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Click here to tell Rick Perry to focus on the reality of climate disruption, or get new glasses.
Friend,
Rick Perry is throwing his cowboy hat in the ring of the ever-expanding GOP presidential primary hopefuls, and he's bringing his special brand of climate denying, fossil fuel fiesta with him. Perry wants his presidency to be a continuation of his governorship, which included referring to climate science as "unproven," and filing 17 lawsuits against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for proposing tougher air pollution standards.1 Worse yet, he said that he would approve the Keystone XL Pipeline on his first day in office.2
While governor of Texas, Perry filled the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the agency that's supposed to protect the environment and public health from pollution, with pro-oil appointments. Perry's TCEQ appointees issued permit after permit to climate killers whose emissions poison air quality. Perry even signed an executive order directing TCEQ to fast track construction of coal-fired power plants with little to no environmental review.3
All of this extreme energy has contributed to some of the worse climate disasters in recent Texas history. But even with his new glasses, Rick can't seem to see the climate reality that's right in front of him. That's why we have to welcome Rick Perry back to the election with a clear message: "If you don't see climate reality that's right in front of you, then you won't be seeing the Oval Office." Will you click here to make sure he gets the message?
With all his talk about how he loves the Lone Star state, you'd think Perry would be one of the first people to embrace the reality of climate disruption. Last month Texas experienced some of the worst flooding in state history, destroying over 1,000 homes and leaving 16 people dead. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), events like these will become more frequent and severe in Texas due to global warming.4 Jimmy Cliff told us about seeing clearly after the rain is gone -- maybe Perry should start listening too.
Under his watch as governor, Texas also experienced some of the worst droughts in their history. In fact, it's estimated that the drought cost Texas $8 billion in agricultural costs.5 Rick Perry has more reason than most lawmakers to be a climate champion, but instead denies climate science -- so what gives?
The Supreme Court has said that willful blindness is no defense against wrongdoing since "persons who know enough to blind themselves to direct proof of critical facts in effect have knowledge of those facts."6 I think it's safe to say that even with his new glasses, Rick Perry suffers from a bad case of willful blindness. And given the last time he ran for president Big Oil invested over $1 million in his campaign,7 it's not hard to see why he turns a blind eye to climate change.
That's why we need to send him the message that climate deniers and Big Oil providers won't make it into the White House. Click here to send that message.
Thanks for taking (environmental) action,
Anthony and the Environmental Action Climate Crusaders
1. Weissert, Will. Rick Perry on Issues of 2016 Campaign. Green Bay Press Gazette. June 9, 2014.
2. Atkin, Emily. Rick Perry is a Climate Denier. But He's Not The Worst GOP Candidate On The Environment. Think Progress. June 4, 2015.
3. Caldwell, Patrick. Rick Perry Knows 3 Things About Global Warming: It's a Hoax, He's Not a Scientist, and...We Forget The Third. Mother Jones. June 4, 2015.
4. Gerken, James. Texas Flooding Could be a Preview of Future Extreme Weather Events. The Huffington Post. May 26, 2015.
5. Beach, Patrick. Drought Cost Texas Close to $8 Billion in Agricultural Losses in 2011. Statesman. March 21, 2012.
6. Edmund J. Haughey and Preston H. Heard, Supreme Court Holds That Induced Infringement Requires Knowledge That the Induced Acts Are Infringing, and Willful Blindness Suffices for Such Knowledge, Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto, May 31 2011
7. Center for Responsive Politics: Rick Perry Contributions 2012. |
