Seems we have been here before.
Frank Rich: Experts Warn Al Qaeda "To Detonate Nuclear Device" In US, But Bush Punts on Threat
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/02/25/frank-rich-experts-warn-_n_42066.html
Posted by Judith at February 26, 2007 03:23 AM“My fellow Americans, people all over the world — we need to solve the climate crisis. It’s not a political issue. It’s a moral issue. We have everything we need to get started with the possible exception of the will to act. That’s a renewable resource. Let’s renew it.” - Al Gore, acceptance speech for An Inconvenient Truth
It's easy to forget what it is like to hear a president speak who has a brain and doesn't sound like he's calling cattle.
Is there an acronym or something we can call independents too stubborn to be republicans? ITSTBR?
Talking with my parents yesterday, my Dad's jumped full-in-line with the 'whole global warming thing' (he just retired and is looking for a cause). "Al's right. But he's not perfect; he doesn't present himself well (he's seen the movie twice an read the book), he blames Republicans too much, and he doesn't quote his sources."
I have my mouth jammed with burger at this point to keep my jaw from hitting the floor.
What are you talking about? The book is sourced, movies are impossible to mention sources in, very few people are great on camera, and the man's a partisan Democrat who was at the very least marginally defeated in the bloody presidential campaign by pack of GOP thugs who wouldn't admit warming to God Almighty himself.
Ack.
Posted by idiosynchronic at February 26, 2007 05:12 AMnd ths s mnngfl hw? S mk-blv hnrs mk-blv bfr ths whs scrns my b wd yt r bt mcrn dp.
[Editor: ignore=off]How do we know you're not a make believe troll?
Posted by TIKI AL at February 26, 2007 05:41 AMOh, Bendimmo is a real troll, TIKI, but he is a make-believe human....
Idio, sorry, but I don't understand your story about your father. It seems like a good thing to me that he is gotten on board with the truth of global warming, whatever he may feel about the shortcomings of Gore and his book/film. If he is representative of political independents, things are advancing.
CO2 Warming has gone from being totally denied by the American public just a few short years ago to being the subject of an academy award. We'll see how strong the attempted corporate backlash is as result of Gore's well deserved success last night.
Team Conservative has a huge base of vicious, withered, small-minded souls out there, perfectly willing to cut off their own nose (and the noses of their children's children) simply to spite another, which brings us back to bendimmo....
Posted by euzoius at February 26, 2007 06:02 AMfrom Juan Cole:
That the Al Gore film "An Inconvenient Truth" was legitimized by an Oscar Sunday night for "Best Documentary" has wider implications for the future of the United States than it might seem, though admittedly it is a small step.
We know that Exxon Mobil is a significant funder of the American Enterprise Institute and has used it to attempt to bribe "scientists" to cast doubt on global warming. Lee Raymond, who was CEO of Exxon Mobil until 2005, is the vice-chair of AEI's board of directors.
We also know that the American Enterprise Institute is the most hawkish of the Washington "think tanks," and that its staffers were key to thinking up and promoting the Iraq War with lies and propaganda.
A=B, B=C, therefore A=C. Exxon Mobil is a big behind the scenes player in the Iraq War by virtue of its support for AEI. In fact, I think a boycott of its gas stations is in order until the company cuts off AEI and stops promoting the Iraq War and muddying the waters on global warming. (It pledged to do the latter in the past, but obviously was lying).
Posted by Don Bacon at February 26, 2007 06:48 AMI think I understand idio's dilemma: even when reasonable people finally wake up to the truth of Gore's long message on global warming, they only accept the message in the package of the neo-cons, the republicons. Which means they can continue to vote and live in ways that continue the destructive path while admitting the problem is real.
This is the packaging of the next few electoral sessions: yeah, the greens have figured out the past that led us into this climate crisis, but their approach to solve the problem is too extreme, it threatens our way of life, they hate us for our freedoms.
The republicons/neocons are ultimate pragmatists, even another two year cycle with control of some part of the purse strings will allow for two more very personally profitable years robbing the treasury. The question is when do the mass of American working folks stop identifying with and voting for reactionaries who serve the mass of american working so poorly?
