Hansen’s at it again « Watts Up With That?

Your tax dollars at work. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it: FIRE THIS GUY.

Oh there will be those who say “but he’s doing it as a private citizen”.

I preemptively call BS on that.

Why? Well it’s because the U.S. Taxpayer has been an “enabler” for this. Hansen wouldn’t be there if not for the publicly funded work via NASA.

As a private citizen, his opinion his worth nothing. As head of NASA GISS fancifully acting as a private citizen, his opinion and presence are worth boatloads of publicity.

You can’t separate GISS from his persona any more than you can expect Barack Obama to show up someplace “as a private citizen” and endorse something while he holds office.

The premise is absurd.

The struggle against global warming is really war on the poor

What is global warming supposed to solve? Two of the problems pointed at are rising sea levels and the increased spread of malaria. But both of these problems could be addressed directly by programs dedicated to the issues for a fraction of the cost of climate mitigation and adaptation schemes.
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I am not suggesting any type of organised conspiracy to make all this happen. This is just about organisations focusing on what is good for them in the short term and not looking at the wider picture. It's just as true for Greenpeace and other non-profits as it is for Exxon and Shell. Panic makes the non-profits stronger, so panic is pushed at us. 'Solving' the global warming 'problem' involves big iron and taxpayer money, so large companies agree to more regulation in exchange for a chance at the big contracts coming down the pipeline.

So, you may ask, who is fighting the good fight for the poor? Why is there any struggle at all? Who could resist the combined might of the non-profits, industry giants, politicians and the media? Well, so far the answer is just scientific inquiry--the scientists who may or may not care at all about the poor, but just won't quit asking inconvenient questions, checking the math on the calculations, and raising their hands and saying the numbers just don't add up. They are reviled as pawns of Big Oil, equated with Holocause Deniers, and are even insulted in their own home towns. They're not always right, but they just won't go away. They have my respect and admiration.