That, after all, has to be one's conclusion from the words and arguments of Texas State State Legislator Phil King,
"Texas could go back into the dark ages, and you've got to say what impact does that have on global climate?" King added
"You turn off every power plant in Texas, and the impact would be negligible for CO2."
Shallow, Faulty Logic
King's truthiness is a common type of argument, across so many battles related to any 'tragedy of the commons' issue. "I'm so small and such a neglible part of the problem, nothing that I do really matters anyway." Truly, these type of arguments rate highly in the absurdity of the Inhofe Scale. Changing a light bulb doesn't change the globe. Changing a million probably doesn't. Changing a billion does.
In reality, this is like saying "I'm just one person, what matters if I piss in the pool." With just one person doing it, the diluted pee is probably meaningless. When a hundred people do it? A thousand?
Evidently, Phil King wants us to believe that the Great State of Texas simply doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
And, King wants to continue to have the right to continue to piss with impunity into our common pool of air.
Some perspective
But, let's put King's comments into a little perspective.
Let's talk about Texas and energy:
Texas is #1 per capita in GHG emissions in the US, which is one of the worst countries in the world on a per capita basis. Thus, Texans are the worst of the worst when it comes to contributing to Global Warming. Cleaning up Texas' act won't change the globe but ...
In 2006, total global emissions were about 42 gigatonnes. Texas emitted about 670 million tons, or about 1.6% of global emissions. With emissions growing globally at about 2-3%/year, eliminating Texas' GHG emissions would not end Global Warming. Eliminating Texas' coal-fired electricity won't end Global Warming. No ... King's right.
But, to put in perspective, Texas had 23.5 million citizens in 2006, less than 10% of the US population and about 1/3rd of 1% of global population. Consider Texas' emissions in that context: 0.3% of Global Population, 1.6% of global emissions.
King's comments are, it seems, factually true but they certainly aren't truthful and are most appropriately pegged as truthiness.
King's comments come amid a larger Republican disinformation effort. Governor Perry is peddling truthiness about the costs and benefits of taking action to turn the tides of Global Warming's rising seas.
"The EPA is making plans to re-interpret the Federal Clean Air Act in ways that were never contemplated when this law was passed and will cripple the Texas economy," said Gov. Perry. "The methods under consideration by the EPA will punish innovation, cost jobs and drive investment out of Texas and overseas."
Yes, efforts to internalize external costs of fossil fuel burning (like increased asthma, mercury poisoning, CO2 emissions) would be crippling ... that is to traditional fossil fuel industrial production. This would, however, not just open up opportunities to create a 21st century energy system but also have that minorly value impact of reducing health problems from polluting energy.
As for "Punish innovation", WTF Perry? The energy sector, writ large, has been one of the least innovative industries in America. We are still basically burning coal in the same manner as a century ago. The basic nature of the incandescent light-bulb dates from the 19th century. And ... Creating a fiscal environment to value energy efficiency and cleaner energy options will spark tremendous innovation, including in the Great State of Texas.
Hmmm ...
Texas cleaning up its act is part of the solution to the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced even though even the Great State of Texas can't solve the problem on its own. not the entirety.
A final note, per Burnt Orange Report
Maybe it's time for Phil King to clean up his act and learn the facts about Texas pollution before it's too late.