W. House accused of spinning climate change

[freeny]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/30/congress.climate.ap/index.html

:eek:

Im speachless:confused:

[Lovesong]

What did you expect...
No, seriously. The man is a large industry puppet, and there is no way in hell Exon or Mobile would want you know that Greenland is melting faster than a Slurpee in August.

[Queso]

Can Congress summon the President and demand he produces the documents? Or does that only happen if they impeach him?

[Lovesong]

Can Congress summon the President and demand he produces the documents? Or does that only happen if they impeach him?

Kinda like US vs Nixon. No the congress can demand, and it's likely he'll call on Executive privildge, and the documents will never be seen. The only chance is that the media will create enough fuss to produce political pressure on them.

[zimv20]

Im speachless:confused:
frankly, you shouldn't be. anyone who's been paying attention to how this administration routinely edits out from documents anything that's counter to its "environmental ideology" has guessed this was the case.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Where have these people been? we have been talking about this spin machine for years. Bush for the first time used the term Global warming in a speech this past state of the union. His administration has been spinning this for 6 years. More Republican lies but whats new. It all about the corporations quick profits. This man and his policys are a discrace to our nation.

Its discusting to think science is being spun by the NeoCons but here is another example. What will we find out tomorrow?

[pseudobrit]

Didn't we already hear about this? Or was that one of the other scientific issues subjected to a Bush obfuscatory minority report?

[skunk]

Didn't we already hear about this? Or was that one of the other scientific issues subjected to a Bush obfuscatory minority report?Well, I've certainly known about it for at least a year, so I don't know where you've all been. There have been several news items about how the WH has been appointing political hacks to rewrite and edit just about everything produced by NASA and any other agency dealing with climate, evolution, you name it.

[miloblithe]

It's old news, but new proof. This particular evidence of the administration's actions is new. Anyone paying attention has known about this for a long time though.

[obeygiant]

When Obama is president he'd better start re-planting the rainforest.

[skunk]

When Obama is president he'd better start re-planting the rainforest.Your point is?

[hulugu]

When Obama is president he'd better start re-planting the rainforest.

If it were only that simple. :rolleyes:

[Swarmlord]

When Obama is president he'd better start re-planting the rainforest.

Too bad it's in South America!

[Queso]

When Obama is president he'd better start re-planting the rainforest.
Although I suspect you're far from serious, that would actually be a much better use of American taxpayers money than funnelling cash to the war profiteers. So yeah, I hope he does just that.
Too bad it's in South America!
And Central America, and Africa, and Asia, and Indonesia, and Australia. You Americans and your georgeraphy ;)

[Swarmlord]

<snip>
And Central America, and Africa, and Asia, and Indonesia, and Australia. You Americans and your georgeraphy ;)

No, the point was that we can only be responsible for taking care of what's ours.

[Queso]

No, the point was that we can only be responsible for taking care of what's ours.
True, although alleviating some of the economic pressures on developing countries with rain forest will help slow the destruction. This a US President can do.

Also stopping European & American (and Anglo-Australian) mining companies from continuing with their current bribe-then-destroy business practices wouldn't hurt.

[miloblithe]

No, the point was that we can only be responsible for taking care of what's ours.

Complete Bull. The US can change our import laws to protect certain resources and put pressure on elimiting or reducing harmful practices. The US can support (rather than try to scuttle) international treaties such as Kyoto, and use international bodies such as the WTO, UN, etc. to support higher environmental standards. The US can fund environmentally sensible projects through USAID and steer the World Bank and IMF to do the same.

Should I go on?

Of course, if we are going to try to lead the world in a positive direction, we have to walk the walk ourselves.

[Thomas Veil]

http://users.adelphia.net/~tjveil/images/quote.gif
.

[skunk]

Complete Bull. The US can change our import laws to protect certain resources and put pressure on elimiting or reducing harmful practices. The US can support (rather than try to scuttle) international treaties such as Kyoto, and use international bodies such as the WTO, UN, etc. to support higher environmental standards. The US can fund environmentally sensible projects through USAID and steer the World Bank and IMF to do the same.You seem to be forgetting that Libertarians' responsibilities end at the large fence around their private property.

[Swarmlord]

You seem to be forgetting that Libertarians' responsibilities end at the large fence around their private property.

