Germany’s leading political daily, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) here reports on the efforts by a gaggle of Senate Democrats to wake up America to the “risks” of climate change, But as FAZ Washington correspondent Patrick Welter reports, the event wound up having the bounce of a dead cat.
The FAZ writes: “The political happening was a bit bleak and infirm.”
Maybe it had something to do with the US experiencing one of it’s coldest and most brutal winters in memory thus making the whole thing seem a bit foolish. People weary of shoveling snow probably aren’t going to take warnings of warming too seriously. FAZ comments:
It can be assumed that the event on TV was no hit with viewers. The litany of complaints about climate change deniers, rising sea levels and flooding, threatening icy winters and large droughts quickly got tiresome with the viewers.”
Welter also writes that there wasn’t going to be any vote taken when all the talking was done because Obama has long since decided to circumvent Congress when it comes to regulating CO2, opting to do it through the EPA instead.
Welter then brings up America’s success in reducing CO2 emissions, all thanks to fracking – a technology that US environmentalists are also against. Welter concludes:
In a completely unscientific comparison, during the night the environmental protectionists in the Senate appeared somewhat infirm. […] In this marathon session more than two dozen senators would vent 15 hours long until Tuesday morning.”
While pretty much dismissing the event as a sideshow, Welter at the end of his report commits an huge unfortunate gaffe that reveals how little understanding he actually has of the climate change debate, framing it as “one between the opponents and supporters of environmental protection.” If Welter bothered to do a minimum of research, he’d find that there are many environmentalists on the side of the skeptics. Ultimately, only people who really view data critically and with skepticism are able to protect the environment.
A funny thing, the US Congress is heated by a coal-fuelled plant, as WUWT reports, the coal probably being transported there on one of James Hansen’s “death trains”.
Oh the irony.
I laughed at his phrase “the bounce of a dead cat”. But as you rightly point out, he is wrong to equate scepticism as an opponent of environmental protection.
” framing it as “one between the opponents and supporters of environmental protection.””
A result of the decades-long brainwashing of our journalistic class by the masters of perverting values; Adorno and Horkheimer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_School
As an Indepndent voter in the US…..it is fascinating to watch the Republicans “march to the sea” like a bunch of lemmings with regards to global warming.
As with all issues, even scientific issues like global warming, politics ALWAYS plays a part…..and the politicians are usually the LAST ONES to react (just like the banking crisis…..and just like tobacco).
Global warming will be one of the most important issues of the 2016 election cycle here in the US….and I fear that like immigration reform, the Republicans are missing the boat once again. Truly fascinating…..
Most skeptics don’t see it as a political issue, rather they see it as a scientific one.
Good luck in Obama’s backside, Buffy, maybe you find a pot of Gold in there.
As a scientist and Democrat I see this as mostly a political issue.
Science is not on the side of the Global Warming fear mongering.