Santorum smears climate science

Politico reports on on Rick Santorum mixing it up with Rush Limbaugh:

"I believe the earth gets warmer and I also believe the earth gets cooler," Santorum said. "And I think history points out that it does that and that the idea that man, through the production of CO2 ... is somehow responsible for climate change is, I think, just patently absurd when you consider all the other factors, El Niño, La Niña, sunspots, moisture in the air. There's a variety of factors that contribute to the Earth warming and cooling." ...

"It's just an excuse for more government control of your life," Santorum added. "And I've never been for any scheme or even accepted the junk science behind the whole narrative."

This is fairly standard Republican politics, I suppose. Santorum froths at the mouth on Limbaugh's show, smears basic climate science, opposes any shift away from petroleum and other such lubricants, etc. But for Santorum to start talking about other people's "junk" just seems like it would encourage folks to make bad puns.

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"Santorum smears" are disgusting in either species.

By Mike from Ottawa (not verified) on 09 Jun 2011 #permalink

Peer reviewed, accepted science shows the earth warms, then cools, over and over, in big, broad cycles, as it has for millions of years. Nothing we can do to influence that.

Ye gads. And I'd deleted a santorum-smear comment from FB . . . guess I shouldn't have worried about offending Josh's tender sensibilities! ;-)

Jimmie: Peer reviewed, accepted science also shows that humans are responsible for most of the warming we've seen over the last 150 years, and we can do something about that.

We're going to be seeing a major change as food prices skyrocket due to global warming. The oil heads will still be lying but they'll be in a minority, even here in the thoroughly propagandized United States.

It's a sign of how deeply controlled we are that you can listen to the alleged news for weeks without hearing the phrase "climate change" and you will never year it without the fact being denied. Our constitution has failed us with the aid of the Republican majority on the Supreme Court.

By Anthony McCarthy (not verified) on 09 Jun 2011 #permalink

Santorum smears? eeewwwww

@Jimmie: Yes, it does. Within those broad cycles, entire branches of the tree of life come and go. Ask the dinosaurs, if you can find any. Meanwhile, some of us are concerned about the human impact on human timescales. What's your theory for why climate scientists are so concerned? Do you think it's some huge political conspiracy? Or that somehow there's more money advocating for restraint than, say, working for the oil companies? Seriously, I'd love to know.

I am constantly astonished by the arrogance of people like Santorum who assume that they have noticed some dramatic influence on climate that the entire scientific community has missed. And this from a man who doesn't even acknowledge science that contradicts the Bible...

Clearly, people like Santorum and Limbaugh will say anything to promote themselves.
I think it is a waste of time to criticize them; nothing anyone on this blog can say will have any impact.
Rather, we should try and understand why people listen to Limbaugh and Santorum.
From the small number of Santorum/limbaugh supporters I know personally, I would conclude that they *really* believe that all this environmental stuff is nonsense - it is just some cambridge/berkely mind control thing to take away their 600Hp SUVs. Getting to those attitudes is a lot more important then taking potshots at santorum.

By ezra abrams (not verified) on 09 Jun 2011 #permalink

climate science has been smeared for quite some time now. Liberturd "scientists" and their wacky theories that keep failing have scared the upper class billionaire liberals into trying to enslave all us peasants.

Climate chnage is real. Back when i was in school, it wasn't such a big deal. we just called it seasons and went on with our lives. Now we have panels of light bulb police ready to send in swat teams and executioners if we refuse dear leader's order to switch to toxic deadly bulbs that only the great one himself can provide.

Tyrranical overlords and fascist mass murderers always come from the left wing fringe groups. This new climate change /population control/wealth redistribution scam is nothing new. Its just another cog in the wheels of dictatorship and enslavement.

How can men be free if fascist overlords command their every move? Fuck the light bulb nazis and all ecofascist tyrants. I use the lights I wish, I drive the car I choose, I set my thermostat on what I choose. No dictators allowed!

Oil is renewable. it is made within the earth. keep drilling it. Shut the liberals up and get them out of the way of human freedom and inpriosn those who wish to enslave us with their scare tactics and communist craploads.

By Captain Patriot (not verified) on 09 Jun 2011 #permalink

First, I'd like to announce that for the very first time 'EVER' I agree with Anthony McCarthy @ post #5.

Second, I'd like to know if Captain Patriot is a Poe? If not he one crazy dude along with Jimmie.

Here's a lot of info on Climate Change in case either of them are interested:

http://www.pewclimate.org/climate-change-101/science-impacts