U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont isn’t a member of one of the two major parties so he really belongs to a caucus of one. This gives him a degree of freedom to chart his own course, and sometimes his course is straight-up trolling. Most of the time, his trolling is intended to make a pretty good point. For example, in the latest go-round, Senator Sanders is simply asking for a vote on an amendment that says that climate change is occurring. All he wants is to make the “doubters” (all Republicans) go on the record in an official vote declaring that they don’t believe the science.

Why is this trolling?

Because he knows that with the possible exception of Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma (but probably not even him), there isn’t a single senator who genuinely and honestly disbelieves the science. But they pretend not to believe it.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday he will allow the Senate to vote on an amendment asking if they agree that climate change is impacting the planet.

At his weekly press briefing, McConnell said “nobody is blocking any amendments” to legislation that would approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

The GOP leader had promised to allow an open amendment process on the Keystone bill.
But a measure proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had raised questions about whether he would stick to that commitment.

The Sanders measure asks whether lawmakers agree with the overwhelming consensus of scientists who say climate change is impacting the planet and is worsened by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

Democrats believe the measure could be a tough vote for some Republicans, particularly GOP senators running for reelection in 2016 in states carred by President Obama in 2012.

McConnell shot back at reports he might block the Sanders amendment, exclaiming “yeah” when asked if his caucus is prepared to take a vote on climate change.

To really work this theme, though, we need other senators to follow up with similar amendments on similar issues.

  • Do you believe in the theory of plate tectonics?
  • Do you believe that the Earth is billions of years old?
  • Do you believe that the theory of evolution is key to understanding microbiology?

    • It is the sense of the Senate that:

  • NASA need not worry about inadvertently injuring any angels during their missions to the International Space Station.
  • Germs are invisible lifeforms that can transmit disease.
  • The moon is most definitely not made of cheese.

    • These amendments could be attached to pretty much any legislation.

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