Exposing the lies: The Democratic Congress tackles global warming

By Michael J.W. Stickings

It's almost enough to think you're living in the Twilight Zone, even to think that the mass hysteria predicted by Dr. Venkman in the mayor's office is about to become a reality. You know, dogs and cats living together. That sort of thing. (Don't get it? Here.)

Pinch yourselves, friends. After years and years of irresponsible neglect and downright hostility under Republican leadership, Congress is finally getting around to addressing global warming, or what Al Gore refers to more broadly as the climate crisis. Of course, it's about time. And it may already be too late. But don't blame the Democrats. They just took over. At least now, in the majority, they can try to do something about the most pressing issue of our time, perhaps the defining problem of our entire civilization.

Some Republicans, like Senator James Inhofe, think it's all a hoax. And even if they don't, they haven't shown much interest in doing anything about it. And the White House -- well, as with so much else, it's in denial, conscious denial, willful avoidance, the suppression of truth:

Federal scientists have been pressured to play down global warming, advocacy groups testified Tuesday at the Democrats' first investigative hearing since taking control of Congress.

The hearing focused on allegations that the White House for years has micromanaged the government's climate programs and has closely controlled what scientists have been allowed to tell the public.

"It appears there may have been an orchestrated campaign to mislead the public about climate change," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Waxman is chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and a critic of the Bush administration's environmental policies, including its views on climate.

And the Senate is at it, too: Clinton, Obama, even McCain. And it will be an issue addressed by all of the major Democratic candidates for president. Indeed, one of John Edwards' five key issues is this: "Leading the Fight against Global Warming and Our Addiction to Foreign Oil."

Simply put, global warming can no longer be ignored, and certainly not by those who are most responsible for it. Bush broke ranks with the deniers and admitted the reality of global warming in his State of the Union address, but that's all he's done -- aside from supporting the suppression of the truth. And, to repeat, there's been nothing coming out of Congress. What action there's been has come from a select group of progressive states, including Schwarzenegger's California.

But now is the time for Congress to act. With Democrats prepared to lead the way, maybe something, finally, will get done. It's important to expose the lies, but substantive efforts must follow.

Pinch me again when that happens.