Global Warming a Farce? Take 2 ...
A few days ago, the head-in-the-sand, anti-global warming Rightwingosphere jumped on some changes in a NASA report re-calculating the hottest years on record in the U.S. after rectifying a slight error in the statistical tool used to determine annual temperatures as wholesale evidence that the global warming phenomenon is pure fantasy. [NOTE: As much as conservatives would like to think that the U.S. constitutes the entire world, the phenomenon of global warming is precisely that: a measure of the world's temperatures, with the world constituting more than the U.S.]
[ASIDE: Well, we New Orleanians, basing our thoughts purely on our personal, lived experiences with the heat over the past 2-3 weeks, might disagree with the notion that global warming is a fraud. Honestly, I don't think I've ever felt this hot in New Orleans before. But, anyway, since my "feelings" don't count in a scientific debate, that's neither here nor there ... ]
Nevertheless, I'd advise conservatives to be a bit circumspect in their dismissive reactions and take a look at this little cautionary rejoinder from Bradford Plummer over at The New Republic's blog, "The Plank." And here's another piece of sanity on the subject, just for good measure.
Take it for what you will.
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4 comments:
Huck
There are always loons (on both sides) and we could both spend all day quoting them. But to be fair, most conservatives (and I do know a few) agree that it is well worth it to take steps to reduce pollution and to protect the environment. The major difference is that conservatives prefer a less panicked approach. There is no reason to rush and make things worse. There is no reason to bankrupt the economy. And there is no good reason to use scare tactics get this done. If the left would chill out (pun intended) and try working with rather than trying to force the right, I believe that we could come up with a viable program that would actually do some good.
I agree with you don_cos. The apocalyptic approach that some radical environmentalists take is both unreasonable and counterproductive. I would say, however, that those on the left who think the world is coming to a grisly end soon because of global warming and pollution are very much in the minority, whereas those among the rightwing who think that things like global warming are a farce are much more among the conservative mainstream. There certainly is a problem on the left with what I call the chicken little syndrome (i.e. the sky is falling, the sky is falling!), but there is also a more prevalent problem on the right (at least I think so) which uncategorically refuses to believe even the possibility of an environmental problem.
But, essentially, I agree with you.
Huck
The grisly end of the world types may be in the minority but they are the most heard portion of the left on the GW issue. And the jump on the bandwagon portion (in my opinion this is the largest group) of the left support the vocal minority because they believe that doing so will save the world. The jump on crowd tends to react without giving it much thought.
On the right I think you find more that lean to the “climate change” crowd. They believe that global warming and cooling are part of the earth’s normal cycle. I fall into this crowd. The vast majority of this group agrees that there are many very good reasons to preserve the environment. As I said earlier, their (my) problem with the Gorbalists is as you put it the “Chicken Little” approach.
It is stuff like this that makes me think that maybe we should just get rid of the Dems and Reps, then start all over again. And anyone that actually wants to be in office should be automatically disqualified and sent for psychiatric treatment.
"And anyone that actually wants to be in office should be automatically disqualified and sent for psychiatric treatment."
Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by the late great Kurt Vonnegut: "There is a tragic flaw in our precious Constitution, and I don’t know what can be done to fix it. This is it: Only nut cases want to be president."
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