Virginia GOP Takes Heat for Global Warming Denialism

With the U.S. on pace to experience the warmest year in recorded history, can we count on the GOP to take climate and energy issues seriously?

In February the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) produced an ad titled “12 Inches of Global Warming, ” which used the snowstorms to ridicule a pair of Democrats for supporting climate change legislation— Rick Boucher (VA-9) and Tom Perriello (VA-5). The clear message of the ad was that the snowy winter in Virginia disproves global warming.

Now that we have,  according to both NOAA and NASA, sweated through the warmest spring in recorded history—and are on pace for the warmest year—can we expect to see a similar ad from the Virginia GOP ridiculing those who currently oppose climate legislation?

Probably not, but it is important that top party officials, such as Chairman Pat Mullins, be asked: why not?

According to NOAA, February’s record-breaking snowstorms were actually the result of two well-understood weather patterns. When the Arctic and North Atlantic Oscillations are in their negative phase—meaning atmospheric pressure over the Arctic is higher than surrounding areas—and there is an El Niño pattern in the Pacific, the eastern seaboard of the United States gets more snow.

A cavalier and overly politicized approach to important issues is not in the nation’s or the Republican Party’s best interest. It does not lend itself to thoughtful solutions to our nation’s problems.  It undermines serious debate, elevates politics over substance, and ultimately backfires.

The “12 inches of Global Warming” ad seems much less clever as we enter the sizzle of the summer months on track for the warmest year since official records started being kept in 1880. Perhaps someone in the RPV should have realized that summer heat can easily melt away the chill of winter by the time fall elections roll around.

Of course the party would not need to worry about the variability of the weather if it would approach our energy and climate issues with the seriousness they deserve.