Arkansas Blog: Getting hot out there

The fight over global warming continues, as opponents of better regulation of greenhouse gases attempt to get a platform at the Capitol. The recent flurry of criticism of the state's commission on global warming has tended to overlook the source of much of that criticism -- industry-financed shills for energy companies, if not energy executives themselves.

An environmental activist provides some background. He says:

These groups were HIRED to come to Arkansas and try to discredit the GGWC. This is an obvious joke of an attempt by a very desperate group of energy sectors that believe Arkansas is the place where they can deceive and get away with it. Some background:

Cooler Heads

Cooler Heads is a Washington D.C. front group for Consumer Alert and National Consumer Coalition, which according to their own website, “are industry friendly groups that oppose regulations on industry and advocate " free market " consumer solutions.” It’s obvious that the people and groups attacking science and the GGWC are hired guns for energy industry that is fighting any progressive changes for the future and wants to go down swinging.

Its website states: "The risks of global warming are speculative ; the risks of global warming policies are all too real." Originally the group was closely tied to the Competitive Enterprise Institute , another front backed by the petroleum industry. Former CEI director Marlo Lewis chaired the Cooler Heads Coaltion. Myron Ebell , CEI's Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy, directed it. In March 2001, the nonprofit Clean Air Trust named Ebell its "clean air villain of the month," citing his "ferocious lobbying charge to persuade President Bush to reverse his campaign pledge to control electric utility emissions of carbon dioxide."

Center for Science and Public Policy Institute

THIS IS IN NO WAY AFFILIATED AND NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE WHICH IS THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEALING WITH HEALTH AND DIRECTED BY DR. GEORGE CARLO. THE TWO ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT ENTITIES.

The Science and Public Policy Institute (SPPI), formerly the Frontiers of Freedom 's Center for Science and Public Policy promotes the views of global warming skeptics. The website links to two other skeptic websites - the Heartland Institute 's global warming page and the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change . SPPI describes itself as "a nonprofit institute of research and education dedicated to sound public policy based on sound science."
"Free from affiliation to any corporation or political party, we support the advancement of sensible public policies for energy and the environment rooted in rational science and economics. Only through science and factual information, separating reality from rhetoric, can legislators develop beneficial policies without unintended consequences that might threaten the life, liberty, and prosperity of the citizenry."

Robert Ferguson is the President of the Science and Public Policy Institute , formerly the
Frontiers of Freedom Center for Science and Public Policy, an organization that promotes the views of global warming skeptics. Greenpeace's ExxonSecrets website states that "Ferguson set up the Center for Science and Public Policy in early 2003, after a $100,000 grant from ExxonMobil in 2002 - specifically tagged for the center. Exxon has continued to fund the Center each year since then, to the tune of at least $50,000 a year."

A biographical note states that he "has 26 years of Capitol Hill experience, having worked in both the House and Senate. He served in the House Republican Study Committee , the
Senate Republican Policy Committee ; as Chief of Staff to Congressman Jack Fields (R-TX) from 1981-1997, Chief of Staff to Congressman John E. Peterson (R-PA) from 1997-2002 and Chief of Staff to Congressman Rick Renzi (R-AZ) in 2002. He has considerable policy experience in climate change science, mercury science, energy and mining, forests and resources, clean air and the environment. His undergraduate and advanced degrees were taken at Brigham Young University and George Washington University, respectively."

Comments

Global warming? Please. Hard to believe so many people bought into Al Gore's fantasy. Of course it's also hard to believe that scientologists believe in a "religion" created by a science fiction writer. There truly is a sucker born every minute.

Posted by: SubRock | January 14, 2009 07:55 AM

Whenever you hear anyone tell you that global climate change is a hoax, is overblown, or is not supported by science, check where their money is coming from. You'll find it's coming from energy companies or their right-wing shills.

Every. Single. Time.

Posted by: Archaeopteryx | January 14, 2009 08:38 AM

Exactly. All of the organizations claiming global warming doesn't exist make money from doing so.

I don't even know how to describe a person who would sell our planet, our children's inheritance, to make a buck.

They're like crack whores. In suits playing with millions of dollars, but crack whores just the same.

Only slightly less to blame are the johns who pay the crack whores, like SubRock.

Posted by: The_New_Deal | January 14, 2009 09:59 AM

Yes Sub-Rock and you're one of the "created suckers."

Al Gore did not create a fantasy about climate change.

