Issues: Climate Change

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “Jon Tester – Working for Washington”

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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce attacks Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) for supporting the Affordable Care Act, a cap-and-trade bill, and for the Senate’s failure to pass a budget resolution over the last three years. Contrary to the Chamber’s claims, however, the health care law doesn’t ‘cut’ Medicare benefits, and the cap-and-trade measure Tester supported would have had little impact on the average household budget.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Energy Tax”

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Americans for Tax Reform hits Kentucky Democrat Ben Chandler over his support for a 2009 cap-and-trade bill, claiming it violates the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” Chandler signed, but the costs to families of the American Clean Energy and Security Act have been exaggerated by conservatives. The ad also clips a 2008 interview then-candidate Obama gave describing his position on a generic climate change bill, using it to suggest that Chandler voted for a scheme to kill coal, even though the bill he actually supported would have allowed for the construction of new coal-powered plants, provided they installed carbon capture technology.

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American Commitment: “Vote Coal: Vote Against Tim Kaine”

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An ad from American Commitment seeks to portray Virginia Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) as an enemy of coal, accusing him of unfairly taking credit for a new coal plant in the state and of supporting EPA regulations that would harm the coal industry. But as governor Kaine did actively support clean coal development, including the plant the ad highlights. And while he supports a rule to reduce mercury emissions, which likely won’t impact the plant in question, he’s hedged on support for a more controversial greenhouse gas limitation, citing concerns the rule’s impact on coal.

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Crossroads GPS: “Silly Spending” NY-01

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Crossroads GPS hits Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) over his support for the Recovery Act, suggesting Bishop voted for a series of wasteful projects while New York lost jobs. But the Recovery Act helped keep the recession from becoming even more severe, and the outlandish things Crossroads claims Bishop supported are seriously misrepresented. Meanwhile, New York and the country as a whole have been gaining jobs since the recession officially ended in June 2009.

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Crossroads GPS: “Silly Spending” NY-25

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Crossroads GPS hits Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) over her support for the Recovery Act, suggesting Slaughter voted for a series of wasteful projects while New York lost jobs. But the Recovery Act helped keep the recession from becoming even more severe, and the outlandish things Crossroads claims Slaughter supported are seriously misrepresented. Meanwhile, New York and the country as a whole have been gaining jobs since the recession officially ended in June 2009.

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Crossroads GPS: “Silly Spending” IA-03

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Crossroads GPS hits Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA) over his support for the Recovery Act, suggesting Boswell voted for a series of wasteful projects while Iowa lost jobs. But the Recovery Act helped keep the recession from becoming even more severe, and the outlandish things Crossroads claims Boswell supported are seriously misrepresented. Meanwhile, Iowa and the country as a whole have been gaining jobs since the recession officially ended in June 2009.

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Crossroads GPS: “Heart”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS claims that Senate candidate Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) support for cap-and-trade policies in general translates into support for a “scheme” that would increase energy costs for small businesses and result in 50,000 job losses. But Kaine didn’t endorse a specific policy, and GPS itself can’t settle on one proposal, cherry-picking the worst estimates of two different bills. One of those bills would have boosted the economy with little additional cost to consumers, and the other allowed small businesses’ utility costs to be offset with money from the sale of emissions allowances.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “CA-26: Julia Brownley”

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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims that Julia Brownley cast three votes to raise energy costs for California businesses. But those three bills were about how to spend money that will be raised by a cap-and-trade system that’s already law in the California. The deception doesn’t end there, as the ad falsely suggests Brownley’s support for the Affordable Care Act and Democratic efforts to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest will harm job creation.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “CA-47: Alan Lowenthal”

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An ad from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce attacks California State Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D) for supporting bills that are “job killers.” Among the bills the Chamber cites are three that would allocate funds from California’s 2006 cap-and-trade program, one that would ban Styrofoam takeout containers, and one that would protect online privacy. The only evidence the Chamber gives that any of these measures are “job killers” is pointing to the California Chamber of Commerce – a member of the U.S. Chamber.

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “Tim Kaine – No On Energy”

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In an ad attacking Gov. Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) positions on energy, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests that Kaine opposes American energy exploration, is against the Keystone pipeline, and supports costly cap-and-trade policies. But Kaine has supported energy development plans, including offshore exploration, provided they are adequately reviewed for their impacts on Virginians and the environment. Meanwhile, Kaine’s stance on cap-and-trade – which would likely have little impact on family budgets — is that the threats climate change poses to Virginia’s families and businesses must be addressed.

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