Posted by angel at February 26, 2007 06:53 AM"[b]So make-believe honors make-believe before those whose screens may be wide yet are but a micron deep.[/b]"
Sorta sounds like having to place the word "pResident" in front of doofus the vacuous schizo's name who ensconsed in the White House today. Benny, you just have to get off that fecal diet you seem to be on, it is interfering with your ability to think....
Is there anyone here that thinks a repig is worth saving? Shit eating canines, are shit eating canines. Once they start they're hooked for life.
Posted by Maheanuu at February 26, 2007 07:04 AMI think what upsets me is the character framing in my father's head - he's always been an corporate-leaning environmentalist. It sounds oxymoronic, but many moderate people are that - I think it can be phrased in terms of, "If the cost to industry and corporation is reasonable, or that the crisis id monumental enough, corporations should be held higher standards." Environmentalism from him is nothing new - he paid attention to the ozone crisis and CFCs far before a number of middle-class white suburbanites. He certainly believes in the concept of stewardship; church, environment, company & charity.
That he claims environmentalism isn't what bothers me; what bothers me is how much he's swallowed the personality framing about Al Gore. It's what made him vote for Bush the Lesser in '00. It tells me that without the obvious corruption and incompetence in the current administration, he'd be ready to vote for another moderate-posing Republican who says the right things on environmental issues & abortion, while wholly justifying his decision on distortions in the media. Giuliani, anyone? or perhaps, McCain?
This guy is our ally on the environment, and he represents the fight for Democrats and liberals to get a fair portrayal in the media on both ourselves and the issues.
Posted by idiosynchronic at February 26, 2007 07:04 AMIdio's father doesn't like Al Gore's campaign for the same reason that so many people like Barack Obama's campaign. In America today style trumps substance. It's not what you stand for it's how photogenic and likable you are.
Posted by Don Bacon at February 26, 2007 07:10 AMAnd this is meaningful how? So make-believe honors make-believe before those whose screens may be wide yet are but a micron deep.
I agree. All that crap about the "environment" -and really, what does that mean in the first place, "environment". It's like "evolution". Come on! But, anyway.
I really agree, benditio. This "environment" stuff is silly and takes our eyes off of the real mission of killing Towel Heads. You should protest by sitting in your running car in a closed garage. You can prove once and for all this "environment" nonsense is a farce. Those gasses are good for the earth. You go prove it, boy!
my Dad's jumped full-in-line with the 'whole global warming thing'
The odd thing is that perfectly well educated republi-cons do the most mouth-breathing 6th-grade dropout mental calisthenics to support that global warmimg is just another weather pattern.
One of my favorites: "Look at all that snow that fell in the east? Where's your global warming now?" So you explain that the lakes in Canada didn't freeze this year and "lake effect" snows are part of the problem. Then you talk about polar bears and their plight and you get, "I don't give a damn about polar bears. They're just white grizzly bears. We have plenty of grizzlies to go around."
As sad as it is, this is an actual conversation I had with my very well-educated neo-con brother. Not a day goes by that he doesn't "Sieg Heil" the president gasman.
Posted by phidipides at February 26, 2007 09:37 AMI like Gore and would likely support him if he did run for Prez but someone has to call him out for his wife's asinine witchhunt against "evil" music back in the 80's. Does anyone recall Dee Snider of Twisted Sister testifying before Congress? Quality stuff.
Posted by kebmodee at February 26, 2007 11:20 AMAl and his College roommate are now both Oscar winners!
Posted by goose1 at February 26, 2007 12:33 PM"Al and his College roommate are now both Oscar winners!"
Ha ha! Indeed. Good catch, goose1!
Posted by bartcopfan at February 26, 2007 08:41 PMBecause we all need to wake up now.
Yup. We do. To the junk science on which global warming theories are based.
junk science like Gravity, evolution.
Posted by Goose1 at February 27, 2007 11:12 AM