Government is going too far with global warming message

[weso1]

I think the White House is making a strategy error here with this recent push on global warming. I'm not grumping about the science. The science is the science. But with this latest strategy the white house is pushing the idea that global warming is happening now and it's already impacting us. Look, I get that they are doing this for politics. They want their voter base out there because there's a good chance they are going to lose the senate. But if you really believe global warming is the worst things since sliced bread then you should be concerned with the current government message.

My grump isn't that it's wrong, but that this message won't be accepted by the general public. I just don't think the general public feels that global warming is truly impacting the country in a truly significant way right now. I think for people to truly believe something is in dire need of fixing they need to truly feel its impact. With the financial collapse, people felt it. With 9/11 people felt it. And so the population supported TARP and they supported the war in Afghanistan with fairly wide support. But for the government and its supporting media (everyone but Fox News) to say that the global warming disaster is here right now is alarmist. Even if its impact is here right now, the general public is going to think to themselves... well this isn't so bad, except for a minority of the population who are truly feeling the impacts from droughts and naders, etc.

[The Chosen One]

So let's find the root of the problem. Why do so many people believe global warming/climate change isn't real? I wonder who or what would have such a big influence on making people think it's a hoax.

People on my Facebook said it best. Climate change/global warming is a myth because it's still snowing.

Al Gore is probably the best and worst thing to happen. He was the biggest name to alert the people about it? At the same time the hard right will refuse to ever acknowledge global warming/climate change exists because Al Gore lead the movement 8 years ago. That's why environmental proactivity is being looked at as a liberal cause instead of a human mankind one.

[weso1]

I think it's because they just don't feel that it's a huge disaster waiting to happen. I think the solution is for the government to just be honest about it. They need to say... look this is obviously a problem. We are ****ting in our own atmosphere, but we also clearly still need oil for gas right now. So how about we slowly fix the problem. you might not feel it right now, but in the future it could impact your grandchildren. So let's set up a plan that makes sense economically and environmentally.

I think the liberals are being assholes about wanting the fix immediately no matter the impact on the economy and many conservatives are being assholes by denying the whole thing.

[The Chosen One]

I'm reasonable about a time line. It needs to be fixed asap but let's not throw up thousands of new regulations. The biggest hurdle is definitely the oil industry... they will spend big to publicly "debunk" and use the right wing as their vessel for stopping this.

Because of the solyndra fiasco, any liberal proposing investment in alternative energies is going to be greeted by the right with a solyndra failed comment so let's not waste money on this let's let thr market decide.

The market isn't going to decide this because certain companies who have lots of $ at stake are going to deceive the market to continue milking it.

[The Chosen One]

I believe if we take sturg's approach and let the market decide and we take the inaction path that it will be too late and the bulk of the damage will have been done.

[weso1]

By the way my point is that it's not just the hard right that is debunking this right now, but also the general public (the more extreme outlook). And I think the Al Gore philosophy of pedaling extremist global warming is flaming this.

I agree that the market isn't going to decide this and I think in a perfect world the federal government should be in the lead on this. It's a national defense issue in the end. But I just really think they are missing the mark on their propaganda. Even if the propaganda is in reality not propaganda at all but completely true, I just think they are missing the mark here. And I think the White House is putting politics over actually fixing the problem here. They want that voter base at the polls.

[The Chosen One]

White House's tone may be a bit over the top, but it is becoming an extremely urgent issue that many on the hard right continue to mock and make light of as if it doesn't exist. Global warming (unfortunately) isn't going to win elections, just like Benghazi isn't the reason Romney lost in 2012.

If there were no alarmists or activists going nuts about this, would the message be that well received? If there was no urgency by the alarmists, would people take it seriously? I have a strong feeling if it was brought up casually that people would just shrug it off as not important anyway.

Like you said in a perfect world the Federal Government would lead on this... but we live in a world where an entire elected Party is going to fight it just to fight it, and because they have plenty of money to back them to fight it publicly.

I think this is in large part a disturbing trend of decades of science and technology being ignored by a growing segment of the population as just a toy. Like you said, the science is there. But the problem is the hard right has done a great job at appealing to the lowest common denominator and denouncing and stigmatizing science as evil. That's why we're screwed. And again, Gore was the best and worse to happen to this movement. Without him we probably aren't talking about this as much as we are today and the last few years, but because of him the Limbaugh's Beck's O'Reilly's of the world are going to lead their sheep into ignoring and calling it a myth just because it was Al Gore that brought it up to national attention. They'll never concede to Gore on this, which is why they'll always doubt it publicly.

This is no longer about Al Gore being right and who's wrong, it's a situation that needs to be addressed and we need to get the ball rolling fast.

[weso1]

White House's tone may be a bit over the top, but it is becoming an extremely urgent issue that many on the hard right continue to mock and make light of as if it doesn't exist. Global warming (unfortunately) isn't going to win elections, just like Benghazi isn't the reason Romney lost in 2012.

If there were no alarmists or activists going nuts about this, would the message be that well received? If there was no urgency by the alarmists, would people take it seriously? I have a strong feeling if it was brought up casually that people would just shrug it off as not important anyway.

Like you said in a perfect world the Federal Government would lead on this... but we live in a world where an entire elected Party is going to fight it just to fight it, and because they have plenty of money to back them to fight it publicly.

