U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), new chairm of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has been leading the charge in the Republicans' legislative assualt on our nation's clean air protections. Despite overwhelming public support among Americans for the Clean Air Act, Rep. Upton is willfully ignoring even the wishes of his own constituents by sponsoring legislation aimed at blocking the Environmental Protection Agency from updating federal air pollution standards. His bill, according to Charles Connor, the CEO of the American Lung Association, “is a reckless and irresponsible attempt to once again put special interests in front of public health.”
Today the Energy and Commerce subcommittee is expected to pass the Upton bill in a partisan vote, sending the legislation to the full committee for consideration. My colleague Pete Altman explains why it should be called the Asthma Aggravation Act of 2011. This prompted me to poke fun at Fred Upton by penning another parody song -- also check out last week's "Upton Bill" song -- to once again make the point that this anti-EPA legislation is hazardous to our health. This new song is set to the tune of Katy Perry's hit "Hot N Cold". [Here is the video with the real lyrics.] Enjoy...or something!
Hot Air N Bold: Upton's Bad Air Bill
If you change the law
Say goodbye to clean air
Yeah, you weaken rules
Like you don't even care
Yeah, you never think
Always speak critically
You should know
Bad air's no good for me
'Cause you're Fred Fred Upton
You like pollution
With your friend Jim Inhofe
You're making us cough
You're bill it ain't right
Polluter's delight
You attack EPA
With health we all pay
You, you don't have to make us feel, ill
You, with your stinkin’ dirty air, bill
'Cause you're Fred Fred Upton
You like pollution
With your friend Jim Inhofe
You're making us cough
You used to be
Moderate, so you said
Dirty energy
Now's your favorite Fred
Used to rave 'bout lighting
Now you're flip-flopping
Those new bulbs
Well now you wanna change
'Cause you're Fred Fred Upton
You like pollution
With your friend Jim Inhofe
You’re making us cough
You're bill it ain't right
Polluter's delight
You attack EPA
With health we all pay
You, you don't have to make us feel, ill
You, with your stinkin' dirty air, bill
'Cause you're Fred Fred Upton
You like pollution
And your friend Jim Inhofe
Is making us cough
Someone call the doctor
Got a bad air bill that's a bother
Stuck on a resperator
Can't breathe enough to survive
If you change the law
Say goodbye to clean air
'Cause you're Fred Fred Upton
You like pollution
With your friend Jim Inhofe
You're making us cough
You're bill it ain't right
Polluter's delight
You attack EPA
With health we all pay
You, you don't have to make us feel, ill
You, with your stinkin' dirty air, bill
'Cause you're Fred Fred Upton
You like pollution
With your friend Jim Inhofe
You're making us cough, cough, cough, cough