In his ongoing attempt to garner public support for his bureaucratic carbon regulations, Jay Inslee put his name on an op-ed in the Seattle Times today filled with unsubstantiated and exaggerated claims. Essentially, Inslee repeated the claims he made in a recent blast email he sent to supporters. Inslee’s baseless assertions include:
- “Climate deniers”—a not so subtle jab at Republicans—are denying science.
- These same “climate deniers” are halting progress in combating climate change.
- He is leading a movement in Washington State and across our nation.
Inslee’s op-ed is littered with ridiculous assertions linking everything from the wildfires to salmon “dying in hot water” to climate change. Ironically, he wraps up by warning readers not to “fall victim to the fear mongers” attempting to block “every clean-air and clean-water law since Earth Day 1970.”
Of course, not all those who oppose Inslee are “fear-mongers.” It’s Inslee—insisting on politicizing the tragedy of wildfires for the sake of his extreme “green” agenda—who is acting the part of “fear-monger.”
As Shift has pointed out time and time again, Washington State emits approximately 1/10 of 1% of the world’s carbon emissions. And, between 2007 and 2011, our state managed to reduce carbon emissions by 9.75 percent—largely the result of a dramatic increase in hydroelectric power, certainly not the result of new regulations.
As Shift has pointed out time and time again, Washington State emits approximately 1/10 of 1% of the world’s carbon emissions. And, between 2007 and 2011, our state managed to reduce carbon emissions by 9.75 percent—largely the result of a dramatic increase in hydroelectric power, certainly not the result of new regulations.
Washington’s low contribution to emissions levels means new regulatory rules would do nothing to lower global emission levels. Inslee’s regulations would produce results that are virtually meaningless to air pollution reduction or human health.
Simply put, Inslee is not telling the truth. Republicans do not oppose Inslee’s extreme “green” policies because they are so-called deniers. Rather, they oppose Inslee’s agenda because it is based on big government principles. Worse, these “green” policies—by even the most generous projections—will make little impact on carbon emission levels. What these policies will do, however, is harm economic growth and fill the pockets of special interests who give Inslee money.
Moreover, it’s not Republicans who have kept Inslee’s extreme “green policies” from moving forward. Democrats, not Republicans, blocked his cap-and-tax scheme in the state Legislature this year. Inslee could not even garner enough support among members of his own party to pass the scheme out of the Democrat-controlled state House. That’s the inconvenient truth Inslee prefers to ignore.
Finally, Inslee is boldly claiming that he is leading a movement in our state and country. Yet, as previously stated, he failed to even lead his fellow Democrat lawmakers during the 2015 legislative session. Simply put, Inslee is not a leader. He is a failure.
Inslee is talking a good game in his attempt to appeal to the public. It’s a good game, but it’s also a false one.
