More on Climate-Change Data

by Don Boudreaux on December 2, 2009

in Data, Environment, Science

Here’s the ever-sensible Shikha Dalmia on Climategate.

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  • Oops.

    Al Whore just canceled his Copenhagen speech.

    Did somebody hit him with an FOIA request?
  • "Those who feel that global warming is the most pressing issue of our era, a potential catastrophe that needs to be addressed by governments around the world as soon as possible, generally argue that ClimateGate is a tempest in a teapot"

    http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/0...

    Sounds like our Dan.
  • MikeR
    I know I'm posting this a little late, but all of this climate stuff reminds me of a couple of characters in a novel I once read.
    --------------------------------------------------
    "Dr. Stadler," she asked slowly, "you know the truth, yet you will not state it publicly?"

    "Miss Taggart, you are using an abstract term, when we are dealing with a matter of practical reality."

    "We are dealing with a matter of science."

    "Science? Aren't you confusing the standards involved? It is only in the realm of pure science that truth is an absolute criterion. When we deal with applied science, with technology—we deal with people.. And when we deal with people, considerations other than truth enter the question."
    --------------------------------------------------
  • Follow the money.
  • muirgeo
    "...or will he cave to the Left and put the gun to the foot of the American Economy?"


    Ummm you may have missed it but some body already pulled that trigger.
  • Mark
    Good call, muirsmell!

    You're right! It was Bawney Fwank and Kwiss Dawdd!!
  • Methinks1776
    You're right! It was Bawney Fwank and Kwiss Dawdd!!

    Ah, yesh. The Banking Queen and the other piece of bread in Ted Kennedy's famous Waittress Sandwich.
  • sandre
    Wasn't it Bill Clinton who signed our favorite legislation - "Gramm-Bliley-Leach". Knowing you very well, I'm sure you were referring to him
  • Best line:
    "Climategate is fast shattering the global warming consensus, and so Obama won’t have even that to hide behind should he go ahead and sign up the U.S. to cut its carbon emissions 80% below 2005 levels by 2050 at Copenhagen next week."

    That's the trick isn't it, using "science" as a cover for political ideological positions.
    I wonder how much backbone the One has? Will he do as he said about not letting politics get in the way or will he cave to the Left and put the gun to the foot of the American Economy?

    I'm sure Muir will rant about "Green Jobs" though...how is that working out for Spain?
  • vidyohs
    It isn't a case of Obama having or not having a backbone. He wants to sign the agreements at Copenhagen, he wants AGW to be real. I believe he is most likely to sign in the face of any and all evidence, as like muirduck, it isn't about reality, he is after socialism.
  • I think you underestimate how much Obama loves being liked. The man is driven by ego. He wants everyone to like him, why do you think he never takes hard stands on much. Like our fav Dan, he always tries to have some sort of caveat to fall back on.
  • Methinks1776
    Are you sure you're not talking about Clinton, Justin? If the Bama wanted to remain popular, he wouldn't have pushed the destruction of health care quite so hard. As a result of putting his celebrity behind that disaster, he lost quite a lot of support, as did his party....and yet, he pushes on.

    No, I think if popularity were his only goal, he would have backed off by now. I think he's far more frightening and far more sinister.
  • Correct Methinks, and I believe he is hell-bent on ramming as much thru, up to and including permanent power seizure, as is humanly possible (or procedurally possible, via back-door committee and obscure rule invocation) public opinion be damned.

    They’re going for as much as possible in as short a time as possible because 1) they know if they can start the behemoth (state-run healthcare, cap-and-tax), it can’t be stopped, and 2) they only have until the 2010 elections, which are looking more and more like a Democratic bloodbath.
  • Methinks1776
    Terrifying, isn't it?
  • vidyohs
    Which is terrifying? The Democratic bloodbath or Obama's agenda?

    All the above?
  • Methinks1776
    The agenda. I'm all for the bloodbath. I prefer neither party to have a super majority because it's our best chance for what's best for us little folks - political gridlock.
  • I think your confusing Democrats as a whole with Obama on this one. The most Obama has done is give his speech on HCR. It's been Pelosi and Reid that have pushed the agenda too far to the Left. Obama did push it into the forefront, by using the finacial crisis as a pretext for HCR. Obama hasn't said a whole lot since.
    Of course this was all based on the false notion that the US had a political shift Left. Obama based his entire agenda on this false realignment.
  • Methinks1776
    Justin, he's done a lot more than give his speech. He's done several town hall meetings, television appearances and the infamous speech. It was part of his platform as a candidate as well. The guy won't shut up about it. It was he who decided to hand it over to the furthest left in his party and he campaigned on single payer. Clinton didn't do that in '92 (okay, he handed over to his wife, but you see my point).

    Anyway, this is all a matter of opinion, but I don't see how it's possible to say that he hasn't gone whole hog on this thing.

    Frankly, I don't think he's any different from Nancy Pelosi. He's at least as far left as she and Harry are.
  • I like what we are arguing about. I say he is ego driven and you say he is hell bent intent on driving his socialized agenda (which I agree with actually)
    Kinda funny really. I guess like you said it's a matter of opinion. I still see Obama driven mostly by Ego, which explains his enamoration with Socialism by the way, since he sees himself as the Dear Leader, the one that is smart enough to do what every other socialist has failed to do.

    I just think that Obama knows that HRC isn't liked, which is why he punted it to Pelosi and Reid. That way he can blame them for the consequences all the while taking credit for "doing something!" I see that as all Egomania, that's all.
  • Methinks1776
    Yes, I see your point.
  • vidyohs
    A bully doesn't give up being a bully just because he has been found out, at some point you still have to kick his ass.
  • JohnK
    How do you kick the bully's ass when he controls the government and has the monopoly on violence?
  • vidyohs
    You can start here by gaining knowledge of the facts.

    http://www.eastangliaemails.com/

    Complete searchable climategate e-mails.
  • If he signs it, he will have kicked it himself. If he plows forward as if nothing has happened, he will lose credibility with the people who are now just coming to realize who Santa Claus really is. They'll look back in 3 - 6 months and think, "this guy really is a tool."
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