Category: Climate Change

Only a Day Away.

Also new today, Tuck Pendleton, Bilbo Baggins, and Donnie Darko run around lamenting the dire consequences of global warming in The Core 2…um, I mean The Day After Tomorrow. The earlier teaser had made this seem potentially like an “after-the-cataclysm” sci-fi movie, but, nope, it’s just a disaster flick. Sigh.

Skipping the Middleman

They may be forced to put up with his budget-busting economic proposals, but they’re drawing the line on global warming. A number of Northeastern states – including several led by Republican governors – break with Dubya and prepare to pass greenhouse-gas emission caps that accord with the Kyoto treaty.

Burning Evidence.

As they do with all potentially threatening data, the Dubya White House tries to sweep global warming under the rug by removing key portions of the EPA’s “State of the Environment” report. “The editing eliminated references to many studies concluding that warming is at least partly caused by rising concentrations of smokestack and tail-pipe emissions and could threaten health and ecosystems…In its place, administration officials added a reference to a new study, partly financed by the American Petroleum Institute, questioning that conclusion.” Brilliant. Perhaps I should add the Bugblatter Beast of Traal to Dubya’s advisor pic, since it seems to be his MO they’re constantly following in these cases.

Energy Influx.

Election 2004 update: Kerry tries to separate from the herd by announcing his proposed national energy policy today, which includes raising fuel-efficiency standards (currently at 20.7 and 27.5 miles per gallon for SUVs and cars respectively) to 36mpg by 2015. (Of the other leading candidates, Dean appears to concur with tougher standards, while Edwards – also in Iowa today to call for pension reform – has voted for a truck exemption in the past…the perils of a pickup state.)I like the “Of Big Oil, by Big Oil, for Big Oil” line…hopefully the pack will continue to call out Bush before turning on each other anew.

Paging Theodore Rex.

The Old World will burn in the fires of Industry…and yet, concerned about GOP vulnerability in the suburbs, Frank Luntz is now advocating a kindler, gentler environmental message for Republican candidates, including Orwellian substitutions of “conservationist” and “climate change” for “environmentalist” and “global warming” respectively. Well, dang, now that they put it like that, I feel much more at ease about the GOP cutting down trees and drilling up Alaska.

When Land Sharks Attack.

In a remarkable confluence of GOP shibboleths, the Bush economic plan will cut taxes on tricked-up SUV‘s. Makes sense – not only does it help out Dubya’s oil buddies, but I presume most SUV drivers (outside of Detroit) are GOP voters, particularly given the findings in this article (sent to me via Dumbmonkey.)