House Republicans create rural-issues group, which finds life in attack on climate-change bill

When the 100th day of the Obama administration passed without a summit on rural issues, as the president had promised in his campaign, Republicans in the House announced creation of the Rural American Solutions Group. This week, the project became more animated as Republicans launched a coordinated attack on the House Democratic bill that would start a "cap and trade" system for carbon emissions to thwart climate change.

"This national energy tax, under consideration this week by the Energy and Commerce Committee, would disproportionately spike rural American energy bills, harm agriculture production and threaten small businesses," the group said in a press release yesterday. To see segments of the group's press conference, via its YouTube channel, click here.