January 13, 2015

Bernie Sanders, our favorite Independent senator, proposed science-based amendments to the hideously destructive Keystone XL pipeline. Sanders explained the dire, inauspicious projections of scientists based on years of studying man's impact on the environment.

"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea levels."

Sanders went on to name nearly 200 respected science conglomerates who concur that we've reached a tipping point where we will likely destroy our own environment with fossil fuel usage.

The Sanders amendment takes direct aim at Republican climate change deniers:

It is the sense of Congress that Congress is in agreement with the opinion of virtually the entire worldwide scientific community that—
(1) climate change is real;
(2) climate change is caused by human activities;
(3) climate change has already caused devastating problems in the United States and around the world;

These amendments are also a test of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s promise to run a more open Senate that will allow votes on amendments. Republicans are beholden to the special interests who are pushing climate changing denying propaganda, so it is doubtful that the Sanders climate change amendment will pass, but these amendments are important because they will force Republicans to debate and discuss issues that they don’t want to talk about...Debates on climate change and presidential vetoes are examples of the new reality that is slapping Republicans in the face.

Thankfully the Keystone Pipeline does not have enough support in the Senate to override a presidential veto, they are four senators short with a 63-32 vote on the bill. It's most troubling to think that we have over half of our legislative branch willing to lie and ignore the devastating environmental impact of this pipeline. Since they have been bought and paid for by their oil'igarch masters (e.g. Koch Brothers), the plutocracy expects the Congress they've purchased to acquiesce to any of their desires.

If it weren't for those with a backbone, like Senator Sanders, we'd be under water a lot sooner than we actually will be someday. There's nothing like being led by people who believe the validity of the bible supersedes the findings of fact-based, provable science. We can thank Reagan's "moral majority" for the immoral acts of these crazy politicians. *sigh*

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