Yesterday, one of our favorite climate change deniers Michele Bachmann held a public forum at St. Cloud State University which featured Chris Horner, a conservative who has repeatedly referred to global warming as “hype.” Campus Progress helped organize student pushback at the event so that those in attendance would be able to hear the facts about climate change, and the benefits that cap-and-trade legislation would have on Minnesota’s economy. Needless to say, many were disappointed that the forum did nothing to address the other side of the climate change debate, and that instead of holding a public Q & A, the event organizers decided at the last minute to only field questions that were written down in advance and picked by a moderator.
Check out this article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune for more info about the event, and also, this article from the St. Cloud Times about the student reaction. One of the awesome students we worked with, Casey Wojtalewicz, is quoted:
“We wanted to advocate green jobs and renewable energy and hear solutions on that, and we didn’t really hear any,” said Casey Wojtalewicz, a St. John’s sophomore majoring in peace studies.
Wojtalewicz and others expressed their disapproval of Horner’s message by shouting for him to explain why he didn’t talk about potential benefits of a cap-and-trade law, like the creation of jobs in the renewable energy field.
Congress may be on recess, but it’s time for us to work! Members of Congress are now home in their districts from April 6 – April 19. The final budget will be decided, once and for all, after Congress returns from recess. Conservatives in the House and Senate are claiming they want to cut vital investments in the budget to reduce the burden on our generation. We can’t let them speak for us.