Thursday, March 22, 2007

A Few Good Apples

I like to denegrate the entire spectrum of Republicans as worthless scum as much as the next guy, and not think twice about it. Here's a tale of a Republican that deserves a little credit...
"House Republican Leader John Boehner would have appointed Rep. Wayne Gilchrest to the bipartisan Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming -- but only if the Maryland Republican would say humans are not causing climate change, Gilchrest said.

"I said, 'John, I can't do that,' " Gilchrest, R-1st-Md., said in an interview. "He said, 'Come on. Do me a favor. I want to help you here.' " (...)

Gilchrest, who co-chairs the House Climate Change Caucus, has long been an environmental-protection advocate and has co-sponsored the Climate Stewardship Act designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to 70 percent below 1990 levels.

He expressed his interest in the committee several times to Boehner and Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri, telling them the best thing they could do for Republican credibility was to appoint members familiar with the scientific data.

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, a research scientist from Maryland, and Michigan's Rep. Vern Ehlers, the first research physicist to serve in Congress, also made cases for a seat, but weren't appointed, he said.

"Roy Blunt said he didn't think there was enough evidence to suggest that humans are causing global warming," Gilchrest said. "Right there, holy cow, there's like 9,000 scientists to three on that one.""

So, the sore losers Boehner and Blunt are filling out the Repub half of the Global Warming Committee with only global warming-deniers? They should really contribute to the process, thanks. Dicks. Feeling ashamed enough with your party yet, Rep. Gilchrest? Come on over to our side, the water's great. And getting warmer.

[h/t Hilzoy]

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