Will Scott Brown's Victory and the Decision in 'Citizens United' Kill Climate Legislation?

If the Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts last week wasn't bad enough for the prospects of passing climate legislation, the Supreme Court ruling to overturn campaign limits for corporations may be the final nail in the coffin for the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES).

The blogosphere and opinion pages have been abuzz analyzing the shockwaves coming from Brown’s victory. The implications for climate change legislation are dire.

Brown opposes a national cap and trade program (even after voting in favor of a regional-level cap-and-trade program while a state senator). When asked whether he thought global warming was a fraud last week, Brown responded:

“It’s interesting. I think the globe is always heating and cooling. It’s a natural way of ebb and flow. The thing that concerns me lately is some of the information I’ve heard about potential tampering with some of the information...I just want to make sure if in fact...the earth is heating up, that we have accurate information, and if its unbiased by scientists with no agenda.”

Brown has already promised to block health care legislation--and as one research firm put it:

“If an economy-wide cap-and-trade bill was unlikely before, we think a Republican win in Massachusetts would put it on life support.

However, if you think that’s bad, then prepare yourself for even worse news: the Supreme Court ruling to overturn campaign limits for corporations. President Obama issued a statement Thursday, saying that:

"With its ruling today, the Supreme court has given a green light to a new stampede of special interest money in our politics. It is a major victory for big oil, Wall Street Banks, health insurance companies, and other powerful interests that marshal their power every day in Washington to drown out the voices of everyday Americans."

By opening the door for oil, coal and manufacturing interests to exercise their influence, we may be signing the death warrant for ACES. The swollen river of private money has already made climate change legislation an uphill battle. Now that river will grow even more unstoppable. The oil and gas industry contributed over $35 million to campaigns in 2008 (not to mention $132.2 million on lobbying efforts in the same year).

The Sierra Club also issued a statement on the ruling:

“Big Oil, Dirty Coal, and other special interests have a stranglehold on the Congress and today’s ruling will further endanger the ability of citizens to influence the political process….We already have very clear indications of the dangers that lie ahead. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has been involved in today’s case, reported just yesterday that it spent a record-breaking $71 million on lobbying last quarter. Even before today’s decision it has already been laundering hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate cash, most notably for the health insurance industry and polluters, and has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars in this year’s elections. Now it and the special interests that fund it will be allowed to spent limitless amounts not only in the legislative process, but to support or oppose individual candidates.”

While the election of Scott Brown is clearly a setback for the climate change battle, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission has the potential to impede climate legislation, long after Brown leaves office.