I like and respect how Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) asks that folks speak publically and on the record regarding their views . . . regardless of what their views are it is important that the debate have a public record.

He was ousted this year by a Tea Party-backed candidate. In the video above, Inglis uses a House science and environment subcommittee hearing to take his own party to task. He used the analogy of a sick child, according to the New York Times:

“Your child is sick. Ninety-eight doctors say treat him this way. Two say no, this other way is the way to go.” By taking the minority viewpoint that carbon emissions are not a problem, “you’re taking a big risk with those kids”

And Inglis said that China was going to “eat our lunch” in developing green technologies:

“They plan on innovating around these problems, and selling to us, and the rest of the world, the technology that’ll lead the 21st century. We may press the pause button for a few years, but China is pressing the fast-forward button.”

Also, another former Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post urging the members of his party to “open their minds to rethinking what has largely become our party’s line: denying that climate change and global warming are occurring and that they are largely due to human activities.” He noted:

In a trio of reports released in May, the prestigious and nonpartisan National Academy concluded that “a strong, credible body of scientific evidence shows that climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities and poses significant risks for a broad range of human and natural systems.” Our nation’s most authoritative and respected scientific body couldn’t make it any clearer or more conclusive….
What is happening to the party of Ronald Reagan? He embraced scientific understanding of the environment and pollution and was proud of his role in helping to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals. That was smart policy and smart politics. Most important, unlike many who profess to be his followers, Reagan didn’t deny the existence of global environmental problems but instead found ways to address them.

Well, some of that may be debated but at least they can be debated.

All the best,
Brian