Nation’s Largest Utility Leaves U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Over Climate Denial
Nation’s Largest Utility Leaves U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Over Climate Denial
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the largest lobbying force in the nation, promoting a right-wing agenda as the “voice of business.” The Chamber claims that a cap-and-trade program to limit global warming pollution would “strangle the economy” and has even called for a “Scopes monkey trial” on the science of global warming.
Today, Exelon CEO John Rowe announced that his company — the largest electric utility company in the United States — would not renew its membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce because of its opposition to global warming action. In his keynote address to the annual conference of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the nation’s largest association of energy efficiency experts, Rowe said that the Chamber’s multi-million-dollar campaign against clean energy legislation is incompatible with Exelon’s commitment to climate change leadership. As Rowe said when he accepted a leadership award from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce in 2008:
Exelon has staked out an industry-leading position on the issue of climate change and, in the spirit of Daniel Burnham, we have launched our own “not so little plan” to eliminate the equivalent of our entire carbon footprint by the year 2020. I do not know if it will stir men’s souls, but I hope it will stir policymakers and others in our industry to action.
Confirming Exelon’s decision to ThinkProgress, a spokesperson explained that “Exelon is a big supporter of climate legislation.” Exelon is the third energy company to sever ties with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in the past week, joining Pacific Gas & Electric and PNM Resources.
The carbon-based free lunch is over. But while we can’t fix our climate problems for free, the price signal sent through a cap-and-trade system will drive low-carbon investments in the most inexpensive and efficient way possible. Putting a price on carbon is essential, because it will force us to do the cheapest things, like energy efficiency, first.
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Dear Chamber of Commerce: Reality has a liberal bent.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:26 pmIt must suck to be you
The Chamber claims that a cap-and-trade program to limit global warming pollution would “strangle the economy” and has even called for a “Scopes monkey trial” on the science of global warming.
The Chamber, of course, will be providing the Monkeys for the trial.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:28 pmThe US Chamber of Commerce has been run by Republics for many years.
They spend millions in media ads annually, and are message predictable.
Trouble for them is, they’re riding Dinosaurs.
When the money train stops, the media message will change.
Good for Exelon, PG&E, & PNM.
Do you think FoxSuckers will carry this news today?
September 28th, 2009 at 12:29 pmIs that new smell in here cleon, klingon or clown?
September 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pmThis needs to be blasted all over the innertubes and the media. What better way to rebut the republican talking points that global warming/climate change is not an important issue?
September 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pmI don’t want to be a part of absurd/parody troll overload, so I’ll use my time away to lobby my congressman Birdie Doodie (R-MS) for a generous taxpayer bailout of the U.S. CoC. I think the bill’s already being written, redirecting funds from ACORN.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:33 pmThe US Chamber of commerce is one fat sinking ship.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:34 pmI hope more reasonable companies will come to their senesce and jump ship.
We as an American need to stand against the narrow minds of the neocons.
This is what happens when you start looking out for the interests of your members and instead let political nuts run the group.
Also see NRA, PETA.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:35 pmSmart people are figuring it out. It’s time to start on alternative energy sources in earnest. Heck! It might be too late. But for those with the resolve to face the future? There are whole new fortunes to be made in green tech and it’s time for the “free market”, and greedy idiots, to stop stalling and get with the program.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:35 pmIt is really hard to understand what Republicans gain by fighting clean energy technology and improved health care. I guess the only thing they know how to do is object to what Democrats want to do. They can’t fix anything themselves.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:36 pmI wonder if those wingnuts at the Chamber of Commerce realize they just suggested that climate change has a scientific foundation equal to that of natural selection.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:43 pmThis is the problem when associations like the Chamber of Commerce become a mouthpiece for a political party. They ignore their charter and the purpose for their very being. These Utility companies are doing the right thing by dropping membership.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:43 pmThe economy is already strangled without cap and trade and two, three if you count pakistan, military adventures ignant winklers
September 28th, 2009 at 12:44 pmI hope they’re not just doing it because they’ve figured out a way to maintain their status quo AND make big profits trading carbon credits.
Big energy companies are not usually very trustworthy.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:46 pmcleon apparently doesn’t know anything about the Scopes monkey trial. It upheld a law which took away freedom, you fool. The Chamber of Commerce is saying they want to make it illegal to talk about climate change.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:46 pmWhat is happening to personal freedoms?
Whats the world coming to when you cant take some acid, get buttass nekkid, and run, screaming n flailin, about? You just go right on ahead and express yourself, aint nobody going to taze you bro nor nothing, I promise, you wont get cuffed and stuffed. So, see you on teevee I soon, yes?
September 28th, 2009 at 12:50 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
Mr. Zimzone, I think this “FoxSuckers” thing is some kind of dirty sexual reference. Would you please mind not doing it anymore?
My sexual habits are none of your damn business, clown…
but you are correct that Fox is a dirty reference, pardon me.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:50 pmEven some of the bad guys are abandoning the right wing fools.
