Climate is the new pawn in the Culture War

       Paul Krugman says it in the NYT this morning.  While Republicans at one time used to vote for climate policy legislation dealing with issues like acid rain, they now automatically oppose anything that has to do with climate mitigation.   A case in point is the Inflation Reduction act which just passed without a single Republican vote.   Even major oil companies like BP and Shell approved the legislation which is mostly dealing with climate.

      Krugman traces the GOP addition of environmental issues to the overall Culture War as far back as the 1990's and Newt Gingrich, but he believes it became more explicit after the election of Barack Obama in 2008.  The 20-30% of white Americans who are thoroughgoing racists are ready to oppose anything associated with our first black president.  The craven leaders of the party cater to this minority because they turn out to vote in the primaries.   Don't expect the GOP to turn green anytime soon.