Pirate's Cove

James Hansen, who takes lots and lots of fossil fueled trips, really loves the thought of a carbon tax that will hurt the middle and lower classes. And he’s legendary!

Legendary Climate Scientist Likes a GOP Proposal on Global Warming

Pres. Donald Trump issued a major executive order last week that, if successful, could undercut the nation’s fight against global warming. In particular, the order kicks off an attempt to dismantle the Clean Power Plan, which regulates carbon emissions from the power sector. While Trump’s move represents a big blow to U.S. climate efforts, the renowned scientist James Hansen sees a different—and, he argues, better—way forward on global warming. “The problem is the Clean Power Plan is really not that effective,” says Hansen, former director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, who brought climate change to the U.S. public’s attention in his famed 1988 congressional testimony. “It’s a tragedy that [the Obama administration] continued to pursue a regulatory approach.”

I’m getting the feeling Hansen doesn’t care for the CPP. Anyhow, Hansen goes on to say how much he loves the notion of a carbon tax, which he won’t call a tax, but a fee, one which would see refunds back to the citizens. Which would barely happen, but, would also make people more dependent on Government. He likes that silly plan some silly Republicans came up with a few months back. And this would totally stimulate the economy!!!!!! Because we’ve seen how well this works in other countries.

Here’s where it gets fun, as Hansen responds to a question (first paragraph)

You’ve been focusing your energy on helping people understand the urgency of global warming. Are you hopeful that the public will demand major action from the government soon?

Climate change is not going to register on the public’s list of priorities, so we need the help of an intelligent government system. Even though the fossil fuel industry money has been able to distort the climate science in Congress, the judicial branch can come into play. That’s why I’m a plaintiff along with 21 young people in a lawsuit against the federal government [suing it for having taken—and continuing to take—actions that support fossil fuel production and create greenhouse gas emissions].* We now have a really bulletproof case, which I think will win even with a conservative Supreme Court.

In other words, you stupid people are being stupid, so, Government must force you to care.

It’s going to be a combination of using the judiciary branch of the government and then using the democratic process to shape the policy that’s accepted. Between those two, I’m optimistic we could get on a path that would then influence the world.

And using the courts to force you to care. Because, obviously, their 25+ years of spreading awareness and scaremongering hasn’t worked out so well. But, then, this isn’t about saving Gaia or the environment or anything, it’s about applying Progressive political power, which includes more government and control over people and private entities.