Some bad news trickling in but it’s minor compared to the good news like this.
This is the trend and it seems the right is helpless to stop it.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:51 pmw_cleo_skousens says:
What is happening to our personal freedoms? Is this what our founding fathers fought and died for?
What are YOU complaining about? THEY are the ones who fought and died, not you.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:56 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
What is happening to personal freedoms? Pretty soon it’ll be illegal to fart.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
______________
How is setting an emissions target and creating a market for carbon emissions an affront to personal freedoms?
Nobody thought so in the 90s when the cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide was created.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:00 pmActually, w_clown_skittles, our Founding Fathers didn’t fight and die for anything. That’s why they were still around to sign their names on The Constitution of the United States of America — you know, that little document that founded our nation that you and the rest of the Bushbots tried to destroy over the preceding 8 years, before we adults arrived to put the pieces back together?
September 28th, 2009 at 1:00 pmI have a “palace of freedom” — I sit on my throne in it every morning and read ESPN the Magazine…
September 28th, 2009 at 1:01 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
What is happening to personal freedoms? Pretty soon it’ll be illegal to fart. Is this what our founding fathers fought and died for?
Yes what is happing to your personal freedoms cause the rest of us dont seem to have lost any of them.
well you can fart all you want its call freedom of speech and no ones taken that away either.
I and the rest of the We The People of the United States of America know exactly why our founding fathers fought and die for.
So people like you can continue to make fools out of them self.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:02 pmWe’ll let you know when we need a violent solution for something. Until then take some personal responsibility!
September 28th, 2009 at 1:02 pmRight you are, Fred. All the screeching from the Reichwhiners, and our natural impatience, makes it easy to forget that we put new management in charge and the momentum is changing back to the side of logic and reason.
Our government is going to disappoint me and make me mad but, we have competent people in charge who are making informed decisions based on real-world, real-time, events.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:03 pmw_cleon_skousen@2 said,
If it gets too hot, the ice will melt, and there will be horrible flooding. Your tea won’t be able to grow, and there won’t be any air conditioning.
If it gets too hot, we all die.
and w_cleon_skousen@13 said,
September 28th, 2009 at 1:03 pmYou won’t have any personal freedom at all from your prison cell.
I’ll just comment off-character.
I strongly believe the best way to knock our economy out of these small boom/big bust cycles is to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector. If our legislators apply themselves, the bill sent to the Senate is the best way the government can spur job creation for the future.
Sarbanes-Oxley worked wonders for the accounting sector. Legislation is working for Health IT, and it can work in a big way for Clean Energy.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:03 pmw_Cleon_skousens says:
So when are you shipping out to Kabul?
September 28th, 2009 at 1:04 pmW_cleon_skousens says:
I hear Karzi has a fine palace there
September 28th, 2009 at 1:06 pmI’m standing by to do whatever it takes to defend our palace of freedom.
Great. Lets start by taking some sofa cushions and building a nuclear bunker in the basement, bring your red ryder bb gun and some safety glasses.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:08 pmw_cleon_skousen@23 said,
I do not agree. You have threatened to kill the patrons of a Starbucks because you think liberals will be there.
You are doing exactly the opposite of defending our freedom. You actively support violence against the majority. You are a traitor to your country and belong in a prison cell for the rest of your life.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:08 pmglad you qualified this statement because it totally ignores the gop buzzwords of the 20’s and 1980-present.
de-industrialization. A huge factor in the great depression and our recent financial woes.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:14 pmCorporate Responsibility is so rare these days, good to see a couple do the right thing…
…but then again, they are just probably seeing the future and what future profits will be like if they get the jump on the new technology.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:18 pmWell done. Every company should abandon it so long as it believes that there is no global warming.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:39 pmw_cleon_skousen says(@#38)1:23 pm
when I’m called upon to defend
Ummm, dufus, there hasn’t been a draft for over 36 years.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:40 pmWhat’s stopping you from volunteering to enlist?
when, like the Minutemen, I’m called upon to defend this great nation
I’m sure that there is a local army recruiting office near you and you should considered yourself called upon to defend this great nation in Afghanistan….Oh, wait, you don’t mean that kind of Minutemen do you. Never mind.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:40 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
I might wind up being stuck in the guts by a half crazed, ultra liberal, invading North Korean soldier that your president let in through the back door.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
____________
And the problem with this is…?
September 28th, 2009 at 1:49 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
Mr. chiroptera toasterhead, it could lead to trouble the likes of which you don’t want to know about.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
__________
But on the positive side, there’d be no more you.
I’d say it’s a net gain for the country. :)
September 28th, 2009 at 1:58 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
Mr. Uncle Ho, I served in Grenada back in ‘83. Didn’t see you there.
September 28th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
_________
I thank you for protecting us from the Grenadan menace. If you hadn’t stopped the Grenadans from taking over the hemisphere, we’d all be speaking English now.
