Comments on: Collin Peterson: ‘Mixing Climate Change Together With Energy Independence’ Is Dumb

By: Shelly T.

Shelly T. — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:22:29 +0000

Waxman Markey is not a good bill because it doesn’t do enough on emissions. I know the CAP is pushing this bill but it’s inadequate. You can blame this on Colin Peterson all you want but come on, Big Ag? What about Big COAL and all the allowances in this bill for coal and Futuregen and CCS? We need to close coal plants, not plan for more coal plants and permits.

Oh yeah, the farmers can all go to hell because you lump them in with Big Ag. Peterson is going to bat for his constituents – that’s his job. It’s our job to make the ACES bill a lot stronger and get coal out of it.

There are plenty of independent farmers left in MN and other states and they aren’t all “Big Ag”.

Environmentalists don’t like this bill for a reason.
Many are opposing it because it doesn’t do nearly enough on emissions. That’s not Peterson’s fault.

By: observer

observer — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:56:28 +0000

Temperatures keep going down, snow is on the friut trees for the first time in 20 years….record low temps for June in Chicago…and we know “the science”. Really?

Every newspaper subscriber worried about global warming has some soul searching to do. Your newspaper required:

A tree to be cut down
Oil pumped up to print the ink
Gasoline used to bring to your door
Carbon release upon decomposition, even if it is recycled a time or two (just delays the inevitable)

Newspaper subscribers who are green advocates, enjoy the irony with your coffee.

Let us see what the science really has to say to us…AFTER we understand these low temps. Keep the Politics out of Science. Let us get more consensus on this important science.

Observer

By: desmoinesdem

desmoinesdem — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:36:47 +0000

Great post–I’m going to link to this at Bleeding Heartland later today.

By: Frugalchariot

Frugalchariot — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:34:54 +0000

When I encounter, these days, the level of ignorance common to the process of climate change denial via the complete disavowal of science in favor of the privileges gained from huge corporate political contributions, I’ve come to the conclusion that if there’s a decent chance that such denial might eventually result in the total extinction of the human species, perhaps it’s the best course to take. Imagine it: a world with no more Collin Petersons, no more Mike Pences, no more Monsantos, no more Exxons! Who knows, maybe the process of Homo sapiens extinction itself might give evolution the right nudge to come up with an intelligent life form!

By: driftriverwatcher

driftriverwatcher — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:23:39 +0000

Combining efforts to thwart global climate change and reduce energy dependence is “dumb” only if you’re (1) a climate change denier, (2) in the pocket of short-sighted, parochial interests, or (3) fail to see that the course we’re on is unsustainable.

For most everyone else, combining the two means taking advantage of a rare opportunity to meet the perceived longer-term threat of climate change (politically difficult address) with the nearer-term threat of increased energy costs and dwindling supply (thus, politically more achievable).

Instead of firmly planting his feet in the mud, ignoring long-term threats to protect his constituents’ short-term interests, people like Peterson ought to be looking for opportunities to improve the long-term outlook of those he represents with acceptable short-term sacrifice. Otherwise, we simply continue on this unsustainable course.

By: cettel

cettel — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 15:32:20 +0000

Minimizing the global catastrophe of global warming is more important than any other issue, because failure in it will ultimately mean failure of the global economy, and massive deaths. Collin Peterson is evil, shilling for corporate agriculture (Monsanto, Cargill, and Confined Animal Feeding Operations such as IBP and Smithfield) against the future of the Earth’s biosphere.