Global Climate Change: McCain vs. "Dino the Denier"

Will McCain call out Rossi on his Neanderthal record?

SEATTLE - Republican Presidential candidate John McCain will bring his campaign to give Americans a 3rd Bush term to Washington state next week to discuss his efforts to fight global climate change. And while McCain's campaign suggests his visit to the green-friendly Northwest will boost his faux "maverick bona fides," McCain must not have coordinated his message with Republican Dino Rossi, whose abysmal record on global climate change and outright denial of a scientific consensus for action puts him severely at odds with both McCain and an overwhelming majority of Washingtonians.

McCain has openly repudiated deniers of global warming in campaign stops across America, suggesting to the Rossis of the world that "the debate is over." And while Rossi sarcastically dismisses the issue, McCain has even purchased paid campaign advertising declaring "the time is past when we argue about whether climate change is real or not."  

The contrast between McCain and anti-science Neanderthal Rossi on climate change couldn't be any sharper:

Rossi: "...there's still a lot of debate going on this, we see it out there and there's going to be a big debate coming up in the next two, three years. Because there are, you know, I've listened to other scientists who disagree with, you know, I know - why are people even bothering about long term planning if Al Gore says the world is going to end in ten years or fifteen years - but there are a lot of scientists that disagree." [Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce, 3/8/07]

McCain: "I think the time is past when we argue about whether climate change is real or not. We have an obligation to future generations to take action and fix it." [McCain New Hampshire Radio Ad, November 2007]

McCain: "The overwhelming majority of scientific opinion in America today and in the world is that climate change is real. The fact is that it is real ... and I believe that we have an obligation, as do increasing numbers of the evangelical community, that we have an obligation to the stewardship of this earth, and I'll be glad to exchange scientific information with you, but in my view, the debate is over." [McCain Town Hall, Spartanburg, SC, 2/18/07]

Rossi's denial of global warming and his abysmal record on climate change lines up exactly with his ultra-conservative, right-wing building industry backers, who have built Rossi's political career from the ground up. The BIAW has touted their efforts to fight action on global warming in Washington state, listing opposition to Gov. Gregoire's climate change legislation and election of Republican Dino Rossi as top priorities in the battle.

"While Gov. Gregoire continues her strong leadership to address climate change, Republican Dino Rossi is stuck in the Stone Age - with an abysmal record and extreme far-right allies that leave no doubt he would reverse our substantial progress on this critical issue," said Kelly Steele, spokesman for the Washington State Democratic Party. "Despite an overwhelming scientific consensus and the strong desire of Washingtonians for action, Rossi continues to oppose efforts to address global warming pollution - further evidence that we simply can't trust Rossi with our future."

So will McCain set "Dino the Denier" straight on global climate change during his visit?

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"Dino the Denier" - Rossi's Neanderthal Record

on Global Climate Change

Rossi's "Position" on Global Warming Parrots Far-Right Industry Language Against Action:

Ø      Science Is Unclear on Global Warming

Ø      Natural Cycles Explain Current Warming

Ø      "Still a Lot of Debate Going On"

Q: "Where are you on global warming?"

Rossi: (scoffs) "Where am I on global warming? The uh, I mean it's clear that the earth, the earth is warming. That is clear, I mean, I think if we were to count how many feet of ice we were under many, many, tens and hundreds of millions of years ago - right where we are standing, right here - the earth has been warming and it will continue to warm. Apparently we've hit, we've hit the same temperature that it, that it had increased to in about, oh, twelve hundred AD I think it was. So, I mean, it was warmer then too. Uh, there are cycles.

There are things that we can do obviously to, to make sure that the environment is clean.  That the air is clean, that the water's clean, all those sorts of things that need to be done. 

I think you also need to make sure that you look at the real science of this too and make sure that it makes sense. And so, uh, well-uh I-uh there's still a lot of debate going on this, we see it out there and there's going to be a big debate coming up in the next two, three years. Because there are, you know, I've listened to other scientists who disagree with, you know, I know - why are people even bothering about long term planning if Al Gore says the world is going to end in ten years or fifteen years - but there are a lot of scientists that disagree. So, I mean, we'll see how this debate goes, but I don't think anyone should panic at this point." [Rossi at Port Orchard Chamber, 3/08/2007]

Rossi is Out of Touch with Washington Business Leaders and Voters on Climate Change:

Major Washington State industry leaders are lining up behind Governor Gregoire's goals to reverse the effects of climate change.  The Columbian newspaper reported that "Electric utilities, timber companies, Alcoa and the pulp and paper industry all said they support the goals of the climate change legislation, including creation of a market that would allow polluters to trade the ability to emit carbon dioxide within an overall limit, or cap.  ["State's top industries warm to Gregoire's climate change legislation," The Columbian, January 24, 2008]

A strong majority of Washington voters support legislative action to combat climate change.  A recent statewide poll commissioned by the Washington Environmental Council found that "nearly seven in 10 voters endorse the idea of requiring businesses and utilities to reduce their output of global warming pollution. Furthermore, an impressive eight out of 10 voters support the idea of establishing programs to train people for green jobs in renewable energy and conservation.

