Washington Post Promotes Palin’s Denialist Op-Ed By Putting Science In Scare Quotes
Washington Post Promotes Palin’s Denialist Op-Ed By Putting Science In Scare Quotes
As The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder notes, “Once again, the Washington Post has given Sarah Palin the chance to harness herself to the political story of the hour” by publishing her op-ed today urging President Obama to boycott the Copenhagen climate change conference because of the exaggerated controversy over the “Climategate” hacked e-mails. On its homepage, the Post promotes Palin’s op-ed, which is largely a redux of one of her Facebook posts, by putting science in scare quotes.
Palin claims that the e-mails stolen from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia show that “leading climate ‘experts’ deliberately destroyed records” and “manipulated data to ‘hide the decline’ in global temperatures.” Climate Progress’ Joe Romm points out that the e-mails “don’t reveal that” while Tim Limbert notes that a Washington Post story linked in Palin’s op-ed undermines her assertion of “manipulated data.”
Palin’s op-ed, however, does reveal just how deep into climate denialism she has delved. While claiming that she does not “deny the reality of some changes in climate,” Palin casts doubt on the science of global warming:
But while we recognize the occurrence of these natural, cyclical environmental trends, we can’t say with assurance that man’s activities cause weather changes. We can say, however, that any potential benefits of proposed emissions reduction policies are far outweighed by their economic costs.
Though Palin recently told Rush Limbaugh that changes in the climate were “cyclical” and she didn’t “attribute all the changes to man’s activities,” she told CBS’ News’ Katie Couric during the presidential campaign that she did believe humans contributed to climate change:
Couric: Is it man-made, though in your view?
Palin: You know there are – there are man’s activities that can be contributed to the issues that we’re dealing with now, these impacts. I’m not going to solely blame all of man’s activities on changes in climate. Because the world’s weather patterns are cyclical. And over history we have seen change there. But kind of doesn’t matter at this point, as we debate what caused it. The point is: it’s real; we need to do something about it.
Indeed, during the vice presidential debate Palin even said she supported capping carbon emissions. But now that she’s unattached to a candidate proposing a cap-and-trade system — from which he has also backtracked — Palin has reverted to her original denialism and the Washington Post has repeatedly given her space to air her falsehood-filled attacks on efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
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Again, Jon Stewart wades through the baloney and strikes gold.
LINK
December 9th, 2009 at 10:42 amWhere is FVNY? I really wanna hear again that hilarious shit about the globalists hijacking the governments of the world (except India and China) to get them to strong arm the scientists to make shit up to enrich the federal employees except my local postmaster before handing over what’s left to be redistributed to the people by the progressives all while those very same people who are having money redistributed to them “suffer”…
December 9th, 2009 at 10:44 amWashington Post, you are a disgrace. I hope you lose every reader. You are nothing but a rag. By giving this unintelligent Barbie Doll a plum spot on your Op Ed page, you have officially lost any credibility you once might have had.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:44 amSarah Palin: I’ve always believed that policy should be based on sound science, not politics.
You mean like “Creation Science” Sarah?
December 9th, 2009 at 10:46 amWhat do you expect from such a shining piece of “journalistic” “integrity”?
It’s so sad that the Post is actually considered the mainsteam, honest, and “liberal” of the two major DC papers.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:46 amD’oh, wrong link in #1…
LINK
December 9th, 2009 at 10:46 amPalin is merely an opportunist, exploiting her fame for her own self-interests. Her concern for her fellow citizens, her country and the world is non-existent. Having said that, my real gripe is with the WaPo – and the NYT, the Chgo. Trib. and a few other noteworthy newspapers around the country.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:48 amThey have sold themselves, their integrity, their honor and their reputations as journalists; rather than exercising their mission as the fourth estate in providing information for their readers, they have become whorish (is that a word?) outlets for their corporate, self-interested, conservative owners. From within their own offices, they have more self-inflicted damage than ever could have been dreamed by enemies of American ideals.
Somewhat related, Thomas Friedman has a nice column about climate change and points to more hypocrisy from the right.
Going Cheney on Climate Change
The gist of it is if the 1% doctrine was good enough for us to go after the terrorists, then the 1% doctrine should be good enough for us to go after climate change.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:48 amWe have a troll in the midst who refuses to post. Or justify his/her/its voting down our posts.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:49 amWashington Post Promotes Palin’s Denialist Op-Ed By Putting Science In Scare Quotes
– - Oh, like Sarah Palin is a “candidate.”
December 9th, 2009 at 10:50 amDNFP, that first like…that looked like it was straight from Inhofe’s office’s YouTube channel.
Seriously?
He linked to Stewart mocking him? Does he not know that Inhofe’s not in that clip to look good?
Wow.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:51 amPalin: “You know there are – there are man’s activities that can be contributed to the issues that we’re dealing with now, these impacts.”
WTF?!?!
December 9th, 2009 at 10:52 amTranslation, please?
Why does anyone listen to this ignorant, lying woman?
