Dear Climate Action Supporter,
Last week, Action Network members like you voted on the scariest climate action opponent. And the winner is:
Scary Lobbyists for Big Polluters
They won with 28.5% of the vote. In 2nd place was Sarah Palin with 17.3% of the vote. Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck came in 3rd and 4th place respectively and combined to earn 24.7% of the vote.
There is a simple way to fight back against our opponents:
Call your Senators today and demand action that will curb global warming pollution and transform the American economy at the same time. Your one call is worth more than 100 emails.
Still not ready to pick up the phone? Here are some statistics that show why every American who is concerned about the climate crisis must speak out and fight the polluters and ideologues who are trying to prevent meaningful action.
$34.7 million: Record-setting amount U.S. Chamber of Commerce – a staunch climate action opponent – shelled out to influence the federal government in the third quarter of 2009. (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28471.html)
$30.9 million: Sum of the next 18 highest spenders. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28471.html)
30%: Amount increase 50 of the nation's largest electric utilities spent on lobbyists to influence the climate change debate happening in Congress now.(http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/environment/2009-04-26-climatelobby_N.htm)
14.25 million+: Number of Americans who listen to Rush Limbaugh's radio show every week. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030603435.html)
3 million: Number of viewers of Glenn Beck's TV show. (http://www.city-data.com/forum/politics-other-controversies/746535-glenn-beck-scores-3-million-viewers.html)
15%: Amount Glenn Beck falsely claims that the climate bill would increase personal income taxes. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/18/glenn-becks-bizarre-clima_n_291074.html)
13: Number of known forged letters to congressman opposing climate action sent by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity in the name of minority, senior, and veterans' groups. (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/energy-sector-divergence-grows-on-climate-change-2009-09-29)
20: Number of rallies that the American Petroleum Institute has organized under the front of a grassroots organization called Energy Citizens. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/opinion/04fri2.html?_r=2)
0: Number of retractions and/or corrections published by the Washington Post after running an op-ed by Sarah Palin containing demonstrably false claims about global warming.
Right now, please join the fight by calling your Senators and saying you support strong legislation to cap America's global warming pollution.
If you've already called, help spread the word through our social media toolkit.
In the coming weeks and months we will need your support and advocacy like never before. We must pass landmark global warming legislation this year – for our economy, for our planet, and for our future.
Thanks for all that you continue to do,
Sam Parry
Director, Online Membership and Activism
