Virginia Republicans Wage War on Words

The Bush administration conducted a war on science. Now Republicans in Virginia's House of Delegates are declaring open season on the English language.

How else can we interpret this post from the VA GOP Caucus blog, titled Is Moran trying to skirt alternative energy?

Former Delegate and current Gubernatorial candidate, Brian Moran is against coal energy. Why, you ask? Moran believes that a proposed coal plant in Surry County will cause global warming and harm the Chesapeake Bay. Now, it doesn't take a genius to realize that coal is a natural resource that has not been linked to any environmental harm. In fact, it is a clean burning alternative fuel source.

According to The Washington Post, Moran is using this to woo the environmentalists into his camp. However, this might cause Moran to lose a few votes in Southwest Virginia, where the coal industry is the major employer.

Coal is good, Brian, and it does not cause global warming like your good friend, Al Gore presumes.

Coal, which is barely above wood on the list of traditional, basic energy sources, is "alternative fuel"?

Carbon dioxide emissions that warms our planet, sulfur dioxide pollution that leads to acid rain, and emitted mercury that ends up in the blood of pregnant women are "no environmental harm"?

Coal mining, which employs only about six percent of workers in southwest Virginia, is "the major employer"?

Virginia's House Republicans have transcended Orwellian euphemisms. They've now simply started using words not for what they actually mean, but for what they want them to mean for political purposes.

Maybe we can all use this to improve our own lives. Don't like being fat? Just call yourself skinny. Don't like being poor? Call yourself rich!

Unfortunately, Republicans have been deluding themselves about so much for so long -- all is well in Iraq! free markets solve everything! heckuva job, Brownie! -- that it's not a long leap from ignoring truth to abusing the very meaning of words. And we're all poorer for it.

Or wait, are we rich? I can't keep it straight anymore.