December 9th, 2009 at 10:52 amSarah Palin: Global warming is not real, because it is really cold back home in Wasilla, AK.
And on a side note, Uacilla (Уацилла; “Saint Elijah”). God of storms and harvests. Also spelled Wasilla.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:53 amEnnuiDivine says:
“We have a troll in the midst who refuses to post. Or justify his/her/its voting down our posts.”
It’s likely Peace Through Excessive Firewater downing a few shots of courage…
December 9th, 2009 at 10:53 amHe linked to Stewart mocking him? Does he not know that Inhofe’s not in that clip to look good?
Must have a barely cognizant intern using “the google” to cross-reference anything with Inhofe’s name, without proofing the source. Must suck to be so overtly “content illiterate”.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:54 amwhy would any credible newspaper print an op ed from cut n’ run palin considering:
a) she clearly does not read newspapers as is evidenced by her katie couric interview
b) it’s probably “ghost written”
c) she’s nothing more than a charlatan
December 9th, 2009 at 10:55 amSo Palin things that this is all about “agenda-driven politics” and not “changing the weather”.
What does she think “politics” are? All political moves are driven by agenda, aren’t they? The agenda may not necessarily be a bad one, as this would be helping keep the climate (not “weather”) from making areas of the world uninhabitable.
Gee, and I thought the GOP liked the status quo.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:58 amDenial of climate change is agenda driven politics.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:00 amI’m not going to solely blame all of man’s activities on changes in climate.
Should that be the other way around or did she really mean that the change in climate is the reason for man’s activities? The blame is on changes in climate, what?
So when did she become an ‘expert’, knowing enough to challenge actual experts?
If a few hijacked email prove a whole conspiracy, wouldn’t a few pictures (of torture) prove the same?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:03 amLividLib says:
WTF?!?!
Translation, please?
– - Here’s some Palinesque gibberish for ya:
The minute I was on that stage in Florida with all those lights in my eyes and the smell of Alaska still on my fingertips and my family, too, all around out there, I was where I dreamed of all those years on the basketball court and in Alaskas’s God given beauty which we mu…st cherish and use as God gave it us to use and in honor of the troops, also.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:05 amdasm says: #13
You know why they do. Because it’s easier to believe. To have faith and believe anyone that says what they want to hear. Reality is a foreign concept to these people. Anyone or any entity that tries to explain reality to the simpletons of the world are scorned as blasphemous or conspirators of an effort to burst their fantasy bubble. People like Sarah Palin prey off of the willfully ignorant. Always have and always will. Belief is easy and simple. Learning about and understanding reality can be daunting and sometimes disheartening. In her case it also helps to be pretty. That’s why we aren’t seeing Virginia Foxx on a book tour.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:07 am“…and the smell of Alaska still on my fingertips and my family, too…”
Ewww!
December 9th, 2009 at 11:08 amI can’t beleive the Post would have the Balls to run an opinion from Sarah Palin. The woman has been throughly discredited. The majority of American people think she is unqualified to be President. Hell, the woman couldn’t even run a PTA, and I should know, I ran one.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:09 amMy god. Surely even that fool is too ashamed to come back after realizing he was telling us that oil companies were paying off politicians to convince the public that oil consumption causes global warming. I noticed that he quickly ran away from that thread when the convolutions in his weird conspiracy theories inevitably led to that stupid conclusion.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:09 amHeh. Anyone who would take that bimbo seriously is stupider than she is.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:10 am…and the smell of Alaska still on my fingertips and my family, too…
Try soap Sarah.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:13 amI’m not going to solely blame all of man’s activities on changes in climate. Because the world’s weather patterns are cyclical.
Climate and weather are NOT the same thing, dipshit.
It’s a historical imperative that those opposed to progress are doomed by it.
Goodbye Republican party, don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya…
December 9th, 2009 at 11:15 amI would have thought she could see glaciers retreating from where she lives…
December 9th, 2009 at 11:16 amThe next time any of you encounter a climate change denier just ask them a couple of questions. Of all the millions of cars, trucks and trains, the coal fired energy facilities, oil refineries, plants and factories and all the thousands of airplanes and jets in the air spewing billions of tons of toxic exhaust and emissions into the atmosphere all day, every day, where does it all go? Does it just magically disappear?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:18 amAny fool can look up the planet Venus online and find out just what greenhouse gases can do to a planet. It doesn’t happen overnight but, it does happen. Our two choices are obvious; we can continue to deny and protect the money or we can learn and protect the planet. We can live without corporations and CEO’s. We can’t live without a protective atmosphere.
An OP-ED by a woman who doesn’t read newspapers. How Dadaist.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:20 amEvery time I hear a Republican talk about science, I get a knot in my stomach; Republicans are as antithetical to science as the Catholic Church in the time of Galileo. Good science is pure; it is incorruptible; it is immune to bias and spin. Good science is precise; it is supported; it is fact-based. Good science is self-correcting; it is constantly challenging its own assumptions. In short, good science is a profoundly liberal thing; it withers and dies in Republican hands. Sarah Palin wouldn’t know Good Science if it donned a tiara and stood next to her in a beauty pageant. The fact that ANYONE would solicit her opinion about science speaks volumes about the deplorable ignorance of our society.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:21 amDoes anyone really think that Palin PERSONALLY wrote this op-ed?
