Okay, so….who’s the most anti-science member of the Congressional Republican minority? Well, it might just be this guy, “Smokey Joe” Barton of Texas, so nicknamed because of his alleged love of the utility industry. Barton was the head honcho behind a climate scientist witch hunt in 2005, and can here found tang about how we should just adapt to climate change–which, of course, isn’t human-caused in his eyes:
Barton’s deep folk wisdom: “When it rains, we find shelter; when it’s hot, we get in the shade; when it’s cold we find a warm place to stay.”
Barton’s impressive attempt at a Bushism: “Adapting is a common natural way for people to adapt to their environment.”
Unanswered questions: How do you “adapt” coastal cities to sea level rise on the order of meters, which is what we’re in for if we take Barton’s advice do nothing about global warming? Is moving the entire population of Bangladesh inland really less disruptive to the economy than the the price tag associated with controlling climate change?
March 26th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Note to Joe:
It behooves you to get a new Environmental LA. Fast. No matter what your agenda, reading that staffer’s gibberish reflects poorly on you.
March 26th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Bushism? Sounds more like Zen Buddhism. “Adapt and you shall find peace”.
But it’s heartening to see a worthy competitor to the “honorable” James Inhofe.
On another note, I would be most interested in knowing your thoughts about the recent NYT Magazine article on Freeman Dyson. Dyson who is one of my heroes has become something of a climate change skeptic. I think you will find some of his views interesting.
March 26th, 2009 at 11:28 am
“can here found tang”? like, from astronauts?
March 26th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Bushism? Sounds more like Zen Buddhism. “Adapt and you shall find peace”.
Or Herbert Spencer…
March 26th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
It is becoming increasingly clear that allowing the Republicans to regain any increase in power over the long term is not just a political issue, but a survival issue.
I find it continually amazing that intelligent people willfully deny the huge weight of scientific consensus.
This is a very dangerous party.
March 26th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I was particularly annoyed with how he talked about adaptation being “natural” as if that somehow makes it good. Hey, snake venom is natural too. Doesn’t mean we should all seek to be bitten by poisonous snakes.
March 26th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Thanks Chris. but what’s with the Bangladesh reference. This guy is from Texas and Texas has a vulnerable coast of its own. Have you seen the report by Edward Mazria on how a one to two meter rise would affect U.S. coastal cities? Time to bring this home, I think, and stop talking in terms of third world disasters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGoEBnLRpss&feature=channel_page
March 27th, 2009 at 5:48 am
Oh dear!
Adapt to change???
I bet Joe gets in trouble with his Creationist friends.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Good point Jamie – even a fairly small rise in sea level would wreak havoc with all the oil infrastructure along the Gulf coast. Moving all those refineries and the support infrastructure for the LOOP isn’t exactly a small task.
March 27th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Folks,
The US coastline has a lot of vulnerabilities; we’re not ready for serious sea level rise, especially in the gulf region. I definitely accept the point.
I merely threw in Bangladesh because truth be told, they have it far worse than we do, in terms of a vast population living in a low-lying area, and they didn’t even *cause* this problem.
But I’m sure that Smokey Joe would be more apt to worry about the Texas coastline.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:46 am
On some days it appears the challenge is on multiple fronts, not just science literacy:
http://harpers.org/archive/2009/03/hbc-90004631