Republicans and their enablers from Rush Limbaugh right on up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have been excoriating President Obama for saying in a recent speech on energy independence that the US needs to look at all alternative energy sources, such as research to transform algae into biofuel. The reaction from the mainstream of the GOP was predictable. In so many words:
Get out the straitjacket! What lunacy! No Republican would ever make such a nutty claim, ever, ever, ever! Except, of course, for the McCain-Palin campaign, which in addition to "Drill, baby, drill!" laid out a plan to pursue alternative energy. Oh, and also, THIS guy:
"We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn, but from wood chips and stalks or switchgrass."
--George W. Bush, State of the Union Speech, 31 January 2006.
Apparently, in the GOP mindset, switchgrass is way cool, sort of even cowboyesque, while algae is just plain slimy. In reality, it's the Republicans who themselves are slimy in the way they're now talking about alternative energy.
Precisely how gullible and clueless do Republicans regard the American people? The party's latest weak-tea attacks on Obama are another shrill and cynical case of, It's OK if you're a Republican, but it's totally wrong-headed if you're a Democrat. Next thing you know, they'll be mortified to discover that beer is made with yeast and cheese with bacteria. Science sure is a beeyotch, ain't it?