If you’re reading this post, and you’re not a right wing-nut blogger looking for something to froth at the mouth about, chances are you’re a progressive activist type who takes the democratic process seriously enough to stay informed on the issues and occasionally respectfully push and prod your elected officials on them. If that’s the case, odds are you’re also pretty appalled, disgusted, and downright frustrated with the hysterical, anti-democratic mobs and their corporate ringleaders who have attempted to hijack the debate over health care over the last few weeks.

If you’re reading this post, it’s also a big no brainer that you’re here to read about climate policy not the health care debate. Maybe you revile the tea-bagger maniacs that are turning town halls into town hells but as a climate activist you’re not going to get too worried or worked out about them until they start coming for climate policy as well. Well if that’s the case then my advice to you would be to start getting worried and start taking action.

Emboldened by the well-publicized scenes of ignorant, disruptive fury that have stifled rational dialogue over real policy at town halls over the past few weeks, opponents of federal climate change action including the American Petroleum Institute and the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity have already initiated campaigns to employ the same types of anti-democratic tactics to derail Congressional efforts to pass a climate bill this fall. Last week, API launched its’ “Energy Citizens” initiative

These astroturfing campaigns represent a startling new development in corporate America’s attempt to wrest control of our democracy. Corporations have already leveraged their enormous financial power to infect our elections, directly manipulate the legislative process, and generally hobble our federal government. Now, they’re trying to purchase control over the last great bastion of true democratic power that is left to us