I hate politicians
Rant Alert!
Why do I subject myself to cable news? I am sitting here talking to the TV as I listen to an idiot senator (not naming names) being interviewed. Okay, maybe idiot is a harsh and inappropriate term, but still. The topic is global warming. I don't purport to be an expert on this topic. I do think that all our emissions are not doing the environment or climate any favors, but how much of what's going on with the weather in the world can actually be attributed to them, I don't think anyone knows for sure. There are a multitude of hypotheses and theories being bandied about. The thing that got me aggravated this morning was this senator's response to the newscaster when he made the following comment, and asked the following question:
Newscaster: "There are extremists on both sides, and likely the truth is somewhere in the middle. How do you protect the environment without costing jobs in America?"
Senator: "Okay here's the deal: when you're dealing with science and fact and truth, it's not about going into the middle....you say 'who are the scientists who know what they're talking about?' and that's what I have to do." (Okay, what makes this senator qualified to determine THAT?) "I represent 37 million people in my state....this isn't an issue where you split the difference....when you're dealing with science, when you're dealing with life and death, you don't split the difference, you find out what the science is..." (Again, this senator's qualifications in sifting through the varied opinions by respected scientists on this topic are what?) Note, the question has not been answered.
Newscaster: "and there are debates among scientists about the science"
Senator: "no, not really." (No, not really?!?!?!)
This senator then went on to accuse the newscaster of "echoing James Inhofe", who has called global warming a hoax, and gave no credibility whatsoever to the fact that there is a debate among scientists about global warming. The newscaster made it clear that he was not calling it a hoax. That didn't appease this senator, who kept reiterating that there are "1000 scientists who have come out with the IPCC saying that now is the time to do something about the climate." And yet there is this: "...there is no evidence that we are, or could ever cause global climate change. Recently, Yuri A. Izrael, Vice President of the United Nations sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed this statement." - Dr. Tim Ball.
Who is Dr. Tim Ball?
"Dr. Tim Ball, Chairman of the Natural Resources Stewardship Project, is a renowned environmental consultant and former professor of climatology at the University of Winnipeg. Dr. Ball has served on many local and national committees and as Chair of Provincial boards on water management, environmental issues and sustainable development. Dr. Ball’s extensive science background in climatology, especially the reconstruction of past climates and the impact of climate change on human history and the human condition, make him the ideal head of NRSP as we move into our first campaign, Understanding Climate Change. His extensive public speaking experience and presentations to professional societies, business conferences, public forums and a wide variety of public, private and non-profit organizations make him the ideal spokesperson for NRSP as well."
Again, I am not taking a position in this post either believing or disbelieving in global warming. I'm just pointing out that there IS disagreement in the scientific community - respected, renowned scientists, not crackpots - on the topic. What makes this senator qualified enough to determine which scientists "know what they're talking about"? I suspect it's those who agree with the senator's position. Politicians!
The other reason I hate politicians is all this crap that's going on in Congress. Look, if you're a Democrat, you are thrilled to smithereens that the administration is finally "getting their due." They're being called on the carpet for all their suspected misdeeds. Heads are going to roll. Democrats are ebullient. News flash. Do you not remember when the shoe was on the other foot, back when Newt and the gang finally wrested control of Congress away from the Dems, and went after Bill, Hillary, and their cohorts? You all cried foul, loudly and frequently. Republicans were gleeful. Dems were pissed. They complained about all the time that was being wasted on subpoenas and hearings that were nothing more than witch hunts. But now that they are the ones issuing subpoenas and holding hearings, it's justfied, it's about time, it's necessary. Please. It is ALL just politics as usual. Both sides. I'm sick of it.
Politicians are, on both sides of the aisle, self-centered, money-grubbing, slime bags who only care about making themselves look good so they can get re-elected, or get elected President some day. I know, I am such a cynic. I believe that they don't care about you and me. They only care about their perqs (yes, that is the correct spelling - short for perquisites), their privileges, their paychecks, their power, and little else. Okay, there are the few decent politicians, the ones who really do want to effect change, who really do care about their constituency. Sadly, they either don't last long on the national scene, or they turn to the dark side. All this hearing-holding, subpoena-issuing, finger pointing, is nothing more than politics as usual, and I'm sick and tired of it. DO SOMETHING important. Fix income tax. Fix health care. Stop trying to prove the guys on the other side of the aisle are the devil incarnate. Stop posturing. Please.
Oh, and Al Gore, before making a statement in his appearance before Congress this morning on global warming about "reaching across the aisle to solve global warming", refused to listen to the GOP's opening statements at that hearing. Yeah, that's really reaching across the aisle, Al. Maybe he was out buying carbon credits.
Rant Alert off.