He simply reported the findings of scientists who studied the emerging condition for
30+ years before coming to conclusions.

Hendren being in charge of such a committee brings to mind that from time to time
inmates take charge of the asylum. Having a car dealer promote FAUX science is like having
your mechanic do heart surgery.

The head of EXXON was on Charlie Rose last year. He remarked that we burn-in the U.S.-
about 20 swimming pools of oil EVERY MINUTE, 24/7.

GO 350PPM!
.

Posted by: eLwood | January 14, 2009 10:38 AM

Money from industry or conservatives (assuming that is the case here, as I do not know) supports the voice of pro-business, pro-freedom, and limited regulation advocacy = "bad."

Money from socialist, liberal (oops, sorry -- "progressive!"), alarmist foundations to support the total control and dominance of a government-sponsored policy development project = "good," or "irrelevant." Was not CCS HIRED to come to Arkansas to run the GCGW?

I finally understand the Lefty-Enviro principles of disclosure -- a double-standard must be applied in all cases!

Posted by: Paul Chesser | January 14, 2009 01:05 PM

Follow the money - as VP Al Gore funnelled money to scientists receptive to global warming and ostracized scientists who disagreed. If you wanted funding and publications you had to support the man made global warming BS.

Al Gore has gone from being a millionaire to billionaire thanks to being the environmentalist chosen one. Follow the money and you find a big rat named Al Gore.

Posted by: Severus | January 14, 2009 03:08 PM

Do you honestly think that if there was any good science that disputed global warming, that Exxon and BP wouldn't be trumpeting it from the rooftops? Whenever you hear someone claim that science that disputes findings of global warming wouldn't get published, you can bet that they're either lying or ignorant. So which is it, Severus?

Posted by: Archaeopteryx | January 14, 2009 04:44 PM

Archaeopteryx, your name is a good indicator of your state of mind. Obselete.

I think that being a tree-hugger was kind of cute in the sixties. Just played out now.

You and "The New Deal", also obselete, are just part of a group of wannabes who love nothing better than to carry picket signs and burn your bras because it was cool forty years ago.

People are only as green as convenience will allow them to be. You talk loud, but you don't practice what you preach. I'll bet your home is full of plastic items. You drive a vehicle which burns fossil fuels, etc. Go back to burning your draft cards........ losers.

Posted by: SubRock | January 14, 2009 05:30 PM

SubRock: "You kids get off my porch!"

Posted by: Archaeopteryx | January 14, 2009 07:49 PM

Subrock, Chesser, Severus,

Don't be too sad! The Russian newspaper Правда (Truth!) is on your side. You may remember them from the old USSR days.

P.S. If you're not into reading cyrilic alphabet, which is evident from you position in the discussion, I'll translate for you Правда is Pravda.

Click for the article

Posted by: docholliday | January 14, 2009 10:35 PM

docholliday,

Since you are a firm believer in man made global warming, please enlighten us on how you have reduced your personal carbon footprint. Have you and your liberal friends taken your home off the power grid? Have you given up your car? Have you given up your livelihood? What exactly have you done to reduce your energy consumption?

Why is it that liberal solutions always involve other people sacrificing their livelihoods, their jobs, and their incomes, but good liberals don't do a damn thing?

Posted by: Severus | January 14, 2009 11:55 PM

The Great Global Warming Scam is a thinly veiled attempt to centrally control every aspect of people's lives. After Communism basically imploded, the sympathizers amongst us needed to find a new enemy; turns out it's us.

But, I'll play along and assume they're sincere, for the moment.

Global warmers, you lecture us constantly about the horrifying effect of people simply living their lives has on the planet, too many damn people, or some such. But you don't do anything meaningful to correct the, um, problem. You do drive evil SUVs, live in large comfortable homes, take flights around the world, etc. Not exactly setting the standard. So, what I think is needed is something called "Leadership by example". To wit: all of you get together somewhere a lot of people won't miss (Massachusetts or New Jersey come to mind); or, better yet, deep in the Amazon jungle (good for the trees), and drink a big batch of Kool-Aid, Jim Jones style. In case there is any doubt, I'm suggesting you all kill yourselves, decreasing your carbon footprint by 100% (Leadership by example). At the very least, the rest of us won't be subjected to your retarded blathering any longer.

Posted by: Dobie | January 23, 2009 04:42 AM

Arkansas Blog

Getting hot out there

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