Republicans and Global Warming

Here is an interesting article from Bill McKibben, Middlebury College Professor and founder of 350.org.  McKibben explores the question of why Republicans are so virulently opposed to both the science and solutions surrounding global warming.  During this election cycle, fraught with extremist views from Tea Party candidates, more Republicans than ever are denying the science of global warming, despite the overwhelming (and unfortunate) evidence that it exists.

In particular, I love all the accusations of "hoax" and "conspiracy."  Such fringe theories are even more tenuous than anti-Semitic Illuminati conspiracy theories.  As if thousands of scientists, data stations, studies, reports, physical observations, and the laws of physics themselves were in on it.  But these theories don't come from extremist loners sitting in their basements, they come from extremist crackpots sitting in power, or scarily close to it.  They also, of course, come from vested interests such as the oil and gas industry.  I wonder what they have to gain?