets edition

Lindsey Graham, one of the “more sensible” Senate Republicans, said he won’t support a climate change plan, because, well, the challenge is too hard. The National Journal reports (behind a paywall): Graham said his advice to lawmakers is to “start over and scale down your ambitions.” This includes allowing electric utilities more time to meet […]

Massey denies time off for workers to attend funerals of mine victims

The coal and oil industries are really trying to outdo each other these days. Massey Energy, the criminally unsafe coal mining and intimidation company, refuses to give workers time off to attend the funerals of friends who died in Massey’s Upper Big Branch Mine, the Washington Independent reports: Massey Energy, the Virginia-based coal giant that […]

This week in comically evil corporate behavior

Updated It’s only Wednesday and we’ve already got way more than a week’s worth of comically evil behavior from the fossil-fuel sector. Item the first: A Chinese coal freighter tried to take a shortcut through Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and rammed into the world-reknowned ecological treasure. The stranded ship remains in danger of […]

The ‘energy-only’ bill and Byron Dorgan’s deficit hypocrisy

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) is fiscally responsible, a “deficit hawk” as they say in the biz, and like most people who self-identify with that label in Washington, he’s very keen for everyone to know it. Back in September 2009, he urged President Obama to focus on reducing the deficit — indeed, said it should be […]

Dow trying to have it both ways on climate?

Does Dow Chemical support climate action? Or think it would destroy America? Depends on which Dow Chemical you’re listening to. Is it the Dow Chemical that’s a member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership? That Dow made a major investment in clean energy in Michigan last week. From MLive.com’s The Mudpuppy: Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm […]

Copenhagenfreude: Inhofe’s “truth squad” steps on a rake [VIDEO]

Before Copenhagen fades into memory I want to celebrate one of its lesser noted but more delightful chapters. If you recall, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) was planning on rounding up some fellow senators and heading to Copenhagen as a “truth squad.” The “truth” he intended to impart to world leaders is that the U.S. Senate […]