I think this is in large part a disturbing trend of decades of science and technology being ignored by a growing segment of the population as just a toy. Like you said, the science is there. But the problem is the hard right has done a great job at appealing to the lowest common denominator and denouncing and stigmatizing science as evil. That's why we're screwed. And again, Gore was the best and worse to happen to this movement. Without him we probably aren't talking about this as much as we are today and the last few years, but because of him the Limbaugh's Beck's O'Reilly's of the world are going to lead their sheep into ignoring and calling it a myth just because it was Al Gore that brought it up to national attention. They'll never concede to Gore on this, which is why they'll always doubt it publicly.

This is no longer about Al Gore being right and who's wrong, it's a situation that needs to be addressed and we need to get the ball rolling fast.

I think you bring up good points, but you have to look at things practically. I mean I get that you're grumping about Pubs and House reps, but honestly what good does that do in the end? It is what it is isn't it? The bottom line is that you need to get the general public on your side and you can blame the pubs all you want, but in the end it's your own philosophy that is failing. Notice how you say that the ball needs to get rolling fast, which is the same thing I grumped about in the OP. Well, it's not going to happen. It's not practical. You can't get the ball rolling fast without seriously effing up the economy. There is no fast fix right now.

One of the biggest issues with this whole debate is that we really need 30-50 years to truly figure out how serious the problem is. The problem clearly exists, but how big of a problem is it really? And more importantly... how big of a problem is it for America.

[The Chosen One]

When I say get the ball rolling, I'm saying we need a public discussion about it at length, and we need real people debating it to convince people it's real so we can get started in the next few years on shifting lanes. We don't need politicians debating it bringing up talking points, we need the experts in the scientific community on a public forum where everyone can watch televised or a tour around the country, to debate and explain to people what's really going on with it.

Of course I can blame Pubs and House, because most of them KNOW it's real, but publicly and politically they won't admit it, because the hard liners on the right have changed this from a human debate to liberal vs. conservative. You aren't going to sway public opinion, UNTIL most of the politicians on the right openly admit they were wrong and change needs to be done.

As long as you can have the Ted Cruz's of Washington telling his supporters it's all a hoax and liberal propaganda, then those people are going to vehemently support his stance.

We're never going to elect new incoming Republicans/Conservatives that believe in Global Warming because they probably wouldn't make it past the primary stages, and if we do elect them there won't be enough to cancel out the hardliners.

The hard right is completely in line together on this. Because of Al Gore, because of oil money, because politically it's their "cause" to "debunk" the global warming "myth".

[zitothebrave]

experts in the scientific community

[Julio3000]

I don't really have anything to add to this thread, other than that I've enjoyed reading it.

[yeezus]

I think it's because they just don't feel that it's a huge disaster waiting to happen. I think the solution is for the government to just be honest about it. They need to say... look this is obviously a problem. We are ****ting in our own atmosphere, but we also clearly still need oil for gas right now. So how about we slowly fix the problem. you might not feel it right now, but in the future it could impact your grandchildren. So let's set up a plan that makes sense economically and environmentally.

I think the liberals are being assholes about wanting the fix immediately no matter the impact on the economy and many conservatives are being assholes by denying the whole thing.

It kind of is, though. At least that's what the science says, which is impartial.

[50PoundHead]

I think it's because they just don't feel that it's a huge disaster waiting to happen. I think the solution is for the government to just be honest about it. They need to say... look this is obviously a problem. We are ****ting in our own atmosphere, but we also clearly still need oil for gas right now. So how about we slowly fix the problem. you might not feel it right now, but in the future it could impact your grandchildren. So let's set up a plan that makes sense economically and environmentally.

I think the liberals are being assholes about wanting the fix immediately no matter the impact on the economy and many conservatives are being assholes by denying the whole thing.

I don't want to sound like a cynical pr*ck, but since when do Americans buy any type of planning, especially since Reagan (not blaming Reagan, just picking a time frame). Middle class is convinced that there is a conspiracy out to get them and that the global warning is part of a constructed scenario of supposed scarcity that can be wished away.

[BedellBrave]

"At least that's what the science says, which is impartial."

SMH

[goldfly]

[BedellBrave]

I actually think that is pretty good. The thing though that needs to be considered is what "solutions" actually do on the backs of the poor. Rich will stay rich...

[acesfull86]

I'll go on record as supporting a carbon tax - that's right I said tax- assuming it is offset (at a minimum) with tax cuts elsewhere.

[50PoundHead]

Well put. To me, it's all about stewardship and I view this as stewardship.

[Oklahomahawk]

I think the liberals are being assholes about wanting the fix immediately no matter the impact on the economy and many conservatives are being assholes by denying the whole thing.

Gonna be pretty hard to top this one guys. Looks like it pretty much covers the situation as far as attitudes.

[The Chosen One]

Weird. I suggest watching Vice on HBO. The latest episode has a segment specifically on climate change's effects in Texas.

From the beef industry shutting down jobs because farmers have to sell their cattle because no water, to the oil industry buying up a lot of the water to use for fracking and at the same time showing Texas politicians deny global warming exists.

Has clips of the deeply religious devout Christians in Texas who say they don't believe in global warming because god controls the weather...

It's really interesting and after watching it you feel more sorry to know that god isn't going to bring them rain. It touches up a lot of the stuff we've discussed in this thread including a GOP congressman who converted to believing in global warming and was primaried by a tea bagger who used that against him.

He simply said "Al Gore was for it so I was automatically against it until I looked into the science and data".