Well, actually I'd like to know what we (and no one else evidently) are importing that are causing Brazil to destroy rainforests. I have no problem with encouraging trade partners to show a little restraint and common sense with their resources rather than slashing and burning just to make a buck.

It just would be nice to see other countries show the kind of restraint and concern for their own countries that's expected of us.

I don't support Kyoto though primarily because of the unfair terms it gives to countries like India and China which have populations far larger than ours. It's the wrong solution to the right problem.

[Queso]

Well, actually I'd like to know what we (and no one else evidently) are importing that are causing Brazil to destroy rainforests.
Beef (http://www.ciesin.org/docs/002-106/002-106c.html) for one.

[Don't panic]

And Central America, and Africa, and Asia, and Indonesia, and Australia. You Americans and your georgeraphy ;)

and North America (http://www.rainforestweb.org/Rainforest_Regions/North_and_Central_America/)
of course that one has been already mostly wiped out.
anyone supporting a complete banning of logging (and re-planting of farm land) in oregon, washington and british columbia?

[zimv20]

http://users.adelphia.net/~tjveil/images/quote.gif
.
nice!

[miloblithe]

Well, actually I'd like to know what we (and no one else evidently) are importing that are causing Brazil to destroy rainforests.

First of all, the argument that because other countries are also importing goods excuses any US behavior is exceedingly defeatist. The US has tremendous influence. In addition to being the world's second biggest market (after the EU), we weild political power to put pressure on other countries to follow our line AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, we can collaborate with other major markets/countries to put restrictions in place. You can bet that if the the NAFTA and EU countries all started clamouring for something, the world would take notice. Add ASEAN in and you've got more clout. Keep going.

As for imports, in addition to Beef, I'd note other agricultural products including coffee, sugar, nuts, fruits, and fish; and all the various forms of wood and paper products.

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/product/enduse/imports/c3510.html

[mactastic]

So let's see if I understand this correctly. The US has enough influence to bring democracy to Iraq and prevent Iran, North Korea et al. from developing nuclear weapons, yet we don't have enough influence to shape logging policy in a foreign country?

[obeygiant]

Your point is?

My point is somebody better start replanting rainforest to help out with this global warming thing. :)

[Swarmlord]

I'm all for increasing the size of our rural and forested areas.

I just don't see the political will to do what's necessary and I don't mean at the Federal and State level either. The last three cities I've lived in had city councils and mayors that couldn't wait to cut down, smooth and pave every rural mile on the borders of the city. Forests don't pay property taxes or create jobs for construction folks.

Until people purchase and lock down large areas of land for the purposes of preserving it, it will never be safe from government.

[Thomas Veil]

nice!Thanks. 'Twas fun. :D

[skunk]

My point is somebody better start replanting rainforest to help out with this global warming thing. :)More important to stop cutting it down to provide hamburgers. You can't replace the habitat by replanting it, because by the time it's regrown all its erstwhile inhabitants will be long gone.

[hulugu]

I'm all for increasing the size of our rural and forested areas.

I just don't see the political will to do what's necessary and I don't mean at the Federal and State level either. The last three cities I've lived in had city councils and mayors that couldn't wait to cut down, smooth and pave every rural mile on the borders of the city. Forests don't pay property taxes or create jobs for construction folks.

Until people purchase and lock down large areas of land for the purposes of preserving it, it will never be safe from government.

Good point. I'd suggest donating your time and money to the Nature Conservancy, who actually buy or trade land to protect it from development. Or another group. We don't need any more parking lots and Walmarts.

[solvs]

So let's see if I understand this correctly. The US has enough influence to bring democracy to Iraq and prevent Iran, North Korea et al. from developing nuclear weapons, yet we don't have enough influence to shape logging policy in a foreign country?

We could, we just don't want to. We only breathe our own air, drink our own water, and eat our own food. So who cares about all those other places.

Unless they have oil.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Whats a little scary in all this is if Bush has decided to stop the lies and spin on Global warming he must have pretty good evidence that the Earths enviroment is changing much faster then thought. After all these guys are ran by Big business so for them to admit this then they must know for sure the jig is up. Otherwise it would be Business as usual for the Corporate puppet and his spinmaster Karl Rove.
Just today we had a weather system wipe out a bunch of Florida homes with a tornado. I was running around in shorts with 85 degree days in january something i have never seen where I live.