It shouldn’t warrant a headline on a blogpost when a Republican senator votes in a way that isn’t, well, nuts. Too often, the GOP is hidebound to a Tea Party ideology that puts big business interests and social conservatism above the welfare of the people. That’s why it’s sort of news when Tennessee senator Lamar Alexander said today he would vote against Kentucky senator Rand Paul’s bill to gut EPA clean air regulations. Paul’s bill would eliminate the EPA’s cross-state air pollution regulation, claiming that it “turns everyday life into a crime.”
Alexander’s response: “Air pollution blowing in from other states makes our citizens sick, especially children and older Tennesseans. It is also a jobs issue — pollution makes our mountains smoggy, driving away tourists. And it makes it harder for communities to secure the air-quality permits that allow auto suppliers and other manufacturers to locate in, and bring jobs to, our state.”
Way to go, Lamar. Congrats on finding your nads.
Jackson Baker has previously reported on Alexander’s purposeful change of direction.
