Author's note:
This post is not about embarrassing moments on social media, but rather, the unified stance of the Republican House Caucus in climate change denial. Those wishing to replace Franson might consider that their past attempts to frame her according to perceived personal defects as a strategy to defeat her at the polls have failed, miserably in the last election. Where the letter writer succeeds is in asking a question that can lead to policy considerations of climate change. To the extend that we've seen this post become a springboard for attacks to the person, rather than policy, Bluestem regrets creating it. [end note]
In Franson challenged to explain her denial of climate change, a recent letter to the editor of the Alexandria Echo Press, DFL activist and presumptive Green Bay Packers fan Esther Mehrer writes:
In March of this year, Representative Mary Franson boasted proudly on her Facebook page, “I do not believe in ‘climate change’ or ‘global warming.’”
In the Tuesday, October 20 Star Tribune, there is an article titled “Local firms commit to climate goals.” Best Buy, General Mills and Target joined 81 of America’s biggest firms such as Apple, General Motors, Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart, and took the climate pledge, recognizing that delaying action on climate change will be costly in economic and human terms.
I would like to challenge Rep Franson to write a letter to the editor explaining how her denial of climate change will benefit the future of her constituents, her children and her future grandchildren.
Bluestem believes that Mehrer pulled a punch in her letter by not pointing out that Franson's opinion is apparently shared by the rest of her caucus.
We direct readers' attention to a Jon Tevlin column from April, Minnesota House says: 'What climate change?':
On the front page of Tuesday’s newspaper, a headline read: “As summers get hotter, humans get more blame.” This idea is being accepted as fact by most scientists around the world, by businesses and by government agencies such as NASA and the Department of Defense.
Even the pope seems to be down with it.
But apparently climate change is still not accepted in the Minnesota House.
The issue came up during the omnibus job growth and energy affordability finance bill discussion on the House floor last week. It was one of those debates that make you slap your forehead — and wonder how some of our elected representatives even found their way in to work that day. . . .
The fun began during a discussion of greenhouse gas legislation passed in 2007, back when tree hugger Tim Pawlenty ran the joint and protecting the Earth seemed to be a rational bipartisan goal.
Rep. Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, offered an amendment that stated plainly that the Legislature believes that climate change is indeed happening, and that human activity is one of the causes. She said that 97 percent of scientists agreed on the issue, and cited increasingly hotter weather patterns, and drought and flooding across the state that has cost more than $400 million. . .
At one point, Rep. Barb Yarusso, DFL-Shoreview, rose to reveal that she is, indeed, a scientist, with a Ph.D. in chemical engineering. Her training makes her understand scientific process, energy and the movement of fluids, the very idea of climate, she told me later.
“We always make judgments based on the expertise of others,” she began her remarks to the House.
Yarusso patiently, quietly, laid out the argument for man-made climate change, pointing out the struggle some members had differentiating between “climate” and “weather.”
“The point of the amendment is, we aren’t going to ignore it,” she said.
And yet they did, voting almost exactly along party lines against admitting that climate change even exists. They aren’t scientists, after all. Well, most of them aren’t. . . .
Much later, in June, MPR tried to soften the fail with Minnesota Public Radio reported in Minnesota Republicans change their tone on climate change. As we noted in Is Gruenhagen changing his tune on climate change? Check out expert he shared with voters, not really.
Also from our archives? Victims all: climate change denier MN Rep. Jim Newberger totally fears labelling and persecution.
Franson is only the tip of the iceberg, and heaven only knows what else will be exposed as it melts.
Photo: Franson critic and Packers fan, Esther Mehrer, via Facebook.
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email sally.jo.sorensen at gmail.com as recipient.
Comments