ACC (Anthropogenic climate change) does not need to be real to be a powerful political tool. Politicians seek the acquisition and maintenance of power and fear as a powerful motivator when it comes to voters. Most politicians are retread lawyers so their scientific credentials are questionable at best. However, they are quick to recognize a scientific argument that can be turned to their purposes. AGW presents such an argument. To the extent that AGW poses a threat the politicians are the least equipped of anyone to address the problem.
As lawyers they actually believe they can alter reality by edict. King Canute amply demonstrated the folly of that when he commanded the waves to cease. When a “scientist” claims that “The science is settled” he is only displaying his ignorance for all to see. Real scientists recognize that science is never settled, it continues to evolve as new understanding is achieved.
ACC (Anthropogenic climate change) does not need to be real to be a powerful political tool. Politicians seek the acquisition and maintenance of power and fear as a powerful motivator when it comes to voters. Most politicians are retread lawyers so their scientific credentials are questionable at best. However, they are quick to recognize a scientific argument that can be turned to their purposes. AGW presents such an argument. To the extent that AGW poses a threat the politicians are the least equipped of anyone to address the problem.
As lawyers they actually believe they can alter reality by edict. King Canute amply demonstrated the folly of that when he commanded the waves to cease. When a “scientist” claims that “The science is settled” he is only displaying his ignorance for all to see. Real scientists recognize that science is never settled, it continues to evolve as new understanding is achieved.
Excellent post.
Whenever I’ve heard people claim that ACC is an issue, My question is if the climate is in crisis, what should the climate be doing to be not in crisis and if it is, what should be done about it? There answer usually revolves around some kind of government action. I then ask if we do take the suggested government action, by what measure will we know it’s been a success?
Usually by then the answer is something to the effect of “well we have to do something about it!!”
See what us conservatives are up against?
Actually, King Canute was tired of all the yes-men surrounding him. He put on his display to show how powerful God was, and how he was a mere mortal in the face of God. It was his attempt to show that we, as humans, were not in control.
The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
H. L. Mencken
And, of course, Global Warming is just another one of these “hobgoblins.”