Agree with the op-ed or not, this woman doesn’t know how to structure an intelligent sentence. Listen to her interviews and read what she wrote or even her idiotic twitter rants . .
SWOOOOSH, I’m a member of Mensa . . really, come on!!
December 9th, 2009 at 11:21 amThe same people who have long accused Al Gore of knowing nothing about climate change and using the issue for political benefit are praising Palin’s piece and championing her as a pillar of scientific knowledge. Amazing…
http://www.political-buzz.com/
December 9th, 2009 at 11:23 amThe level of scepticism and inaction on this issue is staggering. It’s almost as if people are unable to comprehend that global warming is the result of MANY causes, one of which happens to be an excess of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses getting trapped in our atmosphere. Cycles of warming occur. Solar radiation/excessive sunspot activity does to. Without the horrendous amounts of pollution spewed forth over the years by humans, ramapant warming wouldn’t be occuring.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:23 amdbadass says: #29
Sarah Palin: Glaciers?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:25 amMs Palin has no, repeat NO clue about anything involving science. It’s amazing that she can actually boil water, what with the physics of liquid to gas transformation involved.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:30 amLizCoro says:
Does anyone really think that Palin PERSONALLY wrote this op-ed?
Given some of the nonsensical syntax, I think she was at least involved.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:32 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
There was a time when the Washington Post was a highly respected newspaper. Not anymore.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:32 am39. kevin,
You trolls are pathetic. Coming to a lefty site to lower yourself and call people names.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:35 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
You have to remember to whom you are talking. These are the same people who believe that God made it rain for 40 days and nights until the entire Earth was covered with water. Then the extra water magically disappeared. I guess they think that God sequesters the CO2 emissions in heaven.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:38 amkevin1 says: #39
kevin1, read my post @22. Then go to your nearest mirror, look into it and utter this one word; pathetic.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:38 am39. kevin1 says:
Ok, how about we just call her by her title? Sarah Palin, the Former Half-Term Governor of Alaska.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:38 amKevin1 says:
You lefties are pathetic, every time you disagree with someone you lower yourself and call that person names. “Real mature”
The right has turned that into a science. Just check with Atwater and Rove.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:38 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Hey shoeless, you’re right! Since everyone in heaven is dead, CO2 emissions are inconsequential.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:41 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Three trolls come swooping in almost like they got a message from their corporate masters to earn their pay.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:44 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Did you mean “Idiotic Thinker”?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:45 amHow comfortable do you suppose China would be holding our debt if this idiot was actually president? Just the fact that any Americans listen to her must make them think we’re all morons.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:46 amMore people care about palin’s opinion than the president’s!
—
December 9th, 2009 at 11:46 amCan I trouble you to explain with numbers?
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Independent Thinker says:
Hello are you new? It seems you are also part of the S.T.U.P.I.D trolls
Peace Through Superior Firepower says:
Are you one of those “”kill them all and let god sore them out” types. you know never wore a uniform, and just to much of a coward to enlist?
you all have a good day there in sh!ts-vill
December 9th, 2009 at 11:46 amIf you were to stop breathing entirely you’d raise the average IQ of your trailer park.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:47 amJust don’t make the other 80% of the population change the way we live.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:47 am—
Since when do 80% of the peoples of the world live like spoiled children?
It speaks volumes of the Right denialists that they choose a champion with a degree in journalism with an emphasis on communication who can’t comprehend the proper use of her native language. A person with absolutely no scientific credentials expressing opinions on a subject she doesn’t understand. A person who’s political credentials amount to a failed run for the VP slot and a self aborted term as governor because things got too rough. And one who’s main goal is to make as much money as she can because she has thrust herself into the limelight while decrying it as bad.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:47 amShayne says:
Three trolls come swooping in almost like they got a message from their corporate masters to earn their pay.
I think they just all got up from their naps.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:47 am50. Independent Thinker says:
And exactly how was Bush’s approval at the end of his presidency compared to Dec ‘01? It’s the final score that matters not what it is in the first quarter.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:48 amHmm. Still easier to vote down than Olby Sucks.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:48 amWhere does it say that only 20% of the world population believes in global warming? And give us a link, we’ll wait.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:49 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
The Washington Post has been reduced to a recycling dump for neo-con garbage and repiggie trash.
Ever since that moron Fred Hiatt took over, he has jettisoned any shred of intellectual competence and news savvy that the WAPO once had.
It saddens me very much to see the tortured decline of a once-great newspaper.
