Take That, Iowa

New Hampshire towns send climate-change message to feds

The votes are in, and the message is clear: New Hampshire is peeved about global warming. Nearly 90 towns approved a nonbinding resolution at their annual meetings this week telling the feds to act on climate change and harrumphing that presidential candidates should make it a priority in their campaigns. About 90 more will debate the resolution -- which also endorses the idea of a national sustainable-energy research initiative -- at upcoming town meetings this spring. Given its traditional first-in-the-nation primary status, the tiny state's fist-shaking is nothing to sneeze at. "There's no doubt that urgent action is needed to curb the pollution that's causing our climate to change," said New Hampshire Sierra Club Chair Jerry Curran. "And New Hampshire citizens are showing America the way -- just as we did in the fight against acid rain a generation ago." Of course, they also "showed America the way" by voting for Al Gore and John McCain in the 2000 primaries. We're just saying.