Sen. Whitehouse Ties Republican Inaction, Denialism on Climate Change to 'Citizens United'

[sheshe2]

Koch Bros. 'enormous money' in 'elections between Republicans and Republicans' responsible for new GOP 'silence' on climate...
By BRAD FRIEDMAN on 3/14/2014, 3:11pm PT

WHITEHOUSE: I mentioned earlier how we have a former Republican Presidential candidate [John McCain] who campaigned on climate change, how we have a Republican Senator who was a co-sponsor on a climate fee bill [Lindsey Graham], how we have a Republican Senator who voted for Waxman-Markey when he was in the House [Mark Kirk], how we have Republican Senators who have spoken for a carbon fee.

All of that happened before 2010. What happened in 2010 that drove every Republican back underground on this issue?

I'll tell you what happened. The United States Supreme Court decided a case called Citizens United. And the instant they decided Citizens United, the Koch Brothers and the big polluters put enormous amounts of money into elections.

And they didn't just put the money into elections between Republicans and Democrats --- they put money into elections between Republicans and Republicans. They went into primary elections. And they went after Republicans who were not consistent with their orthodoxy on climate change. Unless you were a denier, they either punished you, or threatened you.

And since that time, that's why there's been silence on the Republican side.

MORE:http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10538

[ananda]

1. Kick!

..

[daleanime]

2. K&R....

[calimary]

3. ALWAYS good to see more people connecting the dots.

Nobody's better at it than Rachel Maddow, but it's good to see others are coming alive on it, too.

[sheshe2]

6. It is indeed, calimary. nt

[Berlum]

4. "Smirk." - Corporate Cabal, Inc. (R)

[Berlum]

5. "Ick" - Citizens

[justhanginon]

12. These two cartoons sum up

what will for all time be the legacy of the "Robert's Court".

[cui bono]

7. More Dems need to speak out on this. It's important. n/t

[SalviaBlue]

8. K&R

[ErikJ]

9. Are we going to have to wait until these 2 tyrants die?

They could care less about CC as it wont effect them personally. It might be 20 yrs till they die and release the US/world from their bribery. By then it may be way too late.

[erronis]

10. Follow the $$$

The power of money is overwhelming our government (and the states, localities, etc.)

Votes and representation are bought (and sold) without any need for transparency.

How much of this influence($$$) peddling gets reported? As little as possible.

Are you still paying taxes on your income and perks? Well, the _smart_ people don't. Get with the program!

[moondust]

11. Getting worse.

The last election saw the Koch pigs fucking around in local elections:

Koch Group Has Ambitions in Small Races