Neil Gorsuch’s nomination debate will be full of terms like the “Chevron Deference” and the “Originalist Interpretation.” Those are not show titles from “The Big Bang Theory” but describe legal ideas. “Chevron” is the court case that declared government agencies like the EPA know more about global warming than does the SCOTUS, and so should be respected by the Court. This would help the Obama Clean Power Plan prevail, but Gorsuch disputes the concept.  An “Originalist” like Gorsuch believes that the words of the Constitution need to be defined as did the Founding Fathers. That is all fine, but new technologies were inconceivable to them. Should every individual state regulate the internet? What about pollution from ‘downwind’ states like Ohio blowing into “upwind’ states like MA?  Neil Gorsuch’s legal views are a threat to the “general welfare,” his nomination is tainted by the illegitimacy of the Trump Presidency and the established Senatorial procedures demand that Merrick Garland by given a hearing first. Gorsuch must be stopped.

The reading list:

• ThinkProgress' report on Gorsuch
• Gorsuch on Chevron
• Charles Blow on Gorsuch as fruit of a poisoned tree
• Wikipedia on Originalism

Events

• Register for MCAN's LocalEnvironmentalActionConference
• April 29 march in DC
• HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre