Calling out Climate Deniers

On August 13, we've got a little welcome home present for some of California's most extreme climate change deniers in Congress.

It's an award for California Congressmen Darrell Issa and Dana Rohrabacher for denying climate change science. I'm probably giving too much away, but I'll just say the physical award involves a mythical creature that most of us know does not exist.

It's an award that you or I would be embarrassed to receive. But you and I are interested in protecting future generations from the effects of climate change.

If these members of Congress are going to keep denying, as Rep. Issa has, that there is scientific consensus on climate change by claiming that there is "a wide range of scientific opinion on this issue," or, as Rep. Rohrabacher very recently claimed: "global warming is a total fraud... to create global government to control all of our lives," then we need to show how out of touch they are with the views and needs of their constituents.

So since these two Californians just came home for August recess, we are going to welcome Rep. Issa and Rep. Rohrabacher back to their districts by presenting the Climate Change Denier Award on Tuesday, August 13 (that's tomorrow!) at their local offices.

Live in either of these districts? Then consider this your invitation to join CLCV and local activists on Tuesday August 13. Let's educate the public about climate deniers in Congress. Together, we can show that climate change denial is politically toxic and they must change their anti-science tune.

Join us in Vista, California to award Rep. Issa and sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TM5ZBCP

Join us in Huntington Beach, California to award Rep. Rohrabacher and sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PD38KMK

Why are these two so deserving of this award? Let's start with Rep. Rohrabacher, a senior member (yikes!) of the House Science Committee, who used a portion of his time at a town hall last week to launch into a rant about global warming, which he described as a plot by liberals to “create global government to control our lives.” According to The Nation:

Rohrabacher has never been shy about expressing his fringe beliefs about climate change. In the past, he’s suggested that global warming has been caused by everything from dinosaur flatulence to rainforests—pretty much everything except the fossil fuel industries that provide Rohrabacher with campaign donations.

And then there's Rep. Issa, chairman of the powerful House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, who, as described by one of his own constituents: "famously used his committee—three investigations of wasted government resources and tax payer dollars—to try and discredit the science behind climate change with his misguided attacks on free thinking scientists at the United Kingdom’s University of East Anglia Climate Change Research unit, the so called ‘Climategate’ controversy. He was rebuffed when the truth and facts became known."

According to Congressman Issa:

“One of the difficulties in examining the issue of the climate change and greenhouse gases is that there is a wide range of scientific opinion on this issue and the science community does not agree to the extent of the problem or the critical threshold of when this problem is truly catastrophic.”

Clearly, Rep. Issa ignores the fact that climate science is accepted by 97% of climate scientists.

This is unacceptable behavior and science-bashing rhetoric from our California members of Congress. Here at home, California is leading the nation by implementing our landmark climate change legislation, AB 32. As President Obama said in his recent speech laying out his climate change proposal, it's time for Washington D.C. to catch up!

Thanks in advance for coming out to help us make these events a success and build real momentum for action on climate change in California and across the country!