The GOP record on climate change...

[Dannyalcatraz]

...just got scratched.

In this thread, I called out Lindsey Graham on his position regarding healthcare for veterans.

Well, I believe in credit where credit is due. Sen. Graham has repeated AND been more pointed in his criticism of his fellow Republicans on their positions on climate science. If you claim you don't have the science background to understand the nuances of climate science, he expressly opines, then why don't you believe the climate scientists themselves? Why do you support the minority- and declining- number of climate scientists who do not believe in anthropogenic climate change?
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/15/3680736/lindsey-graham-late-night/

Is this an honest position on his part? Hard to say- he's been opposed to certain methods of curbing carbon emissions in the past, but that may just be an indication of opposition to the METHOD, not the science.

But damn if it isn't a breath of fresh air!

 

[Joker]

I think we're seeing a shift in both parties like back in the day. Republicans are going to be the democrats and vice versa. It's like a game of musical chairs except that, unfortunately, there are enough seats for everyone who had a chair to begin with.

 

[Ryujin]

The whole climate change denial thing has been a bit of a moving target at any rate. No, it doesn't exist. Yes, it exists, but it's a natural cyclical process. Yes, it exists, and humans contribute, but it's unknown how much.

Now we're at the point where previous climate change deniers admit that it exists, but most still say that there is nothing that can be done about it. How about move people's homes off the flood plains and shorelines?

 

[Kramodlog]

"Climate is a myth." -Some Republican politician

 

[Umbran]

Is this an honest position on his part?

Insofar as he has at least somewhat supported action on climate change since 2009, it is probably as honest position as you are likely to find - he has worked to back legislation to help us deal with the problem, and then removed his backing from that same legislation when it became inconvenient.

But, this is also a major point where he could differentiate himself from the many of the other GOP Presidential candidates. It will lose him some of the "base", but if that doesn't knock him out of the running, it might get him many moderates in trade.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

That was kind of what I was thinking.

 

[Ryujin]

Insofar as he has at least somewhat supported action on climate change since 2009, it is probably as honest position as you are likely to find - he has worked to back legislation to help us deal with the problem, and then removed his backing from that same legislation when it became inconvenient.

But, this is also a major point where he could differentiate himself from the many of the other GOP Presidential candidates. It will lose him some of the "base", but if that doesn't knock him out of the running, it might get him many moderates in trade.

Given how disenfranchised many voters are feeling, due to greater and greater polarization between the two parties, even if it isn't a truthful representation of how he feels about the topic it's still a viable political strategy.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I think it is Lindsey's view only, South Carolina is a coastal state and faced with billions is cost of climate change.

It changes has changed from election to election but there are only 9 states that are coastal and as such, may be facing the greatest cost from and sea level changes.

 

[Umbran]

I think it is Lindsey's view only, South Carolina is a coastal state and faced with billions is cost of climate change.

It changes has changed from election to election but there are only 9 states that are coastal and as such, may be facing the greatest cost from and sea level changes.

Which shows how much the false controversies have gotten in our way of thinking on the subject. Consider what happens to the economy as a whole when those states have to face sea-level rise costs?

Consider what happens to all that wonderful interior agricultural land as temperatures rise, changing weather patterns - last I checked, the "breadbasket" gets shoved up towards and into Canada. Sure, they may not have to fight rising seas, but they have to fight wilting corn and wheat.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Consider what happens to all that wonderful interior agricultural land as temperatures rise, changing weather patterns - last I checked, the "breadbasket" gets shoved up towards and into Canada. Sure, they may not have to fight rising seas, but they have to fight wilting corn and wheat.

Consider also that it takes more to grow plants than the right temperatures and the proper amount of water. Just because you have those two, it doesn't necessarily follow that you have the right kind of soil to grow a given crop.

Which means that even though the weather patterns may shift to be more favorable to grow corn & wheat in Canada, they may still not be able to match current production if their soil has the wrong trace minerals, is too acidic, too clay-like, is too shallow, or...