Climate change skeptics on Capitol Hill are quietly watching a growing accumulation of global cooling science and other findings that could signal that the science behind global warming may still be too shaky to warrant cap-and-trade legislation.
Forget any real science, when it comes to right-wing bloggers apparently all it takes to disprove an entire body of scientific evidence is the conspiracy theories of a retired weatherman.
The blog portion of Brett Bozell's Media Research Center, Newsbusters, ExxonMobil funded, echo chamber is today asking, "if the founder of The Weather Channel spoke out strongly against the manmade global warming myth, might media members notice?"
Yes Newsbusters, I'm sure the media will report on a retired weatherman's rantings about a global conspiracy of scientists and environmentalists.
The Weather Channel's Heidi Cullen has found herself in a hailstorm of abuse after having had the impertinence to suggest that the science behind climate change is compelling and the deniers are politicizing the issue for their own purposes.
The US Weather Channel's "climate change mission statement " reads: "Throughout the world, people are confused about climate change and global warming, [the Weather Channel] will provide a place where sound science can be heard."
As regular DeSmog readers know, much of the confusion and doubt in the general public around the issue of climate change and the discussion around "sound science" has been at the hands of industry and oil company funded front groups. Such groups serve the purpose of doing and saying the things a modern day corporation cannot …
Come on, who doesn't love the weather channel? Now there is even more reason to watch. The 24-hour weather watch-dog has announced it will be airing a new feature called "The Climate Code" with host Heidi Cullen, a Columbia PhD in climatology and ocean atmosphere dynamics, whose most recent stint was at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research.
Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.
There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.