It deserves to fail.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:49 amIndependent Thinker says: #47
We don’t “believe” in global warming. We accept the fact-based findings of the peer reviewed evidence of reputable climatologists the world over.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:51 amI’ll make it simple for you. Would you rather heat your home basically for free with solar panels or would you rather pay $200-$300 per month to a monopolistic utility that derives it’s energy from a greenhouse gas emitting coal fired facility?
People like you always think the lefties want to take away all your toys. We want to make it so you can have more and breathable air to enjoy them.
we all don’t want to live in tents and walk barefoot like you do.
But if the earth continues to become more climatically challenged, we all may wind up living in teepees and walking barefoot. And there’d be damned few of us left to do that.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:51 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Sarah Palin is an imbecile and a half-wit, as are the cretinous trolls who lavish praise on her.
Who would want such a pack of morons running things?
Remember what those clowns did between 2001 and 2009?
Are you better off now than you were in 2000?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:52 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Trolls who appear here and erect vapid strawmen are here to pay their bills, and make a little profit- what’s wrong with that, except for the stench?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:54 amInept Thinker believes we have something against corporations. How do you reason with such small minds?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:54 amIndie, dontcha just drool over the prospect of a Palin presidential candidacty in 2012?
I sure do, so we’ve got something in common, eh?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:55 amExcept you seem to clear up that mystery yourself…….apparently he does.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:57 amYou must be one of those Christofascists waiting for the rapture. Maybe you don’t care if Earth becomes inhabitable because you believe in your fairy tales but some of us have a conscience and worry about our children having a future.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:57 amIndy, about that 20% link?
December 9th, 2009 at 11:58 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Mind your own business.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:04 pm—
Just don’t make the other 80% of the population change the way we live.
—
Oh so by this statement you ment just US citizens? Either way since when do 80% of the US population live like spoiled children and were did you pull this number from? I don’t mean to be cruel but it is clearly obvious that you lack the skills that will be needed to prevent me from making a clown of you. You might wanna just give up and save a little face while you still have the chance…
That’s an opinion, nothing more.
It reaveals an angenda too.
If you want to remain ignorant, go ahead, we fully expect you to.
Cap and trade is going to happen though so get over it.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:05 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Man has nothing to do with it and never will.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:06 pm—-
Can you support this statement in any meaningful way? Why don’t we start with the Keeling Curve data shall we?
From Matt’ post:
Palin’s op-ed, however, does reveal just how deep into climate denialism she has delved. While claiming that she does not “deny the reality of some changes in climate,” Palin casts doubt on the science of global warming:
“But while we recognize the occurrence of these natural, cyclical environmental trends, we can’t say with assurance that man’s activities cause weather changes. We can say, however, that any potential benefits of proposed emissions reduction policies are far outweighed by their economic costs.”
No, in fact we cannot say that because an overall assessment of damage caused by polluting emissions has not been conducted. That damage extends beyond any putative climate change. We’ve managed, to some degree, to bring acid rain under control, which was killing lakes and waterways across the US, Canada and other regions; we’ve managed to bring a couple of other airborne and waterborne pollution sources under control (perhaps Ms. Palin would like a nice serving of 1950s LA or London smog to breathe). We’ve not done an integrated assessment, however.
We know, absolutely, that a number of pollutants, both at manufacturing and generating sources and as effluent post-consumption are having a seriously deletorious impact on the world in which we live. Greenhouse gas pollutants, like any other pollutants, are having both known and unknown effects which are, at minimum, stressors on the biosphere in which we live. We fail to bring them under control at our own peril. Good stewardship demands that we bring those pollutants under control.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:06 pmI would love solar panels on my roof; the only problem is, it cost about 100,000 to put them in.
I’m sick of paying 500.00 plus a month.
—
December 9th, 2009 at 12:07 pmAre these more made up numbers?
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
the problem with lefties, you try to tell the world how to live.
Apparently, trolls with new identities seem to spew the EXACT SAME RUBBISH the banned trolls spewed.
Shouldn’t their sock-drawers be empty by now?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:10 pmIndependent Thinker says:
Pilotshark says:
you know nothing about me!!!!!!
I know you are a S.T.U.P.I.D troll,, Spamtroll, Totally, United, Promoting, Ignorant, Deceptions>>> you seem to have a closed mine and are set in your ways of ignorants.
other the that you are right.
and still please have a good day I know the brown haze around Sh!ts-vill is bad to intake. But if you pull your head out of your 4th point of contact you will fine that air much cleaner and bluer.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:10 pmEspecially if it questions your talking point, right?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pmDNFP says:
Well, at the very least, thier feet are cold.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pmWe all know the climate changes Einstein. Where is the link that says 80% of the world population believe man made emissions have nothing to do with it?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pmI would love solar panels on my roof; the only problem is, it cost about 100,000 to put them in.
Hey dispshit, your hated government is offering rebates in most areas which reduce the cost by over half.
