Even as Congressional leaders draft legislation to reduce greenhouse gases linked to global warming, a powerful roster of Democrats and Republicans is pushing to subsidize coal as the king of alternative fuels.

Prodded by intense lobbying from the coal industry, lawmakers from coal states are proposing that taxpayers guarantee billions of dollars in construction loans for coal-to-liquid production plants, guarantee minimum prices for the new fuel, and guarantee big government purchases for the next 25 years.

Here's part two in the series we are doing on DeSmogBlog, comparing archived tobacco industry PR spin film footage with the current PR spin on global warming.

Despite rising gas prices and a growing concern about climate change, the auto industry is going on the offensive to convince Americans to oppose dramatically higher fuel economy requirements.

Led by Detroit's Big Three and Toyota Motor Corp., the industry is launching print and radio ads this weekend warning consumers that fuel regulations under consideration by the U.S. Senate would lead to higher vehicle prices and smaller and less safe vehicles.

The ads feature rural pickup owners and SUV-driving soccer moms to make the case that a Senate proposal would limit consumer choice and tie the hands of automakers.

Big Tobacco, in the form of the Tobacco Institute and The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition, wrote the book on manipulative PR tactics. Go no further than this 1982 news interview with a Tobacco Institute VP.

Sound familiar? Same talking points, bigger issue. We've acquired more than 20 hours of old Tobacco Institute video, so watch for more clips over the next few weeks on DeSmog TV.

Welcome to a new environmental (are you kidding?) group headed by former Rep. Richard Pombo.