Rick Perry Needn't Sweat His Global Warming Skepticism

Forbes ^ | August 30, 2011 | Larry Bell

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Washington Post op-ed writer Richard Cohen is concerned that “Climate Change May Be Ruin of Perry Campaign.” Far less clear was whether he regards that imminent ruination to be a bad thing, or rather, a cause for celebration. There are excellent reasons to suspect the latter.

Cohen doesn’t hold a very high opinion of the Texas governor, of anyone who doesn’t buy into the notion of a looming global man-made global warming disaster, or of Republicans. Referring to Perry in an Aug. 22 Washington Post article, he opined “It’s not his thinking I fear, it’s the lack of any at all.”

Cohen observed that “[Perry] occupies the cultural and intellectually empty heartland of the Republican party.” The article scorned Perry for publicly stating that he stood with an increasing number of scientists who have challenged the existence of man-made global warming threats, commenting “…whoever they (italics noted) might be. In Appleton, Wis., Sen. Joe McCarthy’s skeleton rattled a bit.” His reference to McCarthy went on to elaborate that “The late and hardly lamented demagogue pioneered the use of the concocted statistic” in suggesting that communists were literally everywhere. He further amplified “There were some, of course, just as there are some scientists who are global warming skeptics, but these few – about 2% of climate researchers – could hold their annual meeting in a phone booth, if there are any left. (Perhaps 2% of scientists think they are).”

This would require a pretty big phone booth,.....

Since 2007 more than 31,000 American scientists from diverse climate-related disciplines, including more than 9,000 with Ph.D.s, have signed a public petition announcing their belief that “…there is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause...

[shield]

Perry Ping....

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[traderrob6]

I’m a Palin supporter but I must comment....CW, you are a tenacious one women army.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I’ll take that as a nice compliment.

[shield]

Yes, CHEERS for CW!!!

[jonrick46]

You are a precious one! Thank God for you!

[Da Coyote]

“...Cohen doesn’t hold a very high opinion of the Texas governor, of anyone who doesn’t buy into the notion of a looming global man-made global warming disaster, or of Republicans...”

Yup, Cohen is a mental giant, all right. I still remember him sitting next to me in my grad quantum class....NOT.

Cohen is as dumb as...a democratic president.

[smokingfrog]

Whether global warming is true or not, any cap & trade tax legislation is going to wreck the economy worse than it already is. I firmly believe the EPA is shutting down coal fired electric plants in order to try and get people to agree to some kind of cap & trade legislation. Then the coal fired plants will be allowed to continue to operate, as long as they pay the tax (passed onto the consumer, of course).

[cripplecreek]

St Rick isn’t bragging about that $3 billion in windmills these days.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

“... just as there are some scientists who are global warming skeptics, but these few – about 2% of climate researchers – could hold their annual meeting in a phone booth, if there are any left.”

Ironically, anyone making such a statement demonstrates their complete ignorance of the philosophy of science, the scientific method, and the history of science.

Every major scientific advancement, throughout history, has come at the expense of the previous “scientific con census”.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

con census = consensus

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

On second thought — in this case “con census” is the correct term.

[Interesting Times]

con census = consensus

It certainly does.

[Paradox]

I hate to be on the fence but.. I think it is possible to be a skeptic of AGW, while not being a denier. I think it might be possible, theoretically, and there is some data that suggests that it might be happening, but I am not convinced. I do think its something to keep an eye on however.

[South40]

"I think there is a path to citizenship for those young men and women ILLEGAL ALIENS who have served their country," Perry said.

THEIR COUNTRY?! Perry thinks America is THEIR COUNTRY?!
Perry wants to give ILLEGAL aliens citizenship

In 2001, Perry signed into law the very first Texas “Dream ACT.” It allowed the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at any Texas university. Perry defended the Texas “Dream ACT,” saying, “To punish these young Texans for their parents' actions is not what America has always been about.”

Perry then jetted off to Mexico and bragged to the Mexicans that Texas passed this law, saying, “The message is simple, educacion es el futuro, y si se puede.” Education is the future, and yes we can.
Rick Perry’s immigration problem

The number of illegal immigrant college students paying in-state tuition and receiving financial aid at Texas' public colleges and universities continues to climb, according to state higher education records.
Number of illegal immigrants getting in-state tuition for Texas colleges rises

In February 2007, Perry signed a shocking executive order forcing every sixth-grade girl to submit to a three-jab regimen of the Gardasil vaccine. He also forced state health officials to make the vaccine available "free" to girls ages 9 to 18. The drug, promoted by manufacturer Merck as an effective shield against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) and genital warts, as well as cervical cancer, had only been approved by the Food and Drug Administration eight months prior to Perry's edict.

