“Folks, its about to become very dangerous to be a climate scientist”

“..or for that matter, any kind of scientist.”

That’s what one of the world’s most well known climate scientists recently told friends.

This article in Politico is the case in point. In the event the House of representatives shifts to republicans, Rep. James Sensenbrenner, a foe of progress, reason and science, will become chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

He has vowed to obstruct the pursuit of truth about climate change, and intimidate those foolish enough to ask questions and seek answers about the real world.

We’ll also get Joe “I apologize to BP” Barton on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and, in the case of the Senate switching hands, Senator James “global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people” “There have never been any gay people in my family” Inhofe to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Every election is critical, as we saw in 2000, but this election could be a watershed if the tea-party fueled anti-science know-nothings of the Republican party take power. My father was chairman of the local county Republicans back in the Eisenhower/Kennedy era, and I know what that once-great party used to be like. But in today’s environment, people like Dwight Eisenhower, Barry Goldwater, and even Ronald Reagan would not meet ideological purity test for what’s become the party of our own native Tea Party Taliban.