Bush and Global Warming

[John Simkin]

George Bush made it clear in a television interview today that Global Warming is not currently a problem he is willing to deal with. However, he accepts it is “a significant, long-term issue that we we’ve got to deal with”. Not by him though as he refuses to take action in order “to cut greenhouse gas emissions”. He has got this idea that it will “destroy our economy”. Bush points out that he only takes decisions that are “I think is best for our country”. What he actually means is that he only follows policies that are in the short-term interests of his financial backers.

[Christopher T. George]

George Bush made it clear in a television interview today that Global Warming is not currently a problem he is willing to deal with. However, he accepts it is “a significant, long-term issue that we we’ve got to deal with”. Not by him though as he refuses to take action in order “to cut greenhouse gas emissions”. He has got this idea that it will “destroy our economy”. Bush points out that he only takes decisions that are “I think is best for our country”. What he actually means is that he only follows policies that are in the short-term interests of his financial backers.

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Hi John

John, you may be speaking narrowly about Bushy's policy or, more correctly, non-policy in regard to global warning but I took your post to be a statement about Bush's policies in general. If so, your analysis leaves out Bush's evident strong motivation to please the Christian Right, which has powered his blocking of embryonic stem cell research and which will surely be the basis for his Supreme Court nominations, given Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement and the likely retirement also of ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist. I don't think you can argue that Bush's aim to nominate anti-abortion judges either to the Supreme Court or lower federal courts is because that is "in the short-term interests of [George W. Bush's] financial backers."

Best regards

Chris

Edited July 4, 2005 by Christopher T. George

[John Simkin]

John, you may be speaking narrowly about Bushy's policy or, more correctly, non-policy in regard to global warning but I took your post to be a statement about Bush's policies in general.  If so, your analysis leaves out Bush's evident strong motivation to please the Christian Right, which has powered his blocking of embryonic stem cell research and which will surely be the basis for his Supreme Court nominations, given Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement and the likely retirement also of ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist.  I don't think you can argue that Bush's aim to nominate anti-abortion judges either to the Supreme Court or lower federal courts is because that is "in the short-term interests of [George W. Bush's] financial backers."

My own view that right-wing pressure groups have formed themselves into an informal coalition. In that sense, the policies on global warming, Iraq, abortion, stem-cell research, etc. are linked.

Bush obviously has a PR problem concerning issues like global warming. That helps to explain Bush’s comments yesterday that he now accepts that climate change is a problem. Of course, up until recently, the Bush administration has been claiming that it had doubts about the link between the behaviour of the American people and global warming. Bush’s climate change adviser was Phil Cooney. He called for further research rather than any action being taken. Cooney has recently resigned and been given a high-ranking appointment at Exxon Mobil. Some political observers claim that Cooney (and Bush for that matter) have been working for Exxon Mobil for sometime.

The US media works closely with the Bush administration to keep information about global warming from the American people. A study carried out in 2000 revealed that there were three times the coverage of the subject in the British media compared to what appears in America.

This is reflected in public opinion. In Europe, virtually everyone sees climate change as an urgent and serious problem. However, in a recent ABC News poll only 38% of Americans described it as an urgent problem that required immediate government action. While the US media works closely with Bush he will refuse to take action. As a result he will cause Blair serious problems with the British public.

[Christopher T. George]

The US media works closely with the Bush administration to keep information about global warming from the American people. A study carried out in 2000 revealed that there were three times the coverage of the subject in the British media compared to what appears in America.

This is reflected in public opinion. In Europe, virtually everyone sees climate change as an urgent and serious problem. However, in a recent ABC News poll only 38% of Americans described it as an urgent problem that required immediate government action. While the US media works closely with Bush he will refuse to take action. As a result he will cause Blair serious problems with the British public.

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Hi John

Unfortunately I believe you are right that the U.S. public is not well informed on the problems of global warming. The U.S. right has been successful in painting environmentalists as "tree huggers" and, worse still, "liberals." Someone like Al Gore who speaks out on global warning is characterized as a kook.

I am not convinced of your statement that "The US media works closely with the Bush administration to keep information about global warming from the American people." That sounds too much like the conspiracist in you talking, John. I think these problems are covered in the U.S. media but that the political forces that need to be mobilized to get the message to the U.S. public are not doing so, partly because the present power of the Right and the fact that the Democrats are in disarray given the better organization of the Republicans and the Far Right.

All my best

Chris