U.S. Republicans Axe Global Warming Panel
House Republicans will scrap the committee set up by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to investigate global warming, the panel’s top Republican announced Wednesday.
Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) made official what many had already expected – the GOP majority will axe the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, which Pelosi created in 2007.
“This hearing will be the last of the select committee,” Sensenbrenner announced.
Committee Chairman Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called Wednesday’s hearing to give witnesses a chance to warn of the perils of climate change before the GOP launches efforts next year to roll back the Obama administration’s climate policies.
Sensenbrenner, a vocal climate change skeptic, had pushed to keep the panel alive to probe the White House’s energy policies. But it was seen as unlikely that GOP leadership would devote resources to the panel created by Democrats at the same time that they called for scaling back government spending.
The Wisconsin Republican may still play a key role in leading investigations into climate science next year. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), who’s vying for the chairmanship of the Science Committee, told POLITICO Tuesday he’d like to see Sensenbrenner lead the panel’s climate science probes.
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For the Chop: Republicans Put Global Warming Panel Out Of Business
Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey will hold one last media spectacle at his Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming today, allowing such oracles as green activist Robert Kennedy Jr. to preach about the imminent catastrophe of climate change. Let’s hope Speaker-designate John Boehner makes it the committee’s last hurrah.
Current Speaker Nancy Pelosi created this outfit in 2007 as a way to outflank then Energy Committee Chairman John Dingell, for whom climate change is not a religion. The committee provided Mr. Markey a prominent perch from which to work closely with California’s Henry Waxman (who later deposed Mr. Dingell) on the cap-and-trade bill that passed the House and helped so many Democrats lose their seats in November.
Mr. Markey held more than 50 hearings, at which he demeaned reputable scientists, attacked oil and gas companies, and in general evangelized about the need to replace carbon energy with windmills and solar panels. With no bill-writing powers, committee Members spent $8 million or so on hearings, global “fact-finding” missions and reports of little consequence. Oh, and Mr. Markey elbowed his way into investigating the BP spill, which he used as a platform to demonize oil exploration.
h/t to The GWPF
The US republican’s ought to set up a committee to investigate Inhofe’s claim that Cap & Trade is being implemented via gov policy in the EPA. The EPA needs a staffing reduction.
RIP. Baby steps.
Some good news, at last.
I count the killing of the trillion dollar/year CO2 carbon trading market a monumental win for the truth based climate science community.
@Paul, the EPA needs a serious reduction in funding. There are real issues so defunding it probably is not a good idea, but it comes close to being one. A bit of strong arm on keeping the EPA on topic via their funding would be in order.
Good news , maybe ….
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/12/01/obama-to-voters-drop-dead
As a total off topic aside. Britain is now snowed in and frozen to a virtual standstill: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/8172687/UK-snow-Arctic-conditions-hit-travel-networks.html Comments from the CRU were not forthcoming. It must be a telepathic Gore effect from Mexico or something.
Patting science back in it’s rightful place — Trust but verify.
To quote Obama: “Elections have consequences.”
I actually agree with Sensenbrenner regarding closing out the panel properly. Just yanking the plug on the panel is rather like walking away from the discussion, while closing out the panel properly would at least ensure the critical argument is made.
Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“You cursed brat – Look what you’ve done! You’ve destroyed my beautiful wickedness! What a world…. what a world.” Sounds like Pelosi, doesn’t it?
Paul,
More conservative minds control the US House of Representatives now. I’m urging my Representatives to strip funding for any and all Carbon-Is-Pollution related activities within the EPA or any other federal government agency. I urge like minded citizens to contact their representatives and demand they do so as well. We have the opportunity to completely dismantle this farce. There’s no time to waste – Let’s get to it!!!
Now if only we could get rid of the CARB!
Somebody should do a quick calc on the SCFEIAGW’s CO2 footprint (time spent in meetings, associated travel for congresspersons and lobbyists to SCFEIAGW events, etc). Then Sensenbrenner could take credit for the reduction once it’s gone.
Hey wait a minute…in fact, let’s calculate the one for Congress…
Perhaps the ‘Nancy Pelosi created it’ stigma was too much to overcome. Nevertheless, other GOP-chaired committees can do their investigations, ones on the underlying science, and others about why there were such huge efforts to exclude skeptic scientists from discussions, and the manner in which they were said to be corrupt. Please see: “Global Warming Nuisance Lawsuits Are Based on a Fatal Flaw” http://biggovernment.com/rcook/2010/11/27/global-warming-nuisance-lawsuits-are-based-on-a-fatal-flaw/
@ShrNfr – Close. It’s because CRU issued this in time for the conference.
http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/369/1934.toc
Carma’s a b@#$%.
“Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey will hold one last media spectacle at his Select Committee for Energy Independence… “
If the goal really ever was energy independence then we should drill here, drill, now, fire up nuclear power plants ASAP, ferment and distill every scrap of garbage and vegetative whatnot, look for a few more hydro-friendly rivers to exploit, start creating algae lagoons, and round up all the wasted methane being produced by various sources, eh? But, nahhh… Energy independence was never really the point, as far as I can tell.
ShrNfr says:
December 1, 2010 at 11:22 am
So Climate disruption is real after all? But its by Global cooling, not by Globull warning.
Killing the old panel is a good start, but to kill the beast a new panel should be formed for the purpose of restoring transparency to climate science. NASA, NOAA and GISS must be made to put the raw temperature data (land and SST) and the means of data adjustment into the public domain.
Progress!
I am pleased that Mr M(al)arkey has nothing to do with this side of the pond, but with Two-Jags Prescott in Mexico? Well, anything might happen; of no signifigance, of course, unless he has a sudden attack of wind…
I like it, I also wonder just how much hidden spending they could find that was attached (read earmarked) or cobbeled under other important legislation such as national defense and, OH wait that is the only one that the federal government is mandated to have to do. All the rest is only to promote the general welfare. Must have been a play on words. Perhaps there is a way to cut the federal budget after all.
Bill Derryberry
This is a progressive move. i like.
This is good news, but as a Kiwi residing in London, UK, for a while, how can this be leveraged into getting our NZ government to roll back their ridiculous ETS legislation?
This is OT, I am not sure if the windmills in the north of the UK are working – the wind is blowing but the snow is falling and the temps are still dropping. I feel for old people dependent on getting hot meals delivered, nurses coming to their houses to provide individual care, etc when so much of the country is snowed in. Warm doesn’t pile up and block roads or train lines or runways!
Actually, I think the GOP and the science realist community is missing an opportunity here. The panel should have been kept and used to investigate the climate deception/fraud that has been committed.
This committee could have called all those alarmists on the carpet and investigated/exposed their funding and their data.
So I think we all lost an opportunity here.
Another card removed from the foundation…
It’s a start, but no way this allows them to wrest the covenanted fossil of the day award away from Canada. Go Canada. You can match that retreat somehow.
Kongressman Murkey
One of the reasons the GOP did well in the mid-term elections this past November was the Democrats were addressing issues that were not the public’s priority; such as climate
warmingchangedisruption. Therefore, to show respect to the electorate the GOP does well to cancel the Pelosi committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Cancelling it confirms to the public that climate warming wasn’t the right priority. : )The GOP would do better to address, in other standing committees, all the problematic climate science endorsed by IPCC.
NOTE: The EU cartel on carbon emissions is a little more naked now in the cold cold world of political reality.
John
One small step – but a marathon is not won in the first 100 meters.
Henry chance says:
December 1, 2010 at 12:29 pm
This is a progressive move. i like.
Well, no – Pelosi’s creation of the committee was a Progressive move.
This is a Conservative move, albeit it certainly progress.
🙂
Yes, but now there is a Bill coming that will put you in jail if you keep some seeds or grow a Tomato in your own garden. Please read this excellent article.
http://chiefio.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/grow-a-tomato-go-to-prison/
In the old days crazy hacks like Markey would end up in front of a firing squad.
Good news – another tiny nail in the coffin of AGW…
As an aside – but a bit of an ‘elephant in the room’ question nevertheless – what is it that our political servants/masters/whatever, have against carbon dioxide..?
You do know, I hope, folks – that tomato growers pump this ‘evil’ gas (to concentrations of 800-1000ppm) into their tunnnels to – how can I put this – INCREASE YIELDS..??
Maybe – here’s an idea – instead of burying the stuff at vast expense – we just cover all our crops with polytunnels – pump in the CO2 – hey, presto – better crops..!!
Aside from reducing political clatter on climate alarmism, American taxpayers also get some savings with the abolition of one noisy but useless congressional committee.
ShrNfr says:
December 1, 2010 at 11:22 am
Britain is now snowed in and frozen to a virtual standstill… Comments from the CRU were not forthcoming.
i am sure they will tell us unprecedented global warming is accelerating worse than previously thought!
