Game on.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OXwOv9MAHcI

Poor Mr. Beck doesn’t stand a chance.

Roy Beck seems to thinks so, Executive Director of NumbersUSA, who made the argument during the UAFA hearings yesterday. I’m all for reducing our carbon footprint as a part of multifaceted approach to reduce global warming, but I’ve never heard anything so entirely ridiculous. From the NumbersUSA website:

But nearly every new adult permanently added to the U.S. population through immigration legislation would be a potential competitor to unemployed and underemployed American workers. And every new immigrant increases the total U.S. carbon footprint and ecological footprint (and, because of increased consumption once they arrive here, increases the global footprints, as well).

Given the larger context of current immigration levels, passing S. 424 would be irresponsible to the environment, to future generations and to the most economically vulnerable members of our national community.

Don’t individuals seeking U.S. citizenship contribute to our “global” carbon footprint whether they are in our country or not? I wonder if Beck also favors abortion as a method of reducing our carbon footprint? Someone needs to ask.

Beck also has ties John Tanton, the “racist founder of many of the nation’s key nativist groups”, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). In the video below the SPLC explores America’s anti-immigration network, with Roy Beck making an appearance around the 5:30 mark. The whole video is definitely worth a watch.

Somehow this feels like some poorly conceived attempt to appeal to the left-leaning, green conscious among us, making his anti-immigration rhetoric more palatable. Sure we can reduce global warming by simply allowing fewer immigrants to enter the country. It smacks discrimination. And now he’s directing it at gay people. Sure. Let’s spread the hate.

You can watch his testimony at the UAFA hearings here.

During hearings on new energy legislation today Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) attempted to discredit Al Gore by alleging—through her constituents—that the former Vice President was profiting from the climate crisis. After laughing with the audience through much her remarks, Gore repudiated the allegations saying “If you believe the reason I have been working on this issue for 30 years is because of greed… You don’t know me.” Watch.

Blackburn and Michelle Bachman must be cut from the same cloth. I say we torture these folks by putting them on the beach and watching them scream for help as the water levels rise. Oh wait a minute… that’s not torture. They’ve said so themselves. Sorry.

Former Vice President and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore returned to TED in 2008 with an updated slideshow to warn us of the accelerating rate of climate change and to challenge us to act.

It seemed appropriate to focus on global warming this time around thanks to the success of Earth Hour last Saturday and the same day announcement by the White House of a global warming summit to be held next month.

Perhaps, just perhaps, there will finally be some progress.