The "Abbreviated Pundit Round-up" today (2/17/2010) In cluded a link to an article from climate change denier David Harsanyi. His column "Who Doesn't Trust Science Now?" appears on Real Clear Politics. He apparently writes for the Denver Post.
I get so tired of these clowns trying to pose as reasonable. They need to be challenged. This kind of faux "dispute" has to be answered. The text of my response to Mr. Harsanyi is below.
This is my first diary, so any constructive feedback will be welcomed.
Dear Mr. Harsanyi,
In your column you state "...most concede they can't possibly fully understand the underlying science. I certainly can't, despite my best efforts." So, I'll explain it. We're digging up massive amounts of carbon from the ground, and putting it in the air.
Some people believe this is having no effect on our climate whatever. That doesn't sound reasonable.
The ClimateGate scandal did not disprove one iota of evidence for climate change. Hackers went through years and years of email, pulled out a few quotes, and presented them out of context to make the scientists look petty. But even that did not disprove one shred of the massive amount of evidence.
There have been stacks and stacks of peer-reviewed published research articles proving climate change is man-made. There have been none, zero, that dispute it. The Bush administration itself acknowledged that climate change is real, and man-made. George W. Bush himself stated so publicly.
Reasonable people can disagree on how bad the effects will be, what should be done about it, and how we might adapt. And yes, there certainly has been hysteria from some quarters on how bad things might get.
There is certainly reasonable concern over what remediation might cost. This is where the debate should be. In the end pollution is waste, and reducing it creates jobs, cleans the air, and ultimately results in cost savings in the larger economy. It is just common sense that it will eventually cost far less to get energy from the sun and wind than having to dig it out of the ground.
The fossil fuel industry is using the same techniques as the tobacco companies to provide political cover to the deniers. They fund "research" that magically finds that "the jury is still out". They pay "experts" to say "the evidence is inconclusive", and take pains to make sure the media corporations present "both sides of the issue". I find this ridiculous. There are not two sides to this issue, in terms of whether or not climate change is happening, and that it is man-made. In 10 minutes I can find you 100 people who say the Apollo moon landings were a hoax. But no media person in their right mind would take pains to make sure "both sides of the issue" were presented every time the Apollo program was discussed.
Denying climate change just makes you look foolish. That emporer no longer has any clothes.