Alexander K says:
December 1, 2010 at 12:39 pm
This is OT, I am not sure if the windmills in the north of the UK are working
You jest?
All the windmills in the north of England have 4″ of ice on their blades. I’m busy digging logs out of the snow for my woodburner.
This is the problem with the fourth branch of government – the bureaucracy. It isn’t elected, it only gets bigger and more powerful, and is totally unaccountable. The EPA is a prime example.
Even Ronald Reagan was powerless to get rid of the Energy Department “which hadn’t produced a barrel of oil yet” in 1980.
Well there is a way to reduce and/or get rid of any Bureaucracy; don’t fund it!
And the next domino to fall is Japan
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/01/the-ghost-of-kyoto-visits-cancun/?scp=1&sq=kyoto&st=cse
Seems 2 Jags presence at Cancun is not helping much 🙂
“”””” Alexander K says:
December 1, 2010 at 12:39 pm
This is good news, but as a Kiwi residing in London, UK, for a while, how can this be leveraged into getting our NZ government to roll back their ridiculous ETS legislation? “””””
Well Alexander, I am on John Keys, “Keynotes” mailing list, and I wrote to him and sent him some stuff, and suggested that NZ could lead the world in repudiating this silliness; which would be good for NZ, because like the USA, those Kyotans, won’t allow NZ or the USA to offset their carbon (sheep farts) with their man madse forests, and other agriculture. The USA is a net carbon sink; and the only land based one of any size on earth. NZ I believe is also a net cabon sink taking their agricultural productivity into accounts.
Well eventually PM Key did refer my input to his “Environmental Minister”, and we exchanged a couple of e-mails; which ended up with him saying that he was following his “Science advisor” who was a Lord somebody; so the science was settled. He slaso has a science degree himslef (the E-minister).
So I got cold shouldered by the appeal to authority. Apparently Vincent Grey and Chris de Freitas, back there can’t make any headway either.
Dear Moderators,
The Wall Street Journal link above isn’t loading fully, like if subscription/registration is required.
I Googled this one which currently works:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704679204575646763823952070.html
Looks like the same address but without the “?mod=googlenews_wsj” on the end.
This could be a problem just for me, of course.
Just put the dog to bed, i.e. let her outside for a pee and she is in raptures at all that global warming falling out of the sky here in s-w UK. Hard to get her back in. Last year, fab weather for Copenhagen, this year even better. I suppose they had to go to Mexico to bury their heads in the sand to avoid seeing the climate back home. Good on you lot in USA but I doubt whether the EU will follow any time soon, I’m sorry to say. They have got their fingers firmly plugged in their ears, singing La la la la, We can’t hear you.
Pelosi’s Global Warming Panel gets the axe
Ooooh yes, I see it
Snow in Scotland meant that my friend phoned 3 Scottish companies today and all were at kinda standstill, one had 3 out of 200 employees there, another had all computers for Royal Bank of Scotland inoperative, etc.
One place in Wales (don’t know which) had the lowest recorded temperature EVER (even comparing with January), at minus 21 deg C.
I luuuuuve all this Gore-bull Warming – for the sake of getting more truth out – except that colder winters are uncomfortable expensive health risks.
Seems like good news…. but why am I waiting for the other shoe to drop?
Lucy Skywalker says:
December 1, 2010 at 4:53 pm
One place in Wales (don’t know which) had the lowest recorded temperature EVER (even comparing with January), at minus 21 deg C.
Do you have a link, please?
Mr. Malarky is one of the main reasons I switched parties, turning my back on my own democratic public servants I had previously voted for many times.
Well, I did my part here in New Hampshire by helping to flip both of our Congressional representatives from D to R :^) Wait till next year…the (supposed) government salary “freeze” is just the beginning…
“”””” Frank K. says:
December 1, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Well, I did my part here in New Hampshire by helping to flip both of our Congressional representatives from D to R :^) Wait till next year…the (supposed) government salary “freeze” is just the beginning… “””””
Well Frank, Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched. Obama’s governmnet salary freeze for two or three years is actually a lock in for all of those surplus Government workers that are killing the golden goose. They are guaranteed those overpaid useless jobs for the next three years; Obama is laughing his A*** off. Forget the freeze; fire the bums.
The solution to the problem is not a pay freeze but a hiring freeze, and mandatory reduction in force. Tell every department to reduce head count by 10%, with limited trade offs but enforce a Federal Government labor force cut back in head count of 10%.
