This is what we're up against

I'm currently on a list-serve for the topic of Ohio Watersheds. I originally got on the list when serving on the Coastal Resource Advisory Council for the ODNR and stayed on the list after leaving CRAC because of my interest in Lake Erie.

This is an extremely diverse group of people and every now and then, individuals on the list forward something they've received. Such is the case with this email:

>>> "FairClimateProject" 1/21/2010 9:31 PM >>>
** High Priority **

Fellow leaders,

We recently sent you a note telling you about another fly-in that we're hosting in early February. Like the one we hosted last year, we are bringing together leaders from underserved communities to meet with their members of Congress and urge them to forge ahead with passing a clean energy and climate bill.

This fly-in is extremely important and we hope you will have the time to come to Washington, DC, during this last major push to get the bill moving in the Senate. Every week over the next two months, different constituents are coming to Washington, DC, all sending a consistent message to the U.S. Senate that we can't delay action.

We can't ease up on our pressure now, and so we need your help.

We're trying to collect registrations by Monday, January 25th.

Remember, all expenses are paid. The fly-in starts mid-day on the 8th of February and goes through the afternoon of the 9th.

If you're from one of the following states, your participation is even more urgent: AK, AR, FL, IN, LA, ME, MI, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, OH, SC, VA, WV.

Let us know ASAP if you're able to join us by emailing fairclimateproject@nwf.org, calling me directly at the number below, or registering for the event at www.liaisonsreg.com/nwffeb8

Very best for all the work you do,

Felice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Felice Stadler
Associate Director, Global Warming Solutions Program
National Wildlife Federation

I have to tell you - it's very rare that any center-right group sends out an offer to fly people to D.C. just to lobby congress. Most of the center-right groups send out emails and urge people to call, write or email, but they don't offer to pay all expenses so you can meet with your congressional reps in person....in D.C.

And did you note that this is a coordinated effort? "Every week over the next two months, different constituents are coming to Washington, DC, all sending a consistent message ..."

And to make matters worse, this is all about 'climate change' which is facing regular revelations that the data indicating man is responsible for global warming is manipulated and, therefore, highly suspect - perhaps completely false.

Just this week the UN climate change panel admitted to more "errors" in their report after having to retract a prediction that certain glaciers would be gone in 25 years.

The IPCC’s 2007 report, which won it the Nobel Peace Prize, said that the probability of Himalayan glaciers “disappearing by the year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high”.

But it emerged last week that the forecast was based not on a consensus among climate change experts, but on a media interview with a single Indian glaciologist in 1999.

The IPCC admitted on Thursday that the prediction was “poorly substantiated” in the latest of a series of blows to the panel’s credibility.

It's no wonder 'believers' are ramping up their efforts. Growing skepticism and climategate investigations may end what many thought would be lucrative paths to pursue.

At stake here is millions, or even billions, of dollars in government contracts, handouts and scams - most of which would end up going to the exact same organizations pushing for the legislation.

What's also at stake is higher energy prices for everyone up to and including taxes on the carbon dioxide, CO2, that you exhale.

But this is a sobering look at what common sense people, center-right groups and everyday Americans are up against. How are we supposed to compete with coordinated, all-expense-paid trips to DC to lobby congress for something we know to be completely beyond our control - power over he earth's climate?

Absent the huge amounts of funds being spent by those who stand to benefit financially, we have only our personal communications and our votes on election day.

And sometimes that's just not enough.