But I clearly am being held back by an overwrought case of blogger ethics that does not afflict many others. I need to loosen up. They’re only words, for gawd’s sake!

Digby, a very ethical blogger, does see some need for the consideration that I’m prone to, so I’m still going to err on the side of expert consensus rather than accept the practice of legislating, or blogging, half-cocked.

From what I can gather, this climate change pseudo-scandal is going to be with us for a while so if you haven’t delved into it in any detail, it’s probably a good idea to do so. The number of Inhoffian cretins bellowing on TV about hoaxes is growing by the hour. This article by Brad Plumer seems to be a good place to start.

For ongoing understanding of the science in our lives (for our lives), follow DarkSyde.

Another Oklahoma blogger’s quick take on Inhofe. Bet he didn’t hear anything like that on radio!

And that, kids, is why I’ll always be a blogger.

Really, what does he do all day, besides kissing the butts of the big oil lobbyists?

In response to this fine example of Oklahoma crude, the Oklahoma Democratic Party has a petition to demand that Inhofe “read the bill!”

Here’s what I posted as a comment as I signed:

Pointless exercise, since this cretin just got reelected. He rudely refused to meet with Judge Sotomayor also. Maybe they call him Mountain Jim because he was raised by wolves.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe on Monday described as “environmental thuggery” an expected announcement by President Obama to move toward allowing California and other states to regulate their own tailpipe emissions for vehicles.

The Oklahoma Republican warned such a “patchwork” approach would cost jobs in the beleaguered auto industry.

As the top Republican of the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, Inhofe continues to take a leading role on such environmental issues.

Yeah, “leading role” — this is why Oklahoma is the laughingstock of the country. And now, looks like even in-state media can’t help laughing at him. It’s going to be a long six years, since members of the former majority party just don’t seem to have absorbed that their crappy show Let’s Get in Power So We Can Demolish Everything We Can Get Our Hands On has been canceled. They keep trying to force themselves back on to center stage, repeating the same old plot lines. Sorry, but they just don’t work anymore.

But old Jim — did you know he was stubborn? — is not going to change. And why should he? As long as he says and does as he’s told, he plays an important role — for his directors in Big Oil.

Tom B at They gave us a republic has identified a secretive company among the energy industry players that give Senator Jim Inhofe his marching orders (and the catchy talking points like “environmental thuggery” and “patchwork,” no doubt). Tom has compiled research on a company called Koch as originally published by Center for Public Integrity and Open Secrets.

Senator Inhofe’s five largest individual contributors:

Koch Industries $26,500
Murray Energy $24,800
National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn $22,000
Contran Corp $21,500
American Council of Engineering Cos $18,143

As the forum poster put it… Once again, a politician is pressing issues for his own PERSONAL AGENDA. Inhofe must protect his #1 campaign contributor, regardless of the cost to our country. How do we get these bastards out of office??!!!

I think the good people of Oklahoma may come to regret their decision to return Mountain Jim to Washington on their behalf. Because he has no intention of working for them, never did, and at some point in this spiraling crisis, the identity of his real bosses will be impossible to miss.

Inhofe back to business. The Oklahoma Gazette reports that Inhofe is going to focus his time and energy on dismantling the 527s that he thinks did him dirty in his recent reelection campaign. He won by a considerable margin, but no matter, he’s on the warpath. I’m sure this new mission he’s taken on will do lots of good things for the people of Oklahoma.

Little Axe Case remembered. In 1981, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State came to the aid of two Little Axe, OK, families who were being attacked for their objections to denominational prayers in the local school. Oklahoma City minister, and blogger at Mainstream Baptists, Dr. Bruce Prescott, interviewed one of the victims on his radio program, and AU picked it up on their site, and prominent science blogger and atheist PZ Myers noted it at Pharyngula as well. Both posts generated lots of comments.

And therein I learned that Joann Bell, the longtime director of the Oklahoma ACLU was one of those Little Axe women who fought the school board and the whole town. I’d heard about the Little Axe story, even saw it detailed in a documentary, but never realized that it was that Joann Bell that was involved.

Keeping it wild. In the Gazette I also see news that The Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma is initiating a new project in OKC and Tulsa to get more young professionals and families involved in their work to save wilderness areas.

