This is just an orchestrated and sophisticated astro-turfing campaign launched by the oil and gas industry and in light of the hyper-polarized political landscape in the US, the Right had to pick the polar opposite of the Left's stance on the environment and climate change to prepare for another showdown with the Left and when you take into account that some are driven and motivated solely by their disdain for their opponent and not by the issue in question, it makes perfect sense that they feel so strong about this issue and fight environmental initiatives that would address the root causes of climate change.