By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

In a pitiful display of "leadership," Republican boycotted today's discussion of a climate bill in a U.S. Senate committee.

By failing to show up, the GOP senators showed they have no interest in trying to help the nation pass a responsible bill to control harmful emissions while not killing the U.S. economy.

Make no mistake: The GOP used a ruse by saying the economic analysis of the measure was not finished.

Heck, for Republicans, the economic "analysis" of any environmental bill will never be to their liking if it comes down on the side of doing something to clean up the environment.