Independent Journalist & Author
The Climate Cranks Have Done It Again
Even as the horrors of Japan’s tsunami remind us of the matchless powers of Nature, the climate cranks on Capitol Hill continue to invite further catastrophe by denying the science behind climate change. On Tuesday, in a largely party-line vote, the House Energy and Commerce committee passed a bill that overrules EPA’s scientific findings on climate change and thus the agency’s ability to regulate emissions. In the short-term, the best response to this outrage is to flood congressional offices with calls of protest and to press news media organizations to cover the fight as the bill goes to a full House vote before Easter. Long-term? Join with the many groups working to vote the bastards out–it’s the only message politicians understand.
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7 Responses to “The Climate Cranks Have Done It Again”
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The House Energy and Commerce committee members have clearly shown themselves to ignorant, and so stupid that they reject science. Scientists work very hard to find out reliable information about our real world, and document it for the benefit of everyone now and in the future. I think that not one of the committee members has ever spent significant time trying to understand global warming and climate change. Climate change is not political, and no politician can do anything about it without understanding its origins and probable future consequences. The people on the committee have a duty to be realistic, and to understand what to do about the problems involved, such as sea-level rise at Norfolk. They are shirking their duty and responsibilities.
It is so sad that a very few scientifically illiterate dogmatic individuals can vote to allow an impending world catastrophe to advance, not only on themselves and their country, but on all other peoples and every other living thing. I suppose that if scientists provided strong evidence that an asteroid was on its way to destroy the planet and that we could, with much expenditure of resources and political will, prevent it, these people would vote down any action because it would cost too much. And they wouldn’t believe it anyway. Not until the sky lit up.
I’ve just re-read and dog-eared most of the pages of HOT and can hardly contain myself. Your book is the latest of over a dozen read over the last several years, each building on the earlier ones, to the point where yours points out the almost inevitable catastrophies facing humankind and our one and only planet under present (and on-going) circumstances. What ever I can do to help the cause is what I’m largely devoting the rest of my life to do.
Voting “the bastards” out truly appeals. My wife and I have three grandchildren that will doubtless face what Chiara and all the other children around the globe have to face as the mounting science plays out.
I’ve begun to wonder that perhaps the financial meltdown was contrived to TOTALLY divert our attention from what we need to focus on. The President is SO disappointing regarding this, but perhaps he faces immovable forces and has so much else on his plate, he’s unable to do more???
FYI: I’m getting our minister and church involved, as well as the home owners’ association in our neighborhood. Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Dick
I heard your interview on NPR’s Science Friday and have posted it and your web-site on my Facebook page. Brilliant work. Thank you so very much for the important work you are doing. Regards. DB
[…] Hertsgaard has written about global warming for the New Yorker, NPR, Time, Vanity Fair, and the Nation. His latest blog post can be found here. […]
Vote the bastards out?? There’s 50 more bastards waiting in line to replace the current bastards in office!! We’re SCREWED. If we’re not going to flood our congressional offices with suitcases stuffed with cash they’re not going to listen or care about our letters, calls, petitions etc.
Our kids are SCREWED unless we revolt now for their sake!!! Shutting the machine down is our only recourse at this point..
People are too stupid to vote. A human being like Alan Grayson only lasted 2 years before they voted him out of congress in Florida.
Another key to this is sustained effort. But what’s the problem with this?
Not all but many people actually say protesting is for seniors, students or the unemployed. I can’t be bothered. Which means that they think ringing up their favorite talk show will do the job. Wrong. Why? Because it’s not _____’s job to save us all from the Evil Neocons. You’re kidding yourself if you think otherwise.
Everyone who agrees that climate change has to be dealt with needs to set aside their egos and work from a common base. Unfortunately, many progressives aren’t ready to do that. The truth is this is an unending thankless job that pays nothing and won’t get your your own syndicated radio talk show. Also, no books, lecture tours, documentaries, groupies and more. Until they realize that, nothing will happen.