You don’t have to be so incredibly stupid. You have the choice to make.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:12 pmAgain- it’s non of your business how I, or anyone else lives.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:12 pm—
So if you shit and piss in the stream that flows through your property and dump used motor oil in a pit in the backyard, and operate a gambling palor staffed by illegal Laotian ladyboys everything is kosher eh thinky guy?
Sarah wasn’t comfortable around minorities in Hawaii while attending her fourth college. It wasn’t ‘glamorous’ enough for the beauty queen, don’tcha know.
Ahhhh! The smell of Alaska on your fingers, watching the glaciers retreat back to Russia…it’s so much fun here on my porch!
Sarah knows more about Sex Change than Climate Change…
December 9th, 2009 at 12:13 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Shouldn’t their sock-drawers be empty by now?
I think they’ve moved on and raided the pantyhouse aisle at K-Mart.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:14 pmit’s non of your business how I, or anyone else lives.
-sez the moron-dipshit who chooses to post in a public forum????
Seriously, do the World a favor.
Kill yourself.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:14 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
It is a slow snowy day. Do I really wanna play catch and release with such a little inexperienced fish?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:14 pmMarcus Brauchli (formerly of the WSJ) became executive editor of The Washington Post on Sept. 8, 2008, succeeding Leonard Downie Jr. Mr. Brauchli reports to Publisher Katharine Weymouth.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:14 pmOne by one, the corporate-owned conservative club of rich guys has taken over all media – print, TV and radio.
actually, friend, the minute you start honking about it on a blog is the minute it becomes EVERYONE’s business.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:15 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
You predict a lot of things friend.
For instance, you predicted that tax cuts for the rich and deregulation would usher in a new era of prosperity.
We’re still waiting by the way.
You had your chance. Now we are going to fix it.
I just don’t understand why you think being dependent on oil can be even good economic policy.
When you stop contradicting yourself, maybe someone, somewhere will take you seriously.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:19 pmI believe publishing Palin’s views is the Post’s cry for help. The paper is losing revenue and sinking fast. I bet her article significantly increased readership for today. People are still interested in this little moron.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:19 pmAside from regurgitating the opinions of know-nothing bloviators, what credentials justify Palin’s opining on this subject? We all have opinions, sure, but most of us listen to the scientists who we readily admit are a lot smarter about this — she doesn’t even read newspapers, doesn’t research anything, but just repeats talking points.
The WaPo has exceeded its own low level of credibility.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pmit’s ok to be afraid, I.T.,
but it’s not ok to let fear alone stand in the way of necessary change.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pmMy, how the mighty Post has fallen. Once its editors would have chosen experts on subjects. Now they pick the last person you would choose to weigh in on an issue. Take science. Here’s a science DENIER, Sarah Palin, who believes the earth was created in seven days 6,000 years ago and that dinosaurs co-existed witih humans, saying Obama should boycott the Copenhagen conference on climate change, which thousands of scientists worldwide believe is happening. It’s as if the president of Iran, a notorious Holocaust denier, had written an op-ed calling for Obama to boycott an announced visit to Dachau. The Post’s credibility is once again damaged.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:21 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
The Palinestas, the birthers, the deathers, the speechers, the denialists, the sexual tyrants (”rite to Life”) and the teabaggers all live in their own demented world. Their connection to the real world, the natural world has long since been severed. Our only task is to ensure that they do not use Diebold and the rest of the electronic vote counting machines to steal our democracy again the way the Republicans and the Bush gangsters did in 2000, 2002 and 2004. Hand-counted paper ballots in all American elections is the way to go. Results won’t be available in 0.03 mirco-seconds after the polls close, but I’d rather wait a few hours instead of having more electronically-rigged elections.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:22 pmIndependent Thinker
We’ve documented the change that happens in co2 levels just in seasonal change.. because of less plant life.
Considering this – do you think our global deforesting has done nothing to the environment?
Do you think 100’s of thousands of coal factories spewing black smoke into the air endlessly has done nothing?
Do you think 7 billion people on the planet have no effect?
How about 100’s of millions of cars spewing exhaust fumes? Go to Los Angeles sometime.. show how we are ‘having no effect’.. go to beijing.. maybe climate change deniers are so because they live in the middle of nowhere.. and haven’t seen the effects of pollution – but you have the internet.. look it up.
There’s no conspiracy – it’s obvious. Yes, we have an effect.. anyone thinking we could pave the planet and it not have an ‘effect’ is a f ucking mental midget.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:23 pmsarah ought to be able to see the thawing permafrost out her kitchen window,
but she’s too busy trying to turn an easy buck in the lower 48.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:23 pmMarie says: #104
Like I said before. It’s easier to believe the snake oil salesman than it is to learn and understand reality.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:24 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
I.T.,
Even if algore had never been born, the planet would be warming, andwe’d be hearing about it from top scientific institutions, and we’d need to do something about it.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:25 pmi’m hearing another rush limbaugh radio show transcript being re-transcribed here on the thread.
if that’s where we’re headed, i’ll move on.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:26 pmYou have to stop being stupid at some point.
If we depend on oil then we need our reserves in case……
So we are left buying on the open market.
