Saturday, June 10, 2006

Bush's secret War on Global Warming Science (sWoGWS)

Climate Change Action's video of the week is a BBC News documentary exploring how the US Republican Administration has systematically muddied the public message to undermine the science of global warming and its role in informing public policy, leaving a pliant and dumbed-down public with no idea of what is just about to hit them.

In what is compared to a Soviet government control of the public narrative the BBC News documentary, "Climate chaos: Bush's climate of fear" is produced by the reputable Panorama program. It's eye-popping:

"It reminds me of the process that occurred in the old Soviet Union where the public is given the information the Government wants them to hear, rather than an honest description of the situation."
Former government official

They report how the censorship regimen was methodically and systematically executed:

" If they could suppress it they would. If they couldn't they would ignore it. If they could edit it they would edit it. "
Rick Piltz, Climate Science Watch
Former government official

It's not news that the Bush Administration censors climate science. Of some interest is how they did it and continue to do it, and I would like to know more about why, but of vital interest is what they have censored. It can't have been insignificant in its implications for us, or what's the point? Tobacco companies spent many billions of dollars over 40 years telling us there was nothing wrong with smoking when they knew the truth themselves. Now cigarette packets carry lovely pictures of gangrenous feet, and advanced lips and gum tissue necrosis, and the like. My solution was to finally give up smoking so I don't have to look at the packets. My question is, how long will it be before we have to suffer the indignity of filling up at a fuel pump carrying dramatic pictures of hurricane damage, or mabe even a nice video clip to watch while refueling, and emblazoned in bold: "The Climate Change Management Authority strongly recommends you walk, or cycle, or take the horse and buggy."?

Have they painted themselves into a corner though? As the realisation of a massive conspiracy dawns on the greater public, will there be a rebound Da Vinci Code like taxpayer quest to find out just what they should have been knowing for their money, the occulted and occluded honest description of the situation? Is this the boost that eco-trourism needed; will the "We're right over the exact position of the North Pole" photo become a new cliche in time?

Hyperbole, you say?

My answer to that is that it's still not that long ago that we can't remember when the notion that a government would conspire to withhold knowledge about an approaching global catastrophe would seem like crazy out there Marvel Comics material.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"....would seem like crazy out there Marvel Comics material."

Let's not hope Liefeld is involved, or we're all doomed.