Then a year or two later go back and do it again. That has been happening in the private sector for years IBM and other large corporations have had repeated “waves” of staff reductions over the last decade or so.
Each pass takes out more of the free loaders than the productive workers (although internal politics will save a few goof balls). It also forces an intense focus on increased productivity with remaining workers to get things done.
Since it is across the board it is harder to manipulate politically. There will be a few agencies the scream that they are high priority and must not cut staff, but unless they can show that everyone is putting in 60 hour weeks that is a load of bull.
This is coming from someone that worked in state government for 14 years and saw first hand that when certain employees were on vacation productivity increased rather than decreased. Sometimes no one noticed they were gone except their supervisor. In many cases 80% of the work load is handled by about 10%-20% of the staff. The rest are dead wood and just get in the way.
A long term plan like this to cut back staffing to the same per capita staffing we had in the 1990’s would make a huge cut in government spending, and the inherent uncertainty would get a few of them to go find real jobs.
The top of the list for this sort of action should be the agencies like EPA that have gone far beyond their original intent, and becomes laws unto themselves, and essentially immune to outside control by the elected branches of government.
Larry
Mmmm yes. Now where are those dratted little czars kept?
The House needs to remove Jim Hansen and his lackeys from GISS. They should also look at what leverage they have for removing Phil Jones at East Anglia. It would be appropriate to have a real hearing on Climategate in Congress where expert witnesses can testify on the corrupt science of the CRU group and the intentional misuse of proxy data and statistical analysis to eliminate the Medieval Warm Period. Now is the time to expose this sham.
How about a 33% across-the-board pay cut too (for starters)?
This is sounding like a witch hunt. Yes I am an outsider looking on from Australia. Some of these comments are a serious blight on your democracy, the level of your emotional intelligence and your understanding of how science must remain free of a political ideologue. This is whether you agree or disagree with the science findings.
Just remember the regret of the McCarthy era and what it did to innocent folk.
Please – don’t the make the same mistakes of your past.
The Internet is great vehicle of democracy at work. As a weapon of propaganda it can be too powerful in a majority who seek to sideline the other half and destroy it.
Blue eyes verses brown eyes. Come on – we all can do better then this.
Ross Brisbane says:
December 1, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Perhaps given that you are an outsider looking in you may not realize this, but the very thing that just got axed was more akin to the McCarthy era (as it is typically perceived) than what people in here are saying. In other words, by cutting Nancy’s pet project, we’ve moved away from demonizations that were rather common and would likely have continued.
Mark
Ding Dong the Witches and Wizards are dead.
Just does not have the same ring about it is 🙂
Great job! The EPA should go as well and a new system set up to help environmental problems without banning CO2 production. The first thing that should be done is ban the low energy light bulbs because they pollute the environment with mercury when scrapped.
Google translation: (Italian to English) Pelosi=Hairy
It’s nice to wake up to good news, and the sun is out and shining, the coffee fresh and hot. What a day!
“”Ross Brisbane says:
December 1, 2010 at 10:51 pm
This is sounding like a witch hunt. Yes I am an outsider looking on from Australia. Some of these comments are a serious blight on your democracy, the level of your emotional intelligence and your understanding of how science must remain free of a political ideologue. This is whether you agree or disagree with the science findings.””
We did not introduce the ‘political idealogue’ to climate science; we’re trying to get rid of it.
Ditto what Mark T says:
December 1, 2010 at 11:06 pm
“In other words, by cutting Nancy’s pet project, we’ve moved away from demonizations that were rather common and would likely have continued.”
These statements you refer to are of our optimism at the prospect that MAYBE we CAN get the politics out of the science. Something that Pelosi was apparently diametrically opposed to. Rather than a ‘serious blight’ on our democracy it seems more of a breath of fresh air!
We don’t need a Select Committee or an established House Committee to “investigate” anything or anyone. Just cut the Federal Budget to the point that we’re paying off the principal on our Chinese Mortgage by at least 25% per year. Oh… and zero out anything and everything we’re spending on unions, housing, education, all Congressional and Presidential perks (and cut their staffs by 50%), Obamacare, SS for anyone under 69 (that was a Very Good Year), the arts and the @#$#@ Smithsonian.
Enneagram says:
December 2, 2010 at 4:58 am
Google translation: (Italian to English) Pelosi=Hairy
Yup, I checked!
I like it! The “Harry and Hairy” duo. Has a ring to it …
Since “Pelosi” is Italian for Hairy, I give you, “Down with Hairy and Harry!” Chant it loudly in public every day!
>:-)