Posted on 05/17/2011 11:39:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Jon Huntsman gave a relatively brief interview to Time, but it’s likely to create longer term problems for his rumored presidential run in the GOP. Huntsman says he opposes cap-and-trade proposals because “this isn’t the moment,” but he buys the climate change argument because “90% of the scientists” say it’s happening. If 90% of oncologists identified a carcinogen, Huntsman says, he’d believe them too (via Taegan Goddard):
You also believe in climate change, right?
This is an issue that ought to be answered by the scientific community; Im not a meteorologist. All I know is 90 percent of the scientists say climate change is occurring. If 90 percent of the oncological community said something was causing cancer wed listen to them. I respect science and the professionals behind the science so I tend to think its better left to the science community though we can debate what that means for the energy and transportation sectors.
Matt [David, Huntsmans communications director,] says youve changed your mind about cap-and-trade.
Cap-and-trade ideas arent working; it hasnt worked, and our economys in a different place than five years ago. Much of this discussion happened before the bottom fell out of the economy, and until it comes back, this isnt the moment.
Will it ever be the moment, though? The environment never takes priority because it never seems like something has to be addressed this quarter or else, but if you look at whats happening to our planet
If anyone knows about the need to clean up the planet, we do; weve been living somewhere [Beijing] where you feel like youre killing your kids sending them out to school every day. But putting additional burdens on the pillars of growth right now is counter-productive. If we have a lost decade, then nothing else matters. Ask Japan about that.
Do “90% of the scientists” believe in anthropogenic global warming? “Climate change” is a meaningless term; the climate is always changing. “Global warming” is also meaningless in a policy sense, as warming due to natural changes can’t be reversed by political policy. I have seen plenty of claims of “consensus” on AGW, but I’ve never seen anyone claim that agreement on AGW totals to 90% of all scientists, or even all climate scientists.
The better evaluation is whether the modeling for the claims of AGW bear out in terms of data. On that score, the answer is an emphatic no, as one former AGW theorist discovered. Bruce McQuain wrote about David Evans last weekend and his conversion to AGW skepticism:
This is the core idea of every official climate model: For each bit of warming due to carbon dioxide, they claim it ends up causing three bits of warming due to the extra moist air. The climate models amplify the carbon dioxide warming by a factor of three so two-thirds of their projected warming is due to extra moist air (and other factors); only one-third is due to extra carbon dioxide.
Thats the core of the issue. All the disagreements and misunderstandings spring from this. The alarmist case is based on this guess about moisture in the atmosphere, and there is simply no evidence for the amplification that is at the core of their alarmism.
What did they find when they tried to prove this theory?
Weather balloons had been measuring the atmosphere since the 1960s, many thousands of them every year. The climate models all predict that as the planet warms, a hot spot of moist air will develop over the tropics about 10 kilometres up, as the layer of moist air expands upwards into the cool dry air above. During the warming of the late 1970s, 80s and 90s, the weather balloons found no hot spot. None at all. Not even a small one. This evidence proves that the climate models are fundamentally flawed, that they greatly overestimate the temperature increases due to carbon dioxide.
This evidence first became clear around the mid-1990s.
And when should people like Huntsman stop buying what scientists claim? When they cease being scientists:
At this point, official climate science stopped being a science. In science, empirical evidence always trumps theory, no matter how much you are in love with the theory. If theory and evidence disagree, real scientists scrap the theory. But official climate science ignored the crucial weather balloon evidence, and other subsequent evidence that backs it up, and instead clung to their carbon dioxide theory that just happens to keep them in well-paying jobs with lavish research grants, and gives great political power to their government masters.
At least Huntsman says he opposes cap-and-trade … for now. When the economy recovers, will Huntsman decide to support government intervention in energy production and consumption in response to bad science? Do we want to find out the hard way?
"And if your brother Reese jumped off the roof of the Empire State building without a parachute would you think it's ok for you to do too?"
Jon Huntsman is a lemming.
If they don’t they get no money from the Gov. This guy must be a real Dope.
“This is the man Democrats say they fear most to be the GOP Presidential candidate.”
That is the kiss of death as far as I am concerned. What other Republican candidates “fear” the Democrats? Romncy, Mitch Daniels? Maybe McCain should run again, the Democrats fear him.
Glenn Beck and Jon Huntsman are both Mormons. Nothing against that, but Mormons tend to stick together. I think that explains it.
As for Jon Huntsman, all I need to know is that Barack Hussein Obama chose him to be his ambassador to Communist China, one of the most important jobs in the foreign service.
Does anyone imagine that he would choose a conservative for that job? Has he chosen any real conservatives for any jobs? Not to my knowledge.
Follow Huck, Donald, Newtie ...
For three days in a row we have set LOW records here in the deep south. Our last three winters were the harshest since the early 60’s. All of these idiots can FOAD... I have absolutely no patience and ZERO tolerance left for these insane criminals.
LLS
They wouldn’t.
This is an old political stratagem.
Make out you really are afraid of the weakest of the opposition’s candidates, just like Brer Rabbit and the Briar Patch..............
I don't know where you live, but here in Texas the climate changes by the hour, day, week, month, season, year, decade and century.
P.S. I know that's what you meant, but some of the climatists may not have, so I clarified it for them.
That’s why the MSM are pushing this RINO. No way, no how will I vote for him. He’s also for gay marriage.
“This is the man Democrats say they fear most to be the GOP Presidential candidate.”
If the Dems are saying it, it really means they want him to be the nominee (because they know there won’t be heavy turnout from Republicans to support him). They will never consciously admit who they really fear.
“Utah’s Jon Huntsman: I believe in climate change”
Then you might as well stay the f**k home this election season you liberal douche.
Is Glenn talking about Governor Huntsman or his beezillianaire dad?
I thought that was his dad, Jon Huntsman, Sr.? Not Jr.
Well...97.23 % of all political statistics are made up on the spot....
This dope is a non starter. He worked for Obama.
Go away buddy.
Lots of Mormons live such clean and upright lives. This Huntsman is a good example. Problem is this often translates into boring unthinking conformists. You see it here with Huntsman being unadventurous. Just boring and unwilling to think outside the box or interact with those that do. He is the furthest thing from being upset and angry at this trillions+ dollar scam to make living here more expensive
Has it ever struck this head nodding follower that “climate change” is the the natural state of life on earth. The climate is never stagnant. That is a fact all scientists would agree with and that fact has nothing to do with the Left’s claim of global warming.
People like this are dangerous to the Republic. We really can not afford any more stupid in power right now.
I believe in honor killing because a large percent of islamics do.
/s
I believe in honor killing because a large percent of islamics do.
/s
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.