Perry defenders pointed to a bogus "opt-out" provision in his mandate "to protect the right of parents to be the final authority on their children's health care." But requiring parents to seek the government's permission to keep an untested drug out of their kids' veins is a plain usurpation of their authority. Translation: Ask your bureaucratic overlord to determine if a Gardasil waiver is right for you.

Libertarians and social conservatives alike slammed Perry's reckless disregard for parental rights and individual liberty. The Republican-dominated legislature also balked. In May 2007, both chambers passed bills overturning the governor's unilaterally imposed health order.
Perry's vaccine order exposed lapse in political, policy judgments Rick Perry’s Superficial Extremism The Texas governor’s record doesn’t live up to his rhetoric.

“The Gardasil debacle is just one of many concerns a wide range of grass-roots conservative activists have about Perry’s record as governor. He’s soft on illegal immigration despite a few recent nods to border enforcement. He’s prone to crony capitalism. And as the vaccine mandate scandal shows, he demonstrated Nanny State tendencies that are anathema to Tea Party core principles.

Once again, the Perry campaign proves my point about the non-walkback-walkback. If Perry “erred on the side of life,” what his campaign continues to suggest is that those who opposed his Gardasil mandate from the beginning chose death. Instead of renouncing the human shield demagoguery he engaged it after the repeal, the Perry campaign has doubled-down. There is nothing — nothing — Tea Party about this.

The Gardasil debacle is a useful red flag on Perry’s basic political instincts, judgment, core values, and trust. It is no surprise — given his ties to Merck — that Perry is a consummate practitioner of corporate welfare “public-private partnerships.”
Plumbing the rest of the Perry record

Perry’s campaign website lists the Trans-Texas Corridor as one of his accomplishments. But is it something Perry really wants broadcast as an achievement? The Texas Republican Party’s 2010 platform includes a plank specifically opposing the Trans-Texas Corridor.
Rick Perry's NAFTA Superhighway Problem

VIDEO Perry compares Giuliani to Reagan

VIDEO: Perry thanked by Vicente Fox for illegals in-state tuition

[cripplecreek]

Gov. Perry Announces TEF Investment in Solar Power Company

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today announced the state will invest $1 million through the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) in HelioVolt Corp. of Austin for the construction of a 125,000 square foot manufacturing facility and development space to test and produce the company’s thin-film solar power cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. The deal will create nearly 160 jobs and $62 million in capital investment.

HelioVolt Corp. puts off growth. Plant is ready but demand not there yet

After months of stealthy operations, solar cell maker HelioVolt Corp. has delayed by two years its job creation projections.

Gov. Rick Perry: Wind Energy Keeps Texas' Air Clean and Our Future Bright

Texas doesn't just believe in the potential of wind energy, we are reaping its benefits already. People who talk about wind energy as a technology of the future clearly haven't been to West Texas lately: the future of wind energy in Texas is now. I probably don't need to spend too much time talking about the benefits of wind energy to a bunch of people who specialize in this remarkable technology, but a few things really stand out for me. I am proud that our state's installed wind generation capacity leads the nation, a place we did not reach by accident.

(snip)

Just last year, nearly $3 billion worth of wind-powered electric generators were installed, twice as much as any other state. This addition of more than 1,600 megawatts of capacity bumped up our total wind capacity by 59 percent. And the hits keep on coming. For example, this afternoon, one of the world's largest manufacturers of alternative energy equipment is announcing a new research facility here in Houston. And I recently got word that Hill Country Wind Power has acquired the Wind Turbine Company and is moving their manufacturing operations from Bellevue, Washington to the Lone Star state. With progress like this, I am confident we'll hit the next milestone, 10,000 megawatts, or 10% of our current capacity, well before the deadline in 2025.

[shield]

QUIT...trolling the Perry threads with all your same old garbage...thank you.

[Grunthor]

Does anyone EVER read the spam-bots’ bullsquat? I never have and never will, how about you folks....show of hands?

[rogue yam]

Global warming is a collectivist scam.

Social Security is a collapsing Ponzi scheme.

“Quantitative easing” is treason.

By my count the RINO cowboy dummy is three for three.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “Does anyone EVER read the spam-bots’ bullsquat?” <<

.
No, I just read your first line and quit.