Think before you post. Stop just posting what’s on the memo.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:28 pmIndy, nobody concerned about climate change is telling people what kind of house they have to live in. And this thread isn’t about Al Gore it’s about Sarah Palin. Why do you idiots resist every change even though it is the best thing for civilization? Why does everything have to be about you personally? I know, because Republicans are egocentric selfish b@stards.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pmHow come these deniers haven’t noticed that the people who are telling him this is all bunk are the same ones who told them our economy was in great shape last September?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pmif we drilled here we would have plenty of oil and the price would be alot cheaper. ” for the little people”
Yo idiot, big oil companies are in the business of big money, they’re far from philanthropists.
If you think oil flowing through pipelines in Alaska to coastal towns and pumped into ocean tankers is ending up in your corner gas station, you are truly beyond chronically ignorant.
Raw crude, when extracted by big oil, is bought and sold to the highest bidder, fcuking moron.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:30 pmIndependent Thinker says:
Your master, Rush, is done with his Dominican slave-boy and is on the radio. Why don’t you go and bend over and grab your ankles for him. It’s time for your daily injection of hate and ignorance.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:30 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
120 – also straight off the rush show.
IT – do you have anything to say that isn’t a rerun of a rush show?
do you know that neither sarahp nor rush is a scientist?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:33 pmReally? You’ll believe anything won’t you? Why don’t you try learning something instead of just spewing talking points and then we won’t all know what an idiot you are.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:33 pmIndependent Thinker says:
Ignorant postulates from pre-pubescent flunkies is as far from “independent thought” as you could possibly get.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:34 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Indy, STFU.
Wiki:
December 9th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Supply and demand
Free market and capitalism doesn’t make sense to you.
Eh, stop projecting flunkie.
It’s painfully obvious by your lack of anything remotely “independent” in your posts that not much of anything makes sense to you.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:37 pmIndependent guy, Lets see how smart you are. Please tells us when we have had free market capitalism? I’ll give you a hint…NEVER.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:38 pmIndependent Thinker = Dittohead Regurgitator
December 9th, 2009 at 12:40 pmEverything Indy knows about science he learned from Limbaugh and Palin. Another homeschooler.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:42 pmYes, and that 4% has knocked it out of equilibrium. This has been understood since before you were born, twerp.
So you brought that talking point all the way from Rush Limbaugh, thinking it was an argument, only to show that you don’t know anything about AGW.
Nice.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:42 pmWhen I said this: Raw crude, when extracted by big oil, is bought and sold to the highest bidder, fcuking moron.
It should have been obvious to even the most casual observer that, yes, I indeed DO understand “supply and demand”, “free” markets, that whole “capitalism” thingy.
What’s keeping you in the dark, other than ignorance and fear?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pmMe, Me, Pick me!!!
IT, please explain why with an almost totally unregulated industry, I am not seeing fair prices and quality services from the health care industry..
Shouldn’t the market be creating competition, etc.?
Why is that not happening? Thanks.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:43 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Incontinent Stinker, how come every time free market, unregulated capitalism is tried we end up with either a recession or a depression? I know cause and effect means little to dittoheads so it must mean the FSM doesn’t like the idea.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:44 pmIndependent Thinker says:
Man has nothing to do with it and never will.
That’s an absolutist statement based on no evidence.
Look, if we had a massive thermonuclear war, would that affect the climate? If you admit that, then you admit that human technology can affect the climate. So at what point do our activities cross the threshold of having a significant effect? And, have we already crossed that threshold? These are questions that can’t be answered by polls and politicians, only by measurement and application of the scientific method. Just because you don’t like the answer doesn’t mean that it isn’t the answer.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:45 pmI don’t listen to Rush , I think for myself.
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December 9th, 2009 at 12:46 pmI
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Maybe you just don’t recognize truth. I find that a lot in the gop these days.
dishonesty such as you have demonstrated with such pride is why you are a failure at everything.
For instance. Please name one successful program that the gop can lay claim to, just one.
Freedom and USA don’t count, it has to be a real program.
Too much of a challenge for your rush talking points? I thought so.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:49 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Independent guy, How about giving us a link to all those peer reviewed scientists who work in the field of climate change that say man isn’t warming the planet at a very fast rate?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:51 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Independent guy, don’t try to change the subject. Give us the link for all those peer reviewed scientists who claim the planet is warming, and man has nothing to do with it.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:55 pmHow are you supposed to resond to someone who flat out lies?
You are just a typical troll. You come in with guns a blazin, callin us socialists, etc. and then whine when you get called a liar when you lie.
Odd, but we’ve come to expect it from babies who can’t think for themselves and run out of something to defend their lies with.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:55 pmThe “scientists” who deny climate change are bought and paid for by energy companies who have been making billions of dollars in profit while keeping us dependent on fossil fuels.
