Sophistry From the Governator
RINO former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has a legacy problem. Swept into office in 2003 in the wake of Gray Davis's recall by voters incensed by the Democrat's massive state budget deficit and disastrous energy policy, Ahnold bequeathed his successor, Democrat Jerry Brown, with an even bigger deficit, softer economy and an energy policy time bomb in the form of California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32). AB32 is set to unleash the state’s pollution control bureaucracy on the citizenry to force state carbon dioxide emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020, thereby setting an example for the world while igniting--if that's the right word--the Green Economy of the Future.
That's the theory, anyway. However, Church of Global Warming futures have been selling off around the world of late as voters begin to notice serial cherry-picking of temperature records and outright collusion by climate change enthusiasts while shivering in their winter coats this Spring. In fact, the rationale for manmade cataclysmic climate change is now so tenuous that even last year's congressional super majorities that crammed Obamacare down the throats of an unwilling public were unable to deliver California’s self-defeating policy to the nation as a whole.
So as California businesses relocate to Texas ahead of the inevitable energy cliff, the Governator’s only hope is the Obama EPA’s effort to contort the penumbras and emanations of the 1970 Clean Air Act enough to incorporate the considerably more recent greenhouse gas theory of impending Armageddon, effectively nationalizing California’s nutty policy.
After a lengthy and unrelated discourse on the dangers of mercury and other actual pollutants, Schwarzenegger gets to the real point in his April 21 Wall Street Journal op-ed (behind the pay wall here):
Congress should not substitute political calculations for scientific and medical facts. According to a recent poll by the American Lung Association, 69% of Americans believe that EPA scientists should set health standards, rather than members of Congress. Yet one proposal under consideration would actually overturn a finding by EPA experts on the impact of carbon pollution on our atmosphere. Another would prevent government scientists from even gathering information on the amount of this pollution going into the air.
Did you get that? First note the absence of any defense of “global warming” or “climate change” orthodoxy. Next, observe that carbon dioxide, the stuff you exhale, the colorless, odorless non-toxic gas that plants need to create the oxygen necessary for all animal life on earth, is now a conventional “pollutant” like mercury and hydrogen fluoride.
Schwarzenneger’s imperative is to convince us to allow the “EPA scientists” to set “health standards” to prevent “carbon pollution,”—whatever that is—and thereby validate his standing as an environmental prophet.
As Nancy Reagan used to say, “Just say no.”
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
Whenever warmist bombast is loudest I think back on Vineland, known as Greenland today, where temperatures were mild enough a thousand years ago to grow grapes. Other than Reagan, has Hollywood ever given us a decent politician? Other than him, has California?
Jun '10
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
What's sad about this is that the WSJ gives Arnold a platform when he clearly belongs on Huff-and-Puff-Post. I thought he was going to pretend to be an actor again. What's next? Is the WSJ going to continue to lower their standards and give Jesse Ventura op-ed space to spew his conspiracy nonsense or his proclaim his adoration for Hugo Chavez?
Aug '10
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
What a dunce he is and a disappointment. I lived in California during the Davis fiasco and the ascension of Schwarzenegger, and had a hope or two. I moved when he imploded in '06.
The main problem - aside from his mediocre mind - is he's married to Maria Shriver, and thus, the Kennedy Delusion and Megalomania. He's actually 'Terminator Ted' Kennedy underneath the realistic-looking Skynet skin.
Dec '10
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
Bingo, George. Schwarzenneger bandies about the term "carbon pollution" as if he had some idea what he was talking about, but his utter failure to offer any evidence that carbon is a pollutant rather than a natural part of life's essential carbon cycle proves that he's just a blind follower of the Cult of Climate Change.
I am ashamed that I voted for him - twice. I can only plead that I've learned from the mistake.
May '10
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
What a squish. The Democrat bullies kicked sand in his face and he dried up and blew away.
And, he pardoned Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez's kid who had taken part in a murder. Cronyism at its worst.
Dec '10
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
"Congress should not substitute political calculations for scientific and medical facts. According to a recent poll by the American Lung Association, 69% of Americans believe that EPA scientists should set health standards, rather than members of Congress." (emphasis added)
What was it that dufus said Congress should not do, back in the first part of that sentence? Oh yeah, I remember, they should not substitute political calculations for scientific and medical facts. Instead of political calculations, they should base their decisions on a poll. That would make sense to me, were I an out of work, henpecked politician.
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
Just wonderful, CJ; and absolutely correct.
For more circular thinking from the Church of Global Warming, I refer you to a Mother Jones article I caught wind of via Vinod Khosla's Twitter feed (Vinod is a brilliant Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture capitalist sadly turned to the Dark Side on climate-related matters, perhaps due to his large venture investments in the space...but I digress).
The Science of Why We Don't Believe in Science purports to debunk climate change skepticism by pointing out that our emotions cause us to reject contrary evidence, unlike, say, the partisan climate change scientists themselves and the eager politicians and journalists cheering them on. The whole thesis is breathtakingly and beautifully self-ignorant.
Jan '11
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
It's one thing for the government to believe that it must take charge of things because the common people can't be trusted. But it becomes even more dangerous when political power is turned over to "experts."
That betrays an underlying assumption that's truly undemocratic. When you're willing to turn over government power (tax, regulate, prosecute, etc.) to experts because, surely, they're "correct" and "they know better," then you've misunderstood how government is intended to work. Government wields the power of the people, and that means that the policymakers are responsible and are accountable to the people. Government is as much about accountability and responsibility as it is about policy success.
It's also evidence of a politician's desire to push the blame to someone else. If the "experts" don't produce success, or they impose excessive burdens to succeed (i.e., they just accumulate taxes to pay for perfection), then the politician can simply blame the experts and take no responsibility for any downside, while basking in any success. Boards of experts are a politician's scapegoat.
Sep '10
Re: Sophistry From the Governator
I think Arnold and many other people will wonder what the hell all the fuss was about 10 years from now.
In Arnold's defense, though, I lived in CA while he was governor. He came in like a Milton Friedman Republican and left like a Nixon Republican (sans Watergate). In between he was pounded by the media and labor unions like no politician I have ever seen. I think the people of CA failed Arnold by rejecting his policy prescriptions. To make himself relevant he supported all this kind of stuff.
Sic transit gloria mundi.