The Viable Climate: Why do elected Senators and Representatives in Congress ignore the opinions and priorities of American People?

Opposing views in the battle between large-scale power generation sources are often categorized by those who want inexpensive electricity vs. those who favor renewable resources to lessen our collective contribution to the devastating effects of climate change.

This assumption is false.

Over 90% of our current electric supply is sourced from carbon based fuel and has continued to rise and is disconnected from declining trends in fuel costs.

Using renewable sources of energy have reached grid parity, producing electricity at or below the cost of carbon based fuels.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress who promote carbon-emitting sources are economically driven by their donor base principally in the oil and coal industries. Their voting record and political views have nothing to do with the cost of electricity or (sadly) the preferences and requests of voters. The exception to this is obviously in the coal & oil producing states that see renewable alternatives as a threat to their livelihood and would rather disregard the catastrophic impact of climate change.

“I’m not a scientist either, but I can use my brain, and I can talk to one,” Crist said at a Florida State University presentation on greenhouse gases and rising sea levels... Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist

As you may read below, almost every category (except extremists in the Tea Party) want their energy to come from renewable sources and want Congress to act on climate change.

· 97% of National Medical Association (NMA) members said climate change is happening the NMA is the main association for African-American physicians). 62% said it is mostly or entirely caused by human activities.^{^[i]}

· 78% of Americans say the federal government should limit greenhouse gases, including 87% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans.^{^[ii]}

· 87% of small business owners named one or more consequences of climate change as potentially harmful to their businesses.^{^[iii]}

· 66% of Americans would be more likely to support a candidate who believes in global warming and wants to act on it, including 81% of Democrats and 48% of Republicans. Only 13% of Americans would be more likely to support a candidate who believes global warming is a hoax.²

· 88% of NMA members think the U.S. should make a large scale effort to protect people from current effects of climate change even if it has large economic costs, or a medium scale effort to protect people even if it has medium economic costs.¹

· 70% of Americans think the federal government should limit the release of greenhouse gases from existing power plants in an effort to reduce global warming, including 78% of Democrats and 63% of Republicans.^{^[iv]}

· 70% of Americans think the federal government should require states to limit the amount of greenhouse gases produced within their borders, in an effort to reduce global warming, including 79% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans.⁵

· 63% of Americans would support restrictions that significantly lowered greenhouse gases but raised energy bills by $20/month, including 71% of Democrats and 51% of Republicans.⁵

· 67% of Americans support the EPA’s rule regulating carbon dioxide.^{^[v]}

· 80% of Americans say the federal government should provide tax breaks to produce more electricity from water, wind, and solar power, including 83% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans.²

· According to a survey by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, “Americans across political lines, except conservative Republicans, think government, (including their own member of Congress, their governor, local government officials, and President Obama) should do more to address global warming.”⁴

The overwhelming consensus among scientists is that fossil fuel use is the largest contributor to high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and that continuing our high consumption risks even more serious environmental change. Americans understand the tradeoffs required for energy, and are willing to make them. They understand that wind and solar energy is cleaner than fossil fuels, and that oil and nuclear energy is more expensive than natural gas or coal. Contrary to the common political debate, Americans’ energy preferences are not based on partisanship.⁷

Climate change is happening. Ninety-seven percent (97%) of climate scientists have confirmed that human actions are causing global warming. Even though it has been cold in the U.S. recently, 2014 was the warmest year on record and 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have occurred in the 21^st century.

“Admit it. In some fashion, you’ve probably given voice to the thought. If climate change is real — if the world is supposedly heating up — then how come last winter was so long and our summer so cool? It’s because our perspective is skewed. We’re like a guy with his head in the refrigerator while his house is burning down, thinking nothing’s wrong.” -Tom Keane, Boston Globe

Republicans and some members of the Democratic Party embrace the pentagon and throw their full, unwavering support for almost unlimited resources and maintain a blind commitment to the recommendations by senior military personnel – except when the Navy Task Force on Energy forcefully chastises Congress for “ignoring the warnings” of climate change.

The Rolling Stone article titled “The Pentagon and Climate Change: How Deniers Put National Security at Risk”. The incendiary title illustrates the mounting frustration and disgust the Joint Chiefs of Staff exhibit toward Congress.