The climate change deniers use these “scientists” to support their ignorant claims; they should investigate the background of those sources, and to whom they are beholden. Around the world, scientists are pretty unanimous about climate change.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:57 pmIndependent guy@181. What the hell are you talking about? Please give us the link to all those scientists you claim are out there.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:57 pmIndependent Thinker says:
Human only account for 4% of co2 emissions, the rest comes from animals and other natural things.
Citation, please?
Also, the distribution of animals on Earth is largely human-caused, what with mass factory farms and such. It’s very likely that there’s a lot we control in your “other natural things” category as well. Not to mention a lot that we could control, but don’t.
Look, it doesn’t even matter whether it’s our fault that global warming is currently happening at such a rapid pace. Nobody has to point fingers, or assign or accept blame. But if there’s something we can do to prevent or mitigate it, then we should.
Think of it this way – if a giant asteroid were about to strike the Earth, would you stand around complaining that the asteroid isn’t man-made, or would you try to do something to stop it?
We aren’t trying to be all hippie-dippie “humans are bad” when we look at the link between CO2 emissions and global warming, we’re trying to gauge the degree to which we can do something about the problem. Because if our behavior is a significant causal factor, then changing our behavior can change the outcome.
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Independent Thinker says:
Free market and capitalism doesn’t make sense to you.
Makes perfect sense to me. But any effective capitalist will admit that the space in which they do business (whether that’s their industry, the national economy or the global environment) needs to be nurtured in order to be able to succeed within that space. You can’t make money in an impoverished business climate. Opening a lemonade stand in Hell might seem like a good idea until you realize that the damned have no money.
The consequences of global climate change come at a much greater business cost than in preventing it.
Much like the bible or the constitution, it seems that wingnuts have absolutely no understanding of what free market capitalism actually requires, which they also claim to adore.
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Independent Thinker says:
I forgot let’s take it from people who have money and give it to the “working family”
What do you have against working families? Which is it you hate – work, families, or both?
December 9th, 2009 at 12:58 pmit not even 1 full %, i dont call that much of a change
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December 9th, 2009 at 12:58 pmDo you know the difference between the amount of blood lead needed to cause irreversable brain damage and the amount that doesn’t?
This comment has been voted down. Click to read.
I don’t listen to Rush , I think for myself.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:59 pm—
Well you aren’t overly successful with that…
by morons, I need to go lay by the pool and have some lunch down here in sunny Florida
—enjoy. I like the way you just make up numbers and say silly shit. I found it insicere and trasparently idiotic but still amusing. I am having halibut for lunch. What are you going to have?
December 9th, 2009 at 1:01 pmIndependent guy, I didn’t think you could back up your BS. Like all the little trolls who show up here, as soon as their asked to put up or shut up, they just run away. Hahahahahahaha!!!
December 9th, 2009 at 1:01 pmIdependent guy. Mommy set up the wadding pool for ya, and she has some really good peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for ya. Enjoy lil fella.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:03 pmThose are just lies. Social Security is the most successful government program in the history of the world…..
republicans love to steal from the fund because it always has a surplus……
I notice you were to much of a coward to address my two very simple questions.
132 and 137 if you don’t have too big a yellow streak running down your back.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:04 pmIndependent Thinker says:
by morons, I need to go lay by the pool and have some lunch down here in sunny Florida
Out of sight, out of mind.
“It’s not happening in my state, so it doesn’t exist.”
December 9th, 2009 at 1:07 pmI’ve seen some obvious cases of liberal hypocrisy
December 9th, 2009 at 1:10 pm— Wanna share them with us?
Have you seen any cases of conservative hypocrisy? Would you like to share those?
December 9th, 2009 at 1:10 pmFairandBalanced says:
… using these supposed “scare quotes.”
This single phrase is the most impressive example of accidental irony I have ever beheld. Thanks.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:16 pmHow are those scare quotes? Please explain. Thanks
December 9th, 2009 at 1:17 pmactually who cares I’d rather you share all the hypocrisy you have seen both liberal and conservative. I thnk that would be a fun discussion. What do you say…
December 9th, 2009 at 1:19 pmFred ♪♫♪ says:
Those are just lies. Social Security is the most successful government program in the history of the world…..
republicans love to steal from the fund because it always has a surplus……
This is absolutely correct. Bush took SS surplus to fund the two wars. Now, the Republicans want to complain about the fund being broke. The corporations and wealthy who benefited from the wars are going to have to help repay those funds. The middle class should not have to pay SS twice over while the money went into other people’s pockets.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:20 pmFairandBalanced says:
the “Climategate” hacked e-mails
First sentence in the post. Scare quotes used by corley.
