220 Congressmen vs. One Teenager

I’m putting my money on the kid.

Did you read Peter Elwood’s post about Kids v. Global Warming yesterday?  This is a group led by 16-year-old Alec Loorz, which has sued 12 states for failing to protect the public trust because they failed to limit climate-warming greenhouse gases.  Basically, they’re kids telling adults: We won’t stand by idly while you destroy the earth we’re going to inherit. (Read Peter's story here.)

Well, I’ve been around lawsuits for a long time, and I frankly didn’t give these ones much of a chance.  But apparently, the majority in the House of Representatives got really worried.  Virtually every one of their party, including my congressman, Rep. Scott Garrett, supports H.R. 2584, a horrific Bill they’re working on to fund, among other things, the EPA next year.  And way down in Sec. 431, the House bill singles out Kids v. Global Warming.  Here’s what it says:

“No cause of action based on Federal or State common law or civil tort (including nuisance) may be brought or maintained, and no liability, money damages, or injunctive relief arising from such an action may be imposed, for (A) any potential or actual contribution of a greenhouse gas to climate change; or (B) any direct or indirect effect of potential or actual or past, present, or future increases in concentrations of a greenhouse gas.”

Translation:  These kids better not sue us (or our oil & coal campaign contributors) for destroying the climate of their world, and if they do and prove their claim in a court of law, we won’t be liable anyway, and they can’t force us to do anything. Take that!

Now, maybe this bill will never be approved by the Senate, and maybe it will never be signed into law by the President.  But if it is, I’m still putting my money on “Kids.”

What little people can do...

Why?  Because these 220 politicians will have to answer for themselves to voters like you in less than two years. And in two years, Alec Loorz and his friends will just be turning 18.

And little people know
When little people fight
We may look easy pickings
But we've got some bite
So never kick a dog
Because he's just a pup
We'll fight like twenty armies
And we won't give up
So you'd better run for cover
When the pup grows up! 

    Gavroche, Les Miserables

Don't give up, kids!

Thanks for reading, and may God bless you.

J. Elwood

Follow @John_Elwood