John McCain Has Sadz About Great Barrier Reef; Voted To Confirm Pruitt, Tillerson, Zinke, Perry

[hatrack]

EDIT

McCain used to be extremely outspoken about climate change, going so far as to give an entire speech on the issue in Portland, Oregon during the 2008 presidential campaign. McCain used to support a cap-and-trade system for regulating carbon emissions, authoring several bills on the issue before his unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign. Since that defeat, however, McCain has ceded ground on climate leadership, as the Republican party at large has become increasingly antagonistic towards domestic and international climate policies.

In 2009, McCain opposed the Waxman-Markey climate change bill, which would have created a cap-and-trade based system for carbon emissions. That same year, the League of Conservation Voters gave McCain a 9 percent on their annual scorecard. Every year since, McCain has scored below 32 percent — in 2016, he earned a score of 12 percent, registering just two pro-environment votes and 15 anti-environment votes.

This year, McCain voted to confirm Trump’s most anti-climate nominees, supporting Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

McCain’s comments in Sydney come as the Trump administration continues to debate whether or not to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, which was signed by almost 200 countries in December of 2015. The agreement aims to keep global temperatures from rising more than 2° Celsius (3.6° Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. McCain voiced support Tuesday for remaining in the agreement, either in keeping with the commitments made under President Obama or by suggesting “modifications which would make it palatable for us and acceptable to us to join.” (Arguments in favor of renegotiating the agreement to obtain better “economic” terms for the United States ignore the fact that climate action, according to economic experts, will save the planet trillion of dollars in the long run.)

EDIT

https://thinkprogress.org/great-barrier-reef-john-mccain-5ee85af47a93

[Txbluedog]

1. What? Senile Grandpa is a master of the double standard

He rails against anything he doesn't like but will not lift a finger to hurt the PARTY

[Moostache]

2. McShame is what we thought is was...a flip-flopping weather vane.

He sold whatever soul he had with the selection of Palin as a running mate and he should be ashamed of the role he played in destroying the sane elements of the GOP in the process.

He ought to feel bad....because of his naked power grab and desperate flailing campaign, the modern era of fact-free GOP positions moved out from the fringes of the right to take over the whole damn thing...fuck him forever for that.

[awesomerwb1]

3. I agree. Good comment. n/t

[exboyfil]

4. McCain did not vote on Pruitt

but we know how he would have voted.

[hatrack]

5. You are correct - thank you! He supported him, though, in a public statement . . .

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/john-mccain-scott-pruitt-vote-235113

“I also had a productive meeting with Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, during which we discussed some of the top challenges facing Arizona, including the gross overreach of the Obama Administration’s EPA. Over the last eight years, the EPA has burdened our state with onerous rules and regulations that have cost Arizona families and businesses billions of dollars. I believe Attorney General Pruitt will do an excellent job in reining-in the EPA and ensuring this administration complies with the laws of our nation.

“I am pleased with both of these qualified nominees and look forward to supporting their nominations when they are considered by the Senate this year.”

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/1/statement-by-senator-john-mccain-on-meeting-with-governor-rick-perry-attorney-general-scott-pruitt