Waiting for justice. A documentary has been made about the survivors of the Tulsa Race Riot (thought to be the worst racist massacre in U.S. history in which a successful black community was destroyed) and their desire for reparations Before They Die. I’m not sure when this film was released, but it’s been shown in Tulsa, and recently in New York City. If it hasn’t been shown publicly in OKC, it should be.

CURDLE YOUR YERDLE
The Left Wing is playing for keeps this election cycle. The king of liberal/progressive blogging, Markos Moulitsas rallies the troops at dailykos.com with his own adaptation of Knute Rockne. Libs must "do everything necessary allowable under the law to win because elections have consequences," he writes. "This isn’t about who is most pure, but about taking the fight to the enemy ... and fighting fire with fire." Later Kos writes about having the "killer instinct," rubbing salt in conservatives’ wounds and forcing them to go into debt. What’s next, burning their villages?

Umm...project much?

Inhofe believes that 9/11 was divine retribution. He believes that our Middle East policy should be based on the text of the Bible. He denies the science behind global warming. Doesn’t like students. Doesn’t care for poor people. Hates government. Like Jesse Helms, without the charm. We made a mistake on our “10 Worst” list: Inhofe stands alone as the worst member of Congress.
Esquire endorses: Rice

In the federal House races, by district:

1. Georgiana Oliver (D), challenger
2. Dan Boren (D), incumbent
3. Frank Lucas (R), incumbent
4. Tom Cole (R), incumbent
5. Mary Fallin (R), incumbent

For president, they endorse Obama.

Because, unless something unexpected happens before, or something illegal happens on Election Day, the Democratic Party is going to control both houses of Congress — probably by a considerable margin — as well as the White House, come January 20, 2009.

Members of the minority party, meanwhile, simply will be keeping their seats warm, having have no real power.

If Andrew Rice, the Democrat who is challenging Republican Senator Jim Inhofe, is elected, he will be part of that national majority, and able to represent Oklahoma’s interests in Washington during the next six years, which I happen to think he will do very well. But even if you disagree with him on many issues, at least you will be able to contact a member of the ruling party to influence legislation. The other option is to send Inhofe back, where he will continue to suffer the precipitous decline of his status and influence to shape anything other than the cushion of his chair. In the latter outcome, Oklahoma will have no serious voice in the world-changing debate and decisions that are looming before us — in security, the environment, energy, the economy, et. al.

It’s really that simple.

I hope Oklahomans will think about whether they want to have any participation or power in making the changes that are coming. This election could be their one chance for that to happen.

The Oklahoma deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 4 election is Oct. 10. Check here for how to register, or to confirm your registration.

Sen. Jim Inhofe says he has made peace with John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, whom Inhofe has sparred with in the past over global warming and other issues.

Inhofe, R-Okla., once predicted that McCain could not win the GOP nomination, reasoning that his background on some issues would not sit well with activist conservatives.

And here’s a fine example of delusional thinking:

“And later on, I ran into John in the cloak room and he said: ‘Look, Jimmy, we’ve had our differences of opinion…but I’m going to be president and you’re going to be chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and we’re going to need each other.”

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Dream on, you old fogies!

You can help keep the ad running (and maybe produce some more like it) at Progressive Kick.

Devilstower and I just went to a talk here at the DNC featuring T. Boone Pickens. Everyone was under the impression that the event would involve an actual discussion (as in, a Q & A session, like nearly all of the other Big Tent special topic sessions). We had a really energetic live blog thread going, where all of you were submitting questions. Sorry, guys. Apparently, the whole thing was just a sales pitch. T. Boone hightailed it out of there before anyone could even raise their hand.

Maybe he was afraid we'd ask questions like:

In 2004, you helped pay for the Swift Boat ads, along with fellow billionaire Harold Simmons, who's funding the Ayres attack ads this cycle. If you're willing to tolerate, and even encourage, that level of dishonesty in political discourse, why should we trust you on any subject?

(From Devilstower) I wanted to ask him:

Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma is well known for saying that global warming is the "greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people," and is one of the most outspoken climate change science deniers around, as well as being joined at the hip with the oil companies.

In your presentation today, you specifically said that you "believe global warming is real".

However, you have heavily funded James Inhofe's campaign. How do you reconcile your support for Inhofe with your promotion of renewable energy programs?

From an energy expert acquaintance via email:

Can you please explain why people should take your plan seriously when, for example, you do not include any energy efficiency measures within it?