We will never forget. August 25, 2017–the day Hurricane Harvey hit Texas–will be remembered as a day of infamy and injustice. The horror America experienced that day–and in the days afterward–will be remembered for generations to come. The anger Americans justifiably feel towards those who ignored the advanced warnings of this crisis will never subside. […]
carbon tax
Posted inPolitical Animal
After Hurricane Harvey, Republicans Have No Excuses for Inaction on Climate
How high’s the water, mama? Five feet high and rising How high’s the water, papa? She said it’s five feet high and rising Well the rails are washed out north of town We gotta head for higher ground We can’t come back till the water goes down Five feet high and rising… –Johnny Cash, “Five […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
The Men Who Knew Too Much: Exxon’s Climate Cruelty
What they did was nothing short of sick, nothing short of twisted, nothing short of unforgivable. No wonder one of their executives couldn’t wait to serve the Trump agenda. As David Roberts observes, ExxonMobil’s behavior has been every bit as reckless, selfish and vile as the behavior of the 45th President: The world’s largest oil […]
Posted inFeatured, Republic 3.0
Four Big Ideas for Tax Reform
The coming debate over tax reform will likely be a wasted opportunity to fix the tax code for the good of the economy and working-class Americans.
Posted inPolitical Animal
This Friday, Call Congress to Demand Action on Climate
Now that Donald Trump’s voters have pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement, what’s next for those who don’t want to see their kids drown? Climate hawks cannot give up now; surrender will ensure victory for the plutocrats and polluters. More than ever, those who want a sustainable future for their children […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Cool Down, Everybody: GOP Climate Heroes Are Still Hard to Find
Sorry, but there’s no reason to pick up the pom-poms for Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Susan Collins (R-ME), whose votes were admittedly crucial to stopping the latest right-wing scheme to destroy President Obama’s climate-protection efforts. Let’s not label them climate hawks just yet, OK? McCain lost his credibility on this issue […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
The Fourth Estate Has an Obligation to Question Trump’s Motives in Syria
Last week, after the Washington Post published a bizarre story suggesting that the Trump administration had come around to supporting both a federal value-added tax and a carbon tax, Kevin Drum labeled the story bullpucky: Sure they are. This sounds more like a strategic leak to demonstrate “seriousness” on Trump’s part than anything that’s really […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
House of (Human-Caused) Horrors
It could never happen now, but could it happen again two years from now? It was ten years ago today that then-NASA scientist James Hansen testified in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform regarding the George W. Bush administration’s assault on climate science. In his written testimony, Hansen observed: There is […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
No Network Found: What Bernie and Bill Didn’t Discuss
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has long been one of the strongest voices for aggressive action on climate change on Capitol Hill, and Bill Nye has long been one of the strongest advocates for pro-science policy in the United States, so it was quite disappointing that their recent Facebook Live discussion about the need to take […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Extreme Makeover: Senate Edition
Last week, I noted that the old-school GOP operatives urging the Republican Party to support a federal carbon tax as a “market-based” way to address climate change might be better off supporting state-level efforts to put a price on carbon. After all, despite some evidence of bipartisanship on climate on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Paul […]
