Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

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_Gunnar
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Gunnar »

Jersey Girl wrote:Gunnar, I can't for the life of me find it right now, but I believe I watched a video where Trump was discussing energy and included innovations and alternative energy sources and named them (solar, wind, I believe). If I happen across it again, I'll be sure to post a link.

Mattis is one of the few picks that I see so far, who is held in such high regard that his presence lends credibility to the administration. I have no idea what Trump is willing to sacrifice.

As we discussed previously, in terms of his psychology, I think that if Trump sees he can be hailed as savior of the planet (I can't believe I just said it that way) and if he were convinced that alternative energy sources and innovative technologies would put the US (and him) leading the global pack, he'd go for it in a NY minute.

But I recognize that we won't know until we know.

I agree with you that that is the best and probably the only hope of getting him to change his mind. You may recall that I pointed out in a previous thread (in fact, it may even be you that first clued me to that) that Trump himself, along with his adult children, was once among the signatories of an open letter by a large number of prominent business people to the Obama Administration urging action to address and try to mitigate the threat of man caused climate change. Unfortunately, he has since decided that siding with climate change deniers was essential to gaining the political support he needed to realize his presidential ambitions. It is fairly certain that he could not have obtained the Republican nomination otherwise.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Mar 15, 2017 8:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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_Gunnar
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Gunnar »

The CCC wrote:Jersey Girl:

I can't find it either. However Drumpf has repeatedly called Global Warming a Chinese hoax and installed pro-fossil fuel industry hacks in his cabinet.

Yes, and it is glaringly obvious, so far, that he finds it more profitable for him personally to mollify wealthy fossil fuel industry donors than do anything about climate change.
No precept or claim is more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.

“If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; but if you really make them think, they'll hate you.”
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Jersey Girl »

The CCC wrote:Jersey Girl:

I can't find it either. However Drumpf has repeatedly called Global Warming a Chinese hoax and installed pro-fossil fuel industry hacks in his cabinet.


But do you remember hearing him speak about it? Listen, I've got stuff popping over here right now, but I'll try to dig it up later. It could have been a recent interview or the day he signed whatever it was (EO?) he did with the miners that one day. I only remember being surprised by what he said because I hadn't heard him speak in terms of alternative energy sources.
Last edited by Google Feedfetcher on Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Gunnar »

On the other hand, things might not be quite as bleak as we think.

Rick Perry's Green Energy Story:
By Marilu Hastings | Contributor
Jan. 19, 2017, at 6:30 a.m

Clean energy advocates should avoid a knee-jerk battle against President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of energy. While former Texas Gov. Rick Perry is a self-proclaimed climate change denier, under his watch Texas became a leader in the U.S.'s transition to a clean energy economy.


Perry's anti-environment rhetoric, and his hostility toward regulation, justifiably provoke skepticism. Yet, as governor, Perry's actions – a combination of smart energy policies, infrastructure investments and limited interference in energy markets – appear to tell a different story.


Perry oversaw Texas' energy market deregulation and reliance on market signals to determine the energy mix – a strategy that worked. Transparent market signals have helped drive down the retail cost of electricity in Texas while growing a reliable clean energy sector.


Texas was the first state to adopt utility energy efficiency requirements, which led to the adoption of energy efficiency building codes – reducing electricity bills (which will save Texans $1 billion by 2030).


Texas was also among the first to adopt renewable energy policies. The state is now the country's top wind producer. Incentives, which Perry later expanded, called on utilities to include a specific level of renewables in their portfolio. Since 2010, wind power has surged 80 percent and now accounts for 40-50 percent of the state's electricity generating capacity.



Texas was also the first state to recognize the important role transmission infrastructure plays when integrating wind into the power grid. The Competitive Renewable Energy Zones, signed into law in 2005 by Perry, led to a staggering $7 billion investment in transmission lines, bringing West Texas wind to the state's population centers in the east.

If Rick Perry can manage to do the same thing for the country as a whole that he did for Texas, he might not have been as bad a pick for Secretary of Energy as I originally thought!

ETA: If Perry's record for green energy promotion helped influence Trump's choice of Perry for that post, maybe Trump is not quite as villainous as he seems.
No precept or claim is more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.

“If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; but if you really make them think, they'll hate you.”
― Harlan Ellison
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Jersey Girl »

I can't find the statement I referred to so just scratch my claim. If I ever do locate it, I'll post it.
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _The CCC »

Jersey Girl wrote:
But do you remember hearing him speak about it? Listen, I've got stuff popping over here right now, but I'll try to dig it up later. It could have been a recent interview or the day he signed whatever it was (EO?) he did with the miners that one day. I only remember being surprised by what he said because I hadn't heard him speak in terms of alternative energy sources.


To be fair it could just be my memory. Sorry I don't remember Drumpf doing that. I do remember President Obama doing it.
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Jersey Girl »

The CCC wrote:
Jersey Girl wrote:
But do you remember hearing him speak about it? Listen, I've got stuff popping over here right now, but I'll try to dig it up later. It could have been a recent interview or the day he signed whatever it was (EO?) he did with the miners that one day. I only remember being surprised by what he said because I hadn't heard him speak in terms of alternative energy sources.


To be fair it could just be my memory. Sorry I don't remember Drumpf doing that. I do remember President Obama doing it.


Not meaning to drag out this dead end of a claim, but it was definitely Trump and I'd say within the past month or two. I remember being shocked that he mentioned alternatives. I've looked at his video of him with the miners and also one interview. I don't have time right now to look further and I know this isn't earth shattering, but I'll really try to find it when I'm not so busy and add it to the pile of quotes on this thread!
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _The CCC »

Jersey Girl:

I'd like to see it.
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Xenophon »

Jersey Girl wrote:Not meaning to drag out this dead end of a claim, but it was definitely Trump and I'd say within the past month or two. I remember being shocked that he mentioned alternatives. I've looked at his video of him with the miners and also one interview. I don't have time right now to look further and I know this isn't earth shattering, but I'll really try to find it when I'm not so busy and add it to the pile of quotes on this thread!


Jersey Girl I dug and dug on this one because like you and others, I would really have loved to see Trump take this turn. I however was only able to find on reference to "renewable energy" support going all the way back into his campaign. That was for bio-fuels only though.

That said, almost every time he speaks about solar or wind it is negative (and generally wrong). Lets also not ignore that fact that his proposed budget will see YUGE cuts to the EPA and renewable energy groups.

I hope you are right, and I was just unable to find the source... I am not hopeful.

ETA: FiveThirtyEight did a nice little breakdown of the proposed budget and what that suggests Trump's top priorities may be.

Image

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/White House ... riorities/
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Re: Trump Doubling Down on Cimate Change Denial

Post by _Brackite »

The Planet recently had its second warmest winter on record.

The December–February average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.60°F above the 20th century average of 53.8°F. This was the second highest for December–February in the 1880–2017 record, trailing behind 2015/16.


https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-201702
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