If you can figure out how to link to a thread (hint: it’s easy) please do so. And then explain how one single thread would justify “rarely makes a post w/out using these supposed “scare quotes.” If that were the case, you’d be able to point to a huge list of examples from the last few days.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:20 pmyou mean we won’t get any mail today? shoot!
didn’t one of the Founding Fathers set up the postal system?
what about all those banks the FDIC has had to take over?
should all their depositors just be s.o.l. today?
you’re a radical, dude. an extremist radical.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:22 pmThe hypocrisy of this woman talking about “real science” coming from someone who believes in witches and that the earth is 6000 years old. And all without a hint of self awareness or irony. What a nutjob.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:23 pmIs voting down a no? I would think someone that had seen such hypocrisy would have no problem making a summative list. Maybe instead that was one of those bs openers which isn’t intended to be sincere…
December 9th, 2009 at 1:25 pmFred Says
Those are just lies. Social Security is the most successful government program in the history of the world…..
Absolutely Fred! one of the vicious smears they have been pushing is how social security is a failure. – I don’t have the link handy.. but I looked at a graph that showed social securities pay ins and pay outs – they are nearly identical – and it also has a 1 trillion or so dollar nest egg.
There was a point where social security wasn’t taking in quite enough.. the tax rate was increased by part of a percent – and the problem was fixed. The big fear is actually the baby boomers and the graying of society.. the fear is the future circumstances of social security.. not it’s current situation.
It’s actually a near perfectly run program – with revenue exactly meeting payments..
December 9th, 2009 at 1:27 pmHe has no idea what you are talking about.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:28 pmThis was way too easy. I’m off to find a more challenging crowd. Have a nice day.
– No you are splitting because I am still here… Either way who cares just go.
December 9th, 2009 at 1:33 pm‘The 2008 trustees’ report explained that Social Security will be able to pay full benefits until 2041, at which point it will be able to cover 78 percent of benefits if no legislative changes are made’
December 9th, 2009 at 1:33 pmFairandBalanced says:
This was way too easy. I’m off to find a more challenging crowd. Have a nice day.
Why not just admit you’re making sh!t up?
December 9th, 2009 at 1:35 pmand this page has the graph I was speaking of – showing payments, receipts and assets -
December 9th, 2009 at 1:38 pmbecause I really want to debunk the scare tactics of claiming ‘Social Security is broken’.. a quote from the article I referenced -
December 9th, 2009 at 1:46 pm———————
True, some of the money to be paid to soon-to-be-retired Baby Boomers will have to come from future payments from younger workers. But a big chunk of the bill has already been set aside. And by 2015, the amount set aside in the trust fund will swell to five times the estimated annual payouts. So the idea that Boomers will somehow be sponging off the next generation for all of their retirement funds just isn’t true.
———————-
FDR’s social security is working wonderfully – no thanks to those that rob the trust fund… and why do they rob the trust fund? Because social security has a history of paying for itself…
I don’t know that it matters what Bible Spice says and where she says it. Rational people have realized from the first that she doesn’t actually know anything about anything and those who worship her are too effing stupid to realize the same. Since she doesn’t even provide new talking points I say let her rave away.
December 9th, 2009 at 2:06 pmNew title: Sarah Palin says science is “scary.”
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FairandBalanced says:
the “Climategate” hacked e-mails
First sentence in the post. Scare quotes used by corley.
That use of quotation marks isn’t scare quotes, it’s used to denote a recently coined phrase. Not everybody would refer to it by that name. There’s no official assignation of that term. Thus, quotes are appropriate.
You don’t even know what scare quotes are, do you?
December 9th, 2009 at 2:18 pmThis is so weird–IndependentStinker goes to the pool and FairandBalanced takes over as seamlessly as if they were one in the same.
By the way, IndependentStinker sounds a lot like KSVentures or whatever his handle used to be. Both from Florida, both live in a trailer park, both pest-control operators like Dale Gribble.
Foolish is as foolish does.
December 9th, 2009 at 2:26 pmMaybe I am wrong, but wasn’t it the Bush White House that lost, destroyed, failed to back-up, email and documents, that were required by law to be maintained?
What ever happened to that?
December 9th, 2009 at 4:48 pmSarah (”drill, baby, drill”) Palin’s answer to the climate crisis would be to hold a prayer meeting and ask God to make the climate problems go away. She has repeatedly demonstrated in the past that she is totally and blissfully ignorant about how science works (no Sarah, dinosaurs did not roam the earth with humans…).
The industries that are financing the “global warming denial campaign” share the same unethical “profit at all costs” philosophy that has dominated the decision-making process of the tobacco industry as it repeatedly denied any health-related consequences of using their products.
While it is troubling that some climatologists appear to have at least discussed filtering data to improve the strength of their theories about global climate change — an act that is a clear violation of scientific ethics — this does not in and of itself provide evidence that man-induced climate change is a fallacy.
There is an overwhelming amount of empirical and observational data that support the contention that nitrogen and carbon-based gas emissions related to fossil fuel consumption have had a significant deleterious effect on the planet’s climate patterns over the past century.
Economic impact cannot be the sole factor in every regulatory policy of the U.S. government. Those that do not learn from their mistakes are doomed to repeat them. We can no longer afford to be so short-sighted when the long-term consequences of our inaction are so great.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:28 pmThank you for your sharing.!
December 14th, 2009 at 3:40 pm