Remember Big Tobacco's disinformation and junk science campaign? Isn't the man made global warming denial debate remarkably similar?

In the 11,300 years since the last ice age, temperatures were warmer than they are today for a 4,000 year stretch, with a cool down beginning some 5,500 years ago. But hang on to your hats, we’re very rapidly warming now and due to shatter that old record in this century.

Thinking about the junk science cranked out by PR firms in the tank for Big Oil and the fossil fuel industry, and the speeches given by politicians bought by big oil, I was struck by how similar today’s debate is to the one that finally led to the Tobacco settlement of 1998.

Internal tobacco company documents reveal that as early as 1950, the cigarette manufacturer’s own scientists knew that nicotine was addictive and that smoking causes heart disease, COPD and various cancers. But here they are in 1994, on video, testifying the exact opposite under oath before Congress. And they had massive political support from the states that grow tobacco and house the industry.

Their internal documents also show that they funded junk science studies meant to obfuscate and prolong the debate. Many of the same PR firms and Think Tanks that played water carrier for Big Tobacco’s disinformation are hard at work today as water carriers for the fossil fuel industry. Even the Solid South is still on board supporting disinformation to protect the lobbyist that fund them. The only big difference is that in 1950, they were all Democrats, but thanks to LBJ signing the civil rights laws into existence, the Solid South is now solidly Republican.

Can we learn anything from the similar corporate behaviors, or is it just a crazy coincidence?