How about a "balanced approach" to energy and climate policy?

Discussion in 'Blazers OT Forum' started by Denny Crane, Feb 18, 2013.

  1. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    http://reason.com/archives/2013/02/15/the-climate-and-energy-state-of-the-unio

    In his State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama warned that Americans must take steps now to cut "our emissions of the dangerous carbon pollution that threatens our planet." To justify these efforts, he appealed to the "overwhelming judgment of science," pointing chiefly to recent weather extremes in the United States as evidence for the urgency of action. Skeptics "can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence," Obama announced, but the president clearly does not. "Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods—all are now more frequent and more intense."

    Is he right? Let's take a closer look at those trends the president cites. After that, we can assess the he wants to implement as a response.

    (The article goes on to provide study after study showing Obama mis-stated numerous claims about the environment in his state of the union speech)
     
  2. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    That's a political site. Show such an article, overviewing a large range of articles, in a mainstream journal of science and you'll have some credibility.
     
  3. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    The links to peer reviewed studies are within the article. I saw a similar article on RCP a few days ago.
     
  4. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    Your article chooses articles selectively for its desired conclusion, or else science journals would stop having the opposite conclusion.
     
  5. The_Lillard_King

    The_Lillard_King Westside

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    This topic can be debated over and over with credible experts from each side of the table explaining why they are right.

    As it stands, the current President chooses to side with global warming exists and needs to be dealt with. Obama doesn't have to worry about being re-elected and is coming out of the box swinging with gun control (forced on him), immigration and climate control.

    I got a feeling he is just getting warmed up.
     
  6. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    There is no debate that the Northwest has less rain and fewer snows than 10 years ago. Denny, if you want a balanced debate, the topic should be over where to spend money on this issue and where not to. Not over whether climate warming exists.

    After all these years, I have yet to see a list of proposed costs. Each side should have a version.
     
  7. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    In the 1930s, there was even less rain and warmer temperatures, more drought, etc.
     
  8. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    It was hot and volcanic when the dinosaurs became extinct, so compared to them we got it good.
     
  9. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    You talk about rain and snow over a 10 year period as if it's meaningful or has anything to do with anything beyond plain old weather patterns. As the 1930s example shows.

    I think the point about "balanced approach" is to mock Obama who's talk is "balanced approach" but his actions are severe and punishing to the economy and country.
     
  10. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    How can anyone disagree with this? If the cost exceeds the gain, I might even agree with the Republicans to just let it happen. But there is no fiscal policy debate.
     
  11. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    jlprk, if you think that there's "disagreement" over modeling for the climate warming and effects (which is "based on science"), then how do you think that anyone's going to come close to agreeing on models based on economic projection? I mean, one side will say it will be revenue-neutral and one will say it will cost eleventy-nine trillion dollars.

    You've seen the effects of 4+ years of "fiscal policy debate" in our legislative branch. We still haven't passed a budget in 4 years. When someone wants to cut 1% of the deficit, we're told we're headed for a "fiscal cliff" and people act accordingly. What's different with "climate change"? (Serious question: is it now back to "climate warming")?
     
  12. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    Brian makes a great point about fiscal cliff and people acting accordingly. Fear! Alarm! People act!

    Now you know why the AGW scam artists are being called alarmists.
     
  13. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    Maybe it's politically impossible in the U.S., but in many countries the Kyoto treaty was popular back when Bush nixed it. There must have been cost numbers emanating from budget-makers in those countries. I'd be interested.
     
  14. MARIS61

    MARIS61 Real American

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    Global warming is in the hands of China and India and South America. Whatever the US does either way will have little impact on the big picture.
     
  15. Denny Crane

    Denny Crane It's not even loaded! Staff Member Administrator

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    Bush didn't nix it. The senate has to ratify treaties and voted 100-0 against approving it. During Clinton's presidency.

    The rewriting history thing is getting old.
     
    BlazerWookee and oldguy like this.
  16. BlazerWookee

    BlazerWookee UNTILT THE DAMN PINWHEEL!

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    Global warming is in the hands of Mother Nature, and whatever anybody on the planet does will have little impact on the big picture.
     
  17. BlazerWookee

    BlazerWookee UNTILT THE DAMN PINWHEEL!

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    Well, Clinton was the one who perfected the "tell another lie and they'll stop thinking about the last lie told" strategy...
     
  18. oldguy

    oldguy Well-Known Member

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  19. Masbee

    Masbee -- Rookie of the Year

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    Clueless.

    Bush didn't "nix" it.

    China did. Wake up.
     
  20. BlazerWookee

    BlazerWookee UNTILT THE DAMN PINWHEEL!

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    Kyoto was a bigger joke than the United Nations.
     

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