Climate Change - Fact or Fiction?

While climate-change legislation has seemed to be put on the back burner in DC, it is still in the forefront of certain legislators minds. Just last week senators and industrial groups have been trying to reach a compromise on the oh-so-famous "cap and trade" idea which reduces carbon-dioxide emissions by selling pollution permits from one state to another. It's been made clear that this idea that gets certain liberals and green activists so excited, is not quite as popular across the rest of the nation.

The following are some reasons why any climate change legislation will have a hard time making it into a bill anytime soon.

1. Climate change conference in Copenhagen
Copenhagen was a disaster. President Obama walked on to a world stage assuming everyone would just jump on board his train. Instead, he was basically told to keep his climate change policies in the US and leave other countries, namely India and China, alone. And of course, why would another country listen to us, especially China, when they own a good portion of our debt? That puts them in driver's seat, not us. I guess Obama doesn't quite get that yet.

2. Health care legislation and the divisions its created
Health care legislation has clearly torn the country apart. The President who vowed to unify the country and represent America's voice is doing just the opposite. The Republican and Democrat Caucasus couldn't be more polarized, so trying to cram another bill through that needs bi-partisan support would just lead to more failure.

3. The economy
Obviously each and every company in the US is tightening its belt and eliminating any unnecessary expenses. Why would they choose to increase their expenses dramatically by supporting legislation such as this? Protecting the environment, the perfect support system God created to sustain life, is very important. However, an economy that is capable of supporting such initiatives is an absolute requirement. Sustainability should be practiced not only when dealing with the environment, but financially as well. Economic sustainability must come first, then environmental sustainability can follow.

4. The weather
It's pretty hard to convince Americans that climate change is actually a fact when at one point in the past two months, 48 states had snow on the ground at the same time. How does that play in to the science of climate change?

5. Scientific controversies
Lastly, even the EPA's own scientists have made public statements about the fallacy in claims that the current administration and the EPA themselves have supported regarding climate change and imminent disaster we face if emissions aren't dramatically limited.

Of course, most importantly to us as Kentuckians is our coal industry. It is a way of life for many of our counties and citizens. We have to support our own citizens, yet the coal industry is known for creating environmental disasters that are not only harmful for the trees, but for the Kentuckians they employ. We must find a solution to protect the jobs and the health of the workers in this industry. Hopefully we will elect someone in November who will fight for these issues in DC instead of voting against their own citizens, like Ben Chandler is expected to on issues like these.