"On the issue of climate change, there are no regional biases and Washington voters are united; at least six in 10 voters in every region of the state say they favor moving forward on legislative solutions to global warming. Washington voters agree that climate change is a serious issue and they support taking action to combat global warming."  [Climate Poll, Washington Environmental Council, 1/22/2007] 

In Olympia, Rossi Opposed Even Studying Global Warming Through a Privately-Funded Center:

Rossi opposed establishing the Washington Climate Center, an "impartial, unbiased source of credible and reliable information about climate change for the public." Rossi repeatedly voted against legislation to establish the Washington Climate Center, a research institution focused on studying global warming and evaluating policies to reduce its impact. By opposing the bill:

• Rossi Opposed Creating a Source of Unbiased and Credible Information on Climate Change, For Policymakers, Business Interests and the Public. Rossi voted against legislation for "the establishment of a central clearinghouse to serve as an impartial, unbiased source of credible and reliable information about climate change for the public." The legislation stipulated that "this research and information holds important value in helping scientists, citizens, businesses, and public policymakers understand how Washington may be affected by these changes."

• Rossi's Vote Disavowed Possible Impacts of Climate Change on Washington's Economy and Infrastructure. SB 6619 stated that: "It is in the public interest to support efforts to promote discussion and understanding of the potential effects of climate change on Washington's water supply, agriculture, natural resources, coastal infrastructure, public health, and economy, and to encourage the formulation of sound recommendations for avoiding, mitigating, and responding to those effects." Washington Climate Center Would Have Been Privately-Financed. Rossi voted against building a center to study climate change despite the fact that the legislation stipulated: "The center shall be funded through grants and voluntary cash and in-kind contributions." [SB 6619, Rossi - Nay 2/16/2002; SB 5674, 3/13/2001, Rossi - Nay]

Rossi Tried to Block Legislation Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Recognizing the Threat of Climate Change, and Making Washington a Leader in Clean Energy Consumption. 

On the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Republican Dino Rossi attempted to block SB 6718, legislation designed to combat global climate change and shift Washington's energy consumption toward cleaner sources. By opposing the bill:

• Rossi Opposed Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by State Government. SB 6718 mandated that "State government adopt a policy to meet its energy needs with no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions."

• Rossi Opposed Recognizing the Threat of Climate Change. SB 6718 found that "State government actions to promote and use clean energy are consistent with the state's environmental commitments, including addressing the increasingly imminent dangers to Washington's qualities of life that are threatened by global climate changes and improving local and regional air quality."

• Rossi Opposed Making Washington State Government a Leader in Clean Energy Consumption. SB 6718 found that "As a significant consumer of energy resources and a committed steward of public health and environmental quality, Washington state government is well-positioned to be a leader in promoting and using clean energy." [SB 6718, 2/12/02, Rossi - Do not pass]

Rossi Voted to Give Huge Tax Breaks to Proposed Gas-Powered Plants. Rossi voted for HB 6062 in 1999 that would have given a $24 million dollar tax break to a proposed gas-fired electricity plant in Sumas, Washington and other ‘similar facilities'.  The plant would have churned out massive amounts of greenhouse gases, while the plan lacked any pollution mitigation provisions and created only 25 jobs.  [HB 6062, 1997; WCV 1999 Scorecard]

Rossi Voted Against Sensible Changes to Air Emission Testing. In 1999, Rossi voted against SB 5886, which would have increased the number of cars required to obtain emissions tests. Rossi also opposed  SB 5240, which would have permitted the Department of Ecology to raise emission testing fees by $4 to $10 in order to break even on the money paid private contractors to conduct testing.  [SB 5886, 1999; SB 5240, 2001]

Rossi Used Taxpayer Money to Attend the Far-Right, Anti-Environment, American Legislative Exchange Council's Conventions. Rossi took four taxpayer-funded trips to attend American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conventions. ALEC is opposed to federal environmental legislation, saying that by implementing it at the federal level, states' individual laws, procedures and even constitutions are often superseded.  ALEC has also opposed efforts to regulate automobile emissions, including criticizing provisions of the Clean Air Act. [www.alec.org; Rossi PDC F1, 2003; Rossi PDC F1, 2002; Rossi PDC F1, 2001; Rossi PDC F1, 1997]