That’s 60 nays out of 1134 votes. So on the face of it, the following claim by Kevan Inbodan’s — which Mr Sanders has chosen to trumpet — sounds like nothing more than sour grapes fed by a conspiratorial imagination. Here’s what he quotes him as saying:

“As a commissioner, when I hear that the commission recommended this or that, it doesn’t tell the whole story. There was a lot of dissension and opposition.”

The vote tally tells a different story. Too bad Mr Sanders hung his entire story on such suspect testimony. Oops.

In the rush to attack the consultants in the process, Mr Sanders again takes the coward’s way, failing to criticize the Arkansas legislature and the Governor who are the ones responsible — as our elected representatives — for this climate plan. Let’s look at ACT 696 and what it says:

First as regards global warming:
“the failure to take necessary steps to prevent, stabilize, or mitigate the effects of global warming will cause irreparable harm to the lives and livelihoods of Arkansans; and that this act is immediately necessary to ensure the welfare and well-being of the citizens of this state. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety…”

If Mr Sanders is on the hunt for alarmists, he should start by looking right at home.

Second, as regards the purpose of the ACT.
“…to allow Arkansas to lead the nation in attracting clean and renewable energy industries to the state, and to reduce consumer energy dependence on current carbon-generating technologies and expenditures.”

Mr Sanders really needs to wake up and smell the coffee. His false fear-mongering about rising prices is retrograde to an embarrassing degree. It’s so…..20th century. Everyone knows we face and energy and climate challenges, and the first to grapple with them will be the winners. National policy is moving forward to bring green jobs and economic opportunity to whoever wants them; if anyone listens to Mr Sanders, they’ll be left behind in the dust.

Underneath it all is a terrible insult to the people of this state. Are we and our elected representatives so stupid as to be taken in by some supposed national conspiracy? Mr. Sanders should invite Mr. Chesser and all his fellow travelers to issue an apology and go home and get a real job.