Peak Concern for global warming has Passed

[Homer]

For those who don't read subject lines, this thread is about the change in the public's concern for AGW. The fantasy / reality of AGW is best discussed in the other thread.

AGW alarmists have lost the battle for the hearts and minds of the children:

A Sep. 2011 study by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) found that 82% of K-12 teachers had faced climate change skepticism from students, 54% from parents, and 26% from administrators.

When faced with the realization their attempts to sway public opinion so as to support their hidden political agenda, the left does what it always does: repeat the same message with a bigger megaphone:

The National Center for Science Education, a nonprofit group that has defended the teaching of evolution in public schools since 1983, decided to expand its mission to include defending the teaching of climate change.

Url for both quotes: http://www.procon.org/headline.php?headlineID=005059

The funniest quote on this subject:

James Taylor, an environmental policy fellow at the institute, told the Los Angeles Times that this pushback is needed to prevent "an important and ongoing scientific debate" about human-caused climate change from turning into "a propaganda assault on impressionable students." http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20 ... e-skeptics

Mr. Taylor clearly isn't a trained spokesman. Otherwise he wouldn't have made a statement that applies equally well to both those who want an end to politics based on junk science and to the AGW alarmists, of which he is one.

[STEVE G]

That's because the US is sometimes allowing the oil lobby to influence what is taught in classrooms:
"Texas and Louisiana have introduced education standards that require educators to teach climate change denial as a valid scientific position. "
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/16 ... l-20120116

That doesn't happen in most of the rest of the world.

[hhfarang]

That doesn't happen in most of the rest of the world.

When most of the rest of the world or "any" of the rest of the world becomes the number one power in the world (which may not be much longer) that will change... until then you all just have to live with it.

Persia, Greece, Egypt, Rome, the colonizing western European countries; England, Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, Holland and Germany have had their turn; they all screwed it up, now it's our turn to screw it up so why won't you playground bullies give us our turn... China will be next; get ready to trash-talk them if you live long enough.

[STEVE G]

....get ready to trash-talk them if you live long enough.

I'm not trashing the US HHF, but there has to be something a bit sinister behind the fact that the oil states of Louisiana and Texas are teaching school children things beneficial to the oil and gas industry.
Couldn't they just stick to buying off lawmakers like they normally do and leave children out of it?
http://maplight.org/content/72909

[Homer]

That doesn't happen in most of the rest of the world.

It was not an accident that freedom of speech was the first amendment to the Constitution. When the number of people who support action is large enough that politicians who don't listen put their careers in jeopardy, such legislation happens. I genuinely feel sorry for those who live in counties where their voices can't make such a difference.

[STEVE G]

It was not an accident that freedom of speech was the first amendment to the Constitution.

I can't see what teaching the version of science that most benefits the industries within your state has got to do with free speech.

[dtaai-maai]

That doesn't happen in most of the rest of the world.

When the number of people who support action is large enough that politicians who don't listen put their careers in jeopardy, such legislation happens.

Are you seriously suggesting that there was such a clamour from the people of Texas and Louisiana that the politicians had no choice?
This is so daft that next we'll be hearing that some schools teach creationism as a serious option...

[Homer]

It was not an accident that freedom of speech was the first amendment to the Constitution.

I can't see what teaching the version of science that most benefits the industries within your state has got to do with free speech.

It means the curriculum is not controlled by the state house, the school districts, the teachers union or whatever educational fad is currently in favor. Both Texas and Louisiana have substantial petroleum based industries. Can't you imagine why the legislatures in both states would want to protect the jobs in those industries? Can't you imagine the people working in those industries would be on the cutting edge of exposing AGW as junk science designed to put them out of their jobs? Can't you imagine the public and politicians working together to keep teachers (one of the three most left partisan jobs in America) from teaching their personal political views to impressionable children?

[hhfarang]

^ Exactly, when you are looking at loosing your job, your house, and your kids going without food, you are going to pressure the local politicians to pump that oil and forget climate change. Selfish? Maybe, but put yourself in the position of survive or let the global warming folks take your livelihood away. Which would you choose. Entire states are dependent on money and jobs from fossil fuels; not just Texas and Louisiana, but coal mining states like West Virginia and others that produce natural gas.

Until a viable option comes along that will not wreck local and national economies, climate change cannot be taken seriously by the average middle class worker (read 70% of the voters) struggling to get by and they will fight it on the street, in the schools, and in the voting booth.

[STEVE G]

...you are going to pressure the local politicians to pump that oil and forget climate change.

So destroy the worlds environment to protect a few jobs in the US?

[dozer]

Steve what you are failing to understand is that to most Amercans, America is the world.

[STEVE G]

Steve what you are failing to understand is that to most Amercans, America is the world.

The environment in Texas didn't do all that well last year either:

[dozer]

Texans will blame that on Obama.

[redzonerocker]

Steve what you are failing to understand is that to most Amercans, America is the world.

That's what i encountered whenever i've been there.
Problem is, they can't accept or don't believe that it isn't

[hhfarang]

Problem is, they can't accept or don't believe that it isn't

But they're correct, it is! There is no world except the misery I'm living in now once you leave America...