Why Do Conservatives Hate Your Children?

By Joseph Romm, Climate Progress. Posted March 21, 2009.

Fundamentally, anti-science conservatives are now the cement shoes on the American people, pulling us down into the hot, acidic dead zone. If that wasn't clear before (see "Hill conservatives reject all 3 climate strategies and embrace Rush Limbaugh"), House Republicans codified their opposition to climate action this week.

CQ Politics reports that the House GOP "offered six principles Wednesday that they say will guide them as they formulate an alternative to the president's ambitious plans":

The principles reflect the minority's long-held views. GOP leaders said they will oppose any tax increases, either on income or energy, and will fight a cap-and-trade program to curb carbon dioxide emissions in order to combat global warming. Instead, the Republicans reiterated their "all of the above" energy proposals that stress new domestic oil and gas production and development of alternative energy sources.

Here we have in one paragraph the essence of conservatives' long-held energy policy — the Big Energy Lie and the willful effort to destroy the health and well-being of your children and grandchildren and 50 generations after that:

The claim that conservatives support "all of the above" energy proposals that include development of alternative energy sources is the "Big Energy Lie." Conservatives, even "moderate" ones, have consistently opposed R&D funding, incentives, and standards to promote alternative energy for over a quarter century.

Needless to say, if you can't raise the price of dirty energy (or pass strong carbon-control regulations), there is no possibility whatsoever of stopping greenhouse gas emissions from rising, let alone have a chance of cutting emissions sharply and stabilizing atmospheric concentrations at levels that won't destroy a livable climate for the next 1,000 years. The House GOP principles inevitably lead to 1000 ppm and catastrophic 5.5 - 7°C warming by 2100.

How should progressives — or indeed anyone — respond to this brazen act of immorality?

I'm inclined to go with "Why do conservatives hate your children?" or "Why do conservatives hate children?" in part because of the major survey I blogged about yesterday.

Here is the key part of one figure:

Here is another key figure:

People care about their children and grandchildren, about all life, and about human health. That is indeed what makes us human. By embracing their six principles, House conservatives have rejected their humanity.

Yes, it is always important to take on their indefensible economic argument directly, as NRDC's Laurie Johnson does in this great post, "Newt's Voodoo Economics."

But I also think it is crucial to reframe the issue. How would you do that — pithily and persuasively?

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