Taking a Knife to an Intellectual Gunfight
That was the description today by Del. Albert Pollard (D-Lancaster) of our Attorney General's recent decision to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency so as to challenge the concept of "global warming." I stood with Albert today at a press conference organized by Democratic lawmakers to protest the AG's position.
Never mind that the U.S. Supreme Court -- that noted band of tree huggers -- declared in 2007 that carbon dioxide emissions posed a threat to human health and thus were under the jurisdiction of the EPA.
Never mind that our former President George Bush recognized the concept of global warming in his promotion by tax credit of alternative fuels and solar energy.
Never mind that Virginia's Climate Change Commission reached a bipartisan consensus in 2007 that reducing carbon emissions and promoting alternative energy was a critical step for Virginia, especially due to its unique nature as a coastal state.
All of this is now apparently "junk science." And we want out.
The Attorney General's petition, which is apparently unique in its challenge to the EPA, is not a costless decision. Litigating that matter all the way to the Fourth Circuit will take up substantial attorney time, perhaps $250,000 or more.
And all for a case which the Commonwealth is certain to lose -- as the EPA has clear jurisdiction to regulate air quality.
Who's going to pay for this legal bill?
Not the Tea Party. Not the Republican National Committee. Not the Club for Growth.
Instead, the Virginia taxpayer will pay. That ain't right. There are a lot better uses for our tax dollar than paying a team of attorneys -- not usually in Federal court -- to take on the Federal government, its lawyers and its environmental agency on an issue which has been decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Make that a butter knife.
Honestly, when folks elected that loon Cuccinelli AG, did they know NOTHING of his background? Are people genuinely surprised he is spending ALL his time promoting fringe, splinter social issues, such as this frivolous lawsuit against the EPA or his purported strong-arm tactics to get state schools to drop equal protection for homosexuals. McDonnell may be in charge, but Cuccinelli scares me a whole lot more. Just when we were starting to earn a reputation as a moderate, reasonable place, along come these guys to set Virginia back 50 years!
So why did you and Al bring the butter knife Chap?
You really want to be on the side of veracity challenged, sky-is-falling "scientists" & Al Gore? The people who brought us climate-gate & 'no controlling legal authority' respectively? Really. These characters are right up there with the flat earth society.
It would be nice if the Richmond Dispatch or the Washington Post highlighted how asinine this situation is.
Mason students agree with you Senator Petersen, that ain't right.
Check out the article we published in our school newspaper, the Broadside http://www.connect2mason.com/content/cuccinelli-files-lawsuit-against-epa-attorney-general-wants-virginia-out-clean-air-act
When the Cooch spoke at Chamber Days at the General Assembly back in Richmond he assured the crowd of assembled business people that he would not be an "activist" attorney general like, he specifically mentioned, Eliot Spitzer. Neocon definition of "activist attorney general" is "any attorney general who does something we don't like".
Bigger question - can the General Assembly control his purse strings? It's not too late, it seems to me, to pass a budget that says that he has to fund this lawsuit out of his own pocket.