http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6930105.stm Better late than never. You think his nonscience believing followers will jump on the bandwagon or just latch on to the next nonscience preaching demagogue?
The meeting will discuss that there is no climate change and how the US will convince everyone that everything is fine until judgment day. Thanks for coming .. oh and every participant will get a free Hummer (colour of your choice)
No. This is about control. The U.S.(Bush) is going to dictate what everyone else should do while vehemently refusing to make any changes itself.
I've seen the actions he tries to implement as an effort to curb climate change and I'm never impressed. In such cases he's either lost faith in America's intelligence, adaptation to change and our ability to innovate - or his motivation is pr. I'm guessing the latter. I'll be pleasantly surprised if I'm wrong and something productive with more immediate results is derived from this.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burritos @ Aug 3 2007, 01:05 PM) [snapback]490034[/snapback]</div> My gosh, we can't have anyone diagree with consensus science. We must stifle those people at all costs -- the last thing we want is a discussion! Global warming is coming...we MUST ACT NOW!
The argument there is not about global warming. It's about Bush's record of willfully ignoring science in favor of his "gut" or his religious beliefs and stripping away every sensible protection of our environment that he can get his hands on. Without bringing up global warming even you could find environmental policy that his administration has plundered for its or its wealthy friends' benefit while ignoring the safety and health of us lowly humans. Bush could turn into the most rabid environmentalist today and still not be able to undo the damage his administration has done.
Yeah, the Prince of Hydrocarbons is now calling for Kyoto-Lite energy talk. Excuse me if I take this as seriously as his pledge to fire anyone in his administration that had anything to do with Valerie Plame. What neither his advisors nor he will ever acknowledge is that the petro-based global economic model can longer be sustained if any significant action is to be taken to stop this head-long rush of world-wide environmental degredation. He will argue that you can only do so much because to take the drastic measures needed will cause a world-wide economic crisis (for him and everyone of his oil-enriched tribe). This emperor has been without clothes so long on every occasion he thinks the ridicule he invokes worldwide, suits him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ Aug 3 2007, 02:15 PM) [snapback]490070[/snapback]</div> I think this thread's focus is mostly on Bush's attitude on global warming and the scientific debate that surrounds the subject. I'm a little concerned about this constant accusation of ignoring science, as if there is one scientific conclusion for each issue, clean air, global warming, clean water, etc. While I surely agree that the Bush Administration is not the champion of the environment that many environemental groups would like to see, as with most things, I don't believe its as bad as they make it out to be either. Whichever party has the majority or the White House, its big buisness for interest groups to create crisis and alarm over anything that happens they do not agree with -- it generates money for their cause -- this goes for conservative as well as liberal groups. Bottomline, can Bush do better on the environment? Most certainly! Is he the physical form of evil on the environment and every other bad thing that happens? Of course not.
Fine, make it 'selective' science then instead of ignoring science. Either way, he is in charge of the country (and I understand that is debatable as well) and he is being very careful not burden his backers with the wrong selection. Hence the lack of environmental concern, there is not money nor power to gain from it. Let me add that this is a bipartisan sin, big time! Besides this is just a wee bit curious that his sudden interest in these talks come at the end of his term. He will just conveniently run out of time to do implement any changes and can lay the blame on those who follow and fail to act on it. Call it cynical Friday!... my bad!
'Science' may not always give black and white answers, but Bush surely does by shutting down scientific research or debate, and ignoring the opinions of the international community on issues like stem cell research, AIDS awareness and prevention... oh yeah, and climate change. I don't think he's the embodiment of evil, I just think he's weak-willed in the face of his corporate friends, and I think even if he grew a spine, he couldn't reverse all of the damaging policies he's been involved in creating.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ Aug 3 2007, 03:01 PM) [snapback]490108[/snapback]</div> I'm afraid that the shutting down of scientific debate takes place on both sides of a few controversial issues, most surely global warming. There's a difference between ignoring opinions and disagreeing with them. Two people or a group of people can have discussions on issues, but in the end, some or one may disagree with the other -- would the people who disagree have to accept the opinion of the others? Of course not, that doesn't mean that the others are being ignored. In public policy, especially these days, its hard to know when to stick with prinicple and when to move to compromise. I think the art of compromise on both sides of these major issues is in danger of being lost. The problem with the statement that he is "weak-willed in the face of his corporate friends" is it questions people's motives. Conservatives will do this as well when a Democrat does something they don't like -- they call it bowing to the extreme left or something along those lines. That kind of polarization in our society now is completely paralizing and does nothing to advance the discussion (I'm not accusing you, I'm just saying in general).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Washington1788 @ Aug 3 2007, 03:14 PM) [snapback]490113[/snapback]</div> You're right. Government is about compromise...that's the only way it will work. Making decisions --based, even in part, on the tenets of a religion which is absolutely uncompromising in its assertion of primacy-- is definitely adding complexity to the issues, I think. Mr. Bush is simply too convinced that he's in possession of the sole truth, and is unwilling to consider alternatives which call any of it into question. This unwillingness to compromise is a problem, especially when a self-proclaimed "uniter" is at the center of the controversy...and, he's our President.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Aug 3 2007, 04:26 PM) [snapback]490120[/snapback]</div> This is Classic Bush TALK ABOUT IT, Than do nothing!
If you're not accusing me, then I'll accuse myself: I question his motives, and when his motives aren't clear, I question his ability to think for himself, rather than do as his powerful interests tell him. Early in his reign (okay, so I chose that work just to provoke) I used to think I could avoid allowing myself to be polarized by his actions, but I gave up on that long ago. I don't disagree with everything he's done, but the things I do agree with, I still am forced to view as attempts to gain political favor with less conservative voters. Actually, the things I disagree with seem equally politically motivated, and to me it seems that anything that has politics as a motive should be questioned (and not just in a partisan way).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ Aug 3 2007, 04:31 PM) [snapback]490126[/snapback]</div> But George Is A UNITER Not A Divider!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NYPrius1 @ Aug 3 2007, 03:31 PM) [snapback]490125[/snapback]</div> He talks big, but is a bit short of know-how. He also (to paraphrase Alan Mulally, on another topic) "seeks to be understood, more than he seeks to understand."