(thanks to David Flanders for this one)
Today, Republicans are falling over themselves in a rush to ridicule the science that shows our use of fossil fuels is producing greenhouse gases that are warming the planet to disastrous levels. These findings were confirmed even by the Bush administration before it left office, as well as by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and every other significant scientific academy around the world…. But anti-scientists are undaunted by facts. More than half of the incoming Republican caucus denies the validity of climate change science. Some 74 percent of Republicans in the U.S. Senate now take that stance, as do 53 percent of GOP in the House…. Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois says we need not worry about the planet being destroyed because, citing chapter 8, verse 22 of the Book of Genesis, God promised Noah it wouldn’t happen again after the great flood.
I’ve been concerned for some time now with the lack of intellectual rigor and discipline in American life. Let’s face it, shall we? As an aggregate, we’re a pretty freakin’ stupid lot. Newsweek is reporting that 38% of the American Sheeple can’t even pass an American citizenship test (so when do we get to deport them??). Even worse, 70% of the Sheeple don’t know even basic facts about the US. This disturbing ignorance extends to our political process (quelle surprise), as the American Sheeple have turned Congress into an intellectual blackhole. A majority of Republicans in both the House and the Senate have demonstrated their willingness to ignore empirical science when that science doesn’t happen to fit with their predetermined (and decidedly unscientific and anti-intellectual) talking points).
Emperor Nero? Rome is burning, Excellency. Here’s your violin; you’re on stage in 4…3…2….
I understand that Republicans might not being in complete agreement with something they define as part of the “Liberal Agenda”. It’s a free country, of course, and these folks are free to believe as they choose…except that, when you’re denying scientific reality in the name of a political agenda, how can anyone with a functional intellect be expected to take you seriously? Wanting something to be a certain way doesn’t negate scientific evidence that the something in question simply ISN’T what you’ve convinced yourself it is. Reality isn’t subject to the whims of political calculations; it simply is. In this case, there’s ample scientific evidence to demonstrate that Mankind is, in fact, altering the global climate…and not for the better. So, we can deal with reality by addressing the causes of global climate climate…or we can fiddle while Rome burns around us.
Judging by the attitude of Republicans in Congress, we’re going to be hearing a LOT of string music going forward.
