Anybody remember in the 70s, when our parks, freeways and roads were littered with the debris of human convenience? Rather than attack the very obvious situation from a “chicken little” approach, we simply banded together, made the dumping of stuff illegal and unacceptable, and moved forward. We lived in a country (50s and 60s) where nobody thought twice about tossing garbage out their car windows and leaving it where it dropped in parks etc. Today, we’d never think of doing that and there are big fines if we do. Of course, that was something everybody could see…too bad CO2 is so darn transparent.

My point is that both “sides” of this seem to be happy to mislead the public. Still wading through the email situation, but it doesn’t quell my uneasiness that this will be used as yet another excuse for many to turn away from the real issues in favor of the sensational. Meanwhile, the air just gets dirtier…And politics is at the heart of the problem.

Cap and trade and the Republicans is yet another situation where (when it was their idea) was a great one, but when it became the domain of the DNC, it smells. From the 2004 RNC party platform:

“We support President Bush’s Clear Skies proposal to reduce power plant emissions. Clear Skies, through a proven cap-and-trade system, will reduce by 70% emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury. The market-based policies in Clear Skies will help states meet new, more stringent standards to protect public health. The plan also provides regulatory certainty, enabling power plants to install state-of-the-art pollution control technologies. ”

Yes, there are differences in the Dem plan vs the GOP’s. But you see what I mean, yes? All of a sudden, when they are no longer in control, the GOP “stands firm” (says NO!) to something they once told us was essential. And now they are led by sitting politicians who LOUDLY tell us there is no problem whatsoever. Seems suspicious, to me, and I’m growing tired of the excuses the GOP comes up with to back off what they once told us was necessary, just because it’s no longer “their” idea.

The politics of the situation, the game of partisan ping-pong, the very need to WIN on both sides is the biggest danger we all face. Time for grown ups on both sides o take deep breaths (while they can), get to the negotiating table with what we once agreed on, and work out the details.

I think the gist of the article was “what climate change?” If you’re talking pollution, that’s a different subject.
.-= rjjrdq´s last blog ..Doug Hoffman Re-concedes =-.

You say we need to move on and take positive action and I agree. You seem to be blaming the lack of action on the Republican Party, but I don’t think that is completely the case here. Yes, the Republicans have been castigated in the media and by the Democrats for standing firm against the cap and tax legislation that has been introduced in Congress. I can’t say as I blame them for doing that. That legislation would be a complete and total disaster to the average citizen of this country. You say they only know the word “No”, but how can you or anyone else expect them to engage in an honest debate when they can not start out on a level playing field because of the misleading information being put out.

You say

“This issue however remains, is man causing global warming, does global warming really exist.”

I say that’s not really the issue. Would it make a difference if we simply ditched the politically charged terminology “global warming” and simply talked about “dirty air”? We have it. The effects of too much CO2 on human health is indisputed. So why can’t we just focus on the issue, rather than the politics?

You say …”things remain in doubt…”

I say, in the polticially polarized world we live in , they always will. Should we sit on our butts and do nothing until the argument is settled? And, as Mike says, what if those with doubts are wrong? We don’t find out until it’s too late.

My point: Once upon a time (oh, a short 7 months ago), both sides agreed we had “dirty air”. both sides agreed that CO2 emissions were a major cause. Each side had some valid points about what to do; some were the same, some were very different.

So- why can’t we just start with that which used to be a given and MOVE ON to that which is truly in dispute? If the GOP had true statesmen who really cared about Americans, they’d be in there swinging, leading their masses to the best way to combat the problem. Instead, they’re threatening to boycott any legislative debate (which TOTALLY abandons their base) and choosing to lead their base into denial about it all.

Time after time after time this is how the GOP responds and even leads. “No!” is the only word they know, and it’s a simpleton’s way to govern.

“We must also produce more vehicles that operate on electricity and natural gas, both to reduce demand for oil and to cut CO2 emissions.”

“By increasing our American energy supply and decreasing the long term demand for oil, we will be
well positioned to address the challenge of climate change and continue our longstanding responsibility for stewardship over the environment.”

“The same human economic activity that has brought freedom and opportunity to billions has also
increased the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. While the scope and long term consequences of this are the subject of ongoing scientific research, common sense dictates that the United States should take measured and reasonable steps today to reduce any impact on the environment”

Where did I get all this leftist crap? From the 2008 RNC platform, of course. I Hmmm…As an election strategy, labeling serious, human-caused pollutants as “common sense” makes a lot of sense. So why has the Republican/conservative argument truned almost entirely toward denial that any problem even exists now, instead of toward finding solutions acceptable to all?

The need to beat Obama, at all costs-even at the cost of our Earth, perhaps? Disgusting.

There are things to be done, some of them for national security reasons (as Mike pointed out) and some that are just good common sense. I’m not sure when good environmental stewardship became so polarizing, and I really don’t care. I cannot take seriously folks who would deny a problem because it is more politically profitable for them to do so. I would be more apt to listen to reasoned arguments is those making them didn’t say “Al Gore” every third phrase…And if they actually made some.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well.