September 28th, 2009 at 2:01 pmsomeday when,…, I’m called upon to defend this great nation I might
Well then, why don’t you head down to your local recruitment center TODAY and enlist?
P U S S Y ? ? ?
September 28th, 2009 at 2:03 pmthe one that raygun invaded? The country where the mouse that roared came from?
The country we invaded without one casualty except a guy that got captured by teenaged waiters and was forced to perform sex acts with a burro?
That one?
If you count that as service then you probably think bush served too! He didn’t.
September 28th, 2009 at 2:03 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
Ballad of the Green Berets
Cool nostalgia! Do Smokey and the Bandit next!
September 28th, 2009 at 2:16 pmw_cleon_skousen says:
So you beat back the swarms of dangerous Grenadans from overpowering the USA. Lets see, they have what, how many thousands of residents compared to our 300 million?
That was mighty white of you.
BTW- I did my bit for King & Country in the Vietnam war. I didn’t see you there.
September 28th, 2009 at 2:17 pmthe ballad of the greenie beanies?
you should be a recruiting poster.
September 28th, 2009 at 2:21 pmp.s.- those greenie beanies are super-hardcore, gung-ho, and batshit crazy. I know the type.
w_cleon_skousen,
I bet you are good at following orders. I bet you suck at giving them.
September 28th, 2009 at 2:36 pmw_cleon_skousen says;
we had to fight them over there so that we would have to fight them over here
Gee, where have I heard THAT one before?
September 28th, 2009 at 2:43 pmalong with the light at the end of the tunnel
hearts and minds
yada, yada, yada
w_cleon_skousen says;
Ballad of the Green Berets
Hey i didnt see you at any of the robin sages!!!!!!!!!
and by the way a green beret is just head gear!!!!!!!!!!
we like to be call by our real names Special Forces.
and i have meet SSGT Barry Sadler (spelling)
September 28th, 2009 at 3:08 pmPNM (Public Service Co of NM) announced last week that it was letting it’s membership in the CoC lapse at year’s end; ie, no more annual dues.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:41 pmThere is no evidence whatsoever to support such claims. Anyone who tells you that scientific research shows warming trends – be they teachers, news casters, Congressmen, Senators, Vice Presidents or Presidents – is wrong. There is no global warming.
Scientific research through U.S. Government satellite and balloon measurements shows that the temperature is actually cooling – very slightly – .037 degrees Celsius.
A little research into modern-day temperature trends bears this out. For example, in 1936 the Midwest of the United States experienced 49 consecutive days of temperatures over 90 degrees. There were another 49 consecutive days in 1955. But in 1992 there was only one day over 90 degrees and in 1997 only 5 days
September 28th, 2009 at 11:17 pmi aint you says:
There is no evidence whatsoever to support such claims. Anyone who tells you that scientific research shows warming trends – be they teachers, news casters, Congressmen, Senators, Vice Presidents or Presidents – is wrong. There is no global warming.
Oh, I totally believe you over all of them. Also over the scientists. As grand poobah of everything, I’m sure you’re much more informed.
I would now like to point out that the above was sarcasm. You are an ignorant cretin who knows absolutely nothing.
.
i aint you says:
Scientific research through U.S. Government satellite and balloon measurements shows that the temperature is actually cooling – very slightly – .037 degrees Celsius.
Since when?
.
i aint you says:
A little research into modern-day temperature trends bears this out. For example, in 1936…
How much research saying the exact opposite of your conclusion did you have to ignore before you found a few things you could cherry-pick that (with the massive contrary evidence omitted) seems to support it?
September 29th, 2009 at 1:36 amAhh…. But you people don’t realize that a warmer planet is better for all. The warmer the planet the more food we can grow. Seriously, The colder the planet the more ice there is etc and less food can be grown. The population is growing and we need more food. If you support cooling the planet then you support less food production. Fact – you cannot deny it. ;)
September 29th, 2009 at 9:08 amThanks
September 29th, 2009 at 9:41 amSesli Chat
Sesli Sohbet
Chambers of Commerce are suppose to represent the cities they are in. WTF is an Energy company doing as a member? They do not represent any one city BUT themselves and how much they can squeeze out of people.
September 29th, 2009 at 10:43 amAll aspects of American life are being taken over by BIG business and the people are not even noticing.
It is absolutely amazing that self-proclaimed progressive liberals -
1)Resort to ridicule and intolerance for scientific debate
2)Treat as a dangerous substance carbon dioxide upon which all plant life depends
3)Ignore the truly toxic waste of a nuclear utility that proclaims to be “clean energy” while it is part of the nuclear weapons production cycle
4) And have become the leading supporters for a scheme to tax everything that breathes for the sole benefit for banks that will trade carbon credits.
Wake up and think for yourself! The entire environmental movement has been stolen by a global warming scam that will only benefit the bankers that are already raping us.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:36 amThank you for your sharing.!
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:57 am