Hard on the heels of the health care protests, another “citizen” movement has “spontaneously”  ignited…this one fueled by Oil companies whose bottom line is threatened by proposed legislation that would set limits on emissions of heat-trapping gases.

While polls show that a majority of Americans support efforts to tackle climate change, Big Oil is manufacturing outrage and disappointment by sponsoring rallies in cities in southern oil-producing states, bussing company employees to eat hot dogs, listen to high school marching bands and show their bestest angryface on Fox News.

One oil exec even went so far as to defend the use of busses, saying “If we all drove in cars, it wouldn’t look good.”

In related and yet equally disturbing news, a  pro-coal industry group is being investigated for sending fake letters to members of congress, posing as the NAACP and Hispanic organizations, opposing new climate change laws.  Nice work.

The House bill seeks to reduce greenhouse gases in the United States by 83 percent by 2050.

via Oil Companies Back Public Protests of Greenhouse Gas Bill – NYTimes.com.

I’ve been spending a lot of time criticizing the critics of health care insurance reform lately and even dismissed a long time friend over his callous attitude towards a very sensitive topic.

Last night I found myself actually saying things like “I’m not really this liberal.”  And I’m not…fiscally I’ve typically sided much more with conservatives than democrats (it’s the religious right I tend to disagree with most).  I donate to the CATO institute.  I’ve read everything Ayn Rand’s ever written, and even met my (now ex) wife at an Ayn Rand conference.

I welcome debate, when it’s debate…informed,  reasoned…even passionate.  But when debate gets drowned out by noise, lies, fear mongering and screams, I have no tolerance.   I hear Palin scream “death panels” and I feel obligated to point as big of a digital finger as I can at her and  scream back, “MORON!”.

But there are reasonable arguments against the proposed health care reform.  Personally I’d like to see a  system that greatly reduces the financial incentives for insurance and drug companies to prey on sick people.  I’d like a system that can’t exclude anyone and doesn’t drop you in the event a serious illness.  Basically I want a system like our roads, our fire departments, or our public parks:  safe, efficient, affordable and always there.  Unfortunately it doesn’t sound like that’s what we’re getting.

According to Bob Herbert, “With the public pretty well confused about what is going on, we’re headed — at best — toward changes that will result in a lot more people getting covered, but that will not control exploding health care costs and will leave industry leaders feeling like they’vehit the jackpot.”

Read his whole not-so-happy column here:  Op-Ed Columnist – This Is Reform? – NYTimes.com.