Comments on: A Misstep and Signs of Despair at Climate Progress (climate optimism, anyone?)

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:45:03 +0000

RBJ,

I have always thought that there was a good chance that even the warmists do not believe their own propaganda. It’s as if man-made global warming was some reason for living, or in some cases, the reason for their paycheck. For sports fans, what would a cubs fan be without the Chicago cubs? If one followed the cubs since childhood, how could one get it out of your system? Eventually, you move on to something else. Here’s my next catastrophe prediction: death by killer asteroid!!! We’re due for a large asteroid collision that could knock out a city if it landed on one. Chances are it will land in the ocean, but can you imagine the fallout (in politics)? You heard it here first.

By: Jean Demesure

Jean Demesure — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:27:46 +0000

@Robert,
Romm’s attitude reminds me of French climate skeptics Claude Allègre here in France : deference to authority by hypocrisy and interest.
Allegre is arch climato-skeptics but when interviewed on what he thinks about arch climato-hysterics Sarkozy (we call him Carbozy, for his “taxe carbone”, due to come back soon), all he has to say is the President is wise for leading the charge to protect the climate, still hoping Carbozy will give him some ministry seat. Typical lefties’ duplicity.

As to your appeal to reason to Romm’s groupies, I must concur with Andrew. Those guys won’t let uggly facts get into their beautiful theories. See their denial of the DDT tragedy or the busted “nuclear winter”.
Never wrong, never shameful, that’s how many minds work.

By: Robert Bradley Jr.

Robert Bradley Jr. — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:05:18 +0000

Things are getting strange over at Climate Progress. Today, Romm tries to undo the headlines about Obama opening the door to ditch cap-and-trade for an energy bill.

http://climateprogress.org/2010/02/02/yes-obama-is-still-pursuing-clean-air-clean-energy-jobs-bill-that-puts-a-price-on-carbon-pollution/

But why can’t Romm just go ahead and criticize Obama? The shrinking incrementalist needs to shrink some more or stop and say–”I disagree with Obama (and my bosses).”

I did this at Enron for my (intellectually strong) cause–but Romm can’t do it for his (intellectually weak) cause.

A hard question comes to mind: Is this just a job for Smokin’ Joe?

By: Charles Barton

Charles Barton — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:50:18 +0000

Joe, practices outright censorship of his comments, and by doing so he marginalizes himself. Joe’s fundamental problem is his participation in the cult of Amory Lovins. Lovins, who is no leftist, has become the darling of the pseudo-liberal, intellectually challenged, irrational wing of the left. There is nothing liberal about Lovings thinking, and very little liberal about Romm’s.

By: J Mayeau

J Mayeau — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:23:47 +0000

I stop over to give Joe a good stiff kick in the shins every once in a while. (Short and sweet because I know it will never be seen by anybody but him.)

“Keep it up doofus”, “We’ll own you at the midterm” ,”How many times did you reference yourself in that post, Joe? Must be some kind of egotist record”. Stuff like that.

It’s fun.

By: Robert Bradley Jr.

Robert Bradley Jr. — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:44:09 +0000

I noticed that Joe Romm did debate a gentleman from the Heritage Foundation, so he is debating in some limited formats.
http://climateprogress.org/2010/02/01/climate-progress-debates-the-heritage-foundation-on-clean-energy-and-climate-policy/

I would like to see him in a formal debate with, say, Chris Horner with the world watching. It is this that I doubt he would do.

By: bill

bill — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:38:55 +0000

He does more than “heavily edit”…he censors. A few months ago he made some ludicrous assertion and I peppered him with some respectful, but pointed, retorts. After a brief give-and-take on his blog, I suddenly received error messages whenever I hit the submit button. He banned my IP address from his site!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:36:06 +0000

Well, I admit I am extremely cynical. I hope you are right and I’m wrong. Admittedly you have more experience reasoning with the unreasonable than I do.

By: Robert Bradley Jr.

Robert Bradley Jr. — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:50:35 +0000

You might be right, but if some of them honestly believe in climate alarmism and are depressed, they might actually want to relieve their depression. The best way to do that is by becoming a climate optimist.

Julian Simon began as a Malthusian and changed his mind–why not others?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:09:18 +0000

I don’t know why you hold out hope that these people will see sanity. They haven’t got a clue and their abandonment of rationality makes reasoning with them like reasoning with your dog.

Actually, dogs are a little more rational.