More reading between the lines here... The other day The New York Times science section published an interview with outgoing House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, a Republican from New York. In his more than two decades in Congress, Boehlert has stood up for the environment and science, often in defiance of his own party's leadership. "[P]eople speculate that my kind of public official is an endangered species....I've long felt that Republicans shouldn't cede the issue of the environment to the other party."

What Boehlert doesn't mention in the interview is how beholden the GOP is to industries opposing environmental regulations. He talks about being foiled for many years when pushing for stronger CAFE standards--fuel economy standards for cars and SUVS--but doesnt mention the $16.8 million contributed by the auto industry since 1989, two-thirds to Republicans. He's asked about why there is always a push to drill in the Arctic National Wildife Refuge, but doesn't touch on the $188.8 million given by the oil and gas industry, three-fourths to Republicans.  And he laments the partisanship in Congress, and how "the tolerance level is at an all-time low," but doesn't point to the legacy of Tom DeLay and the K Street project, which rewarded business contributors who gave to the GOP.