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One of the exciting aspects of John Kerry serving as Secretary of State is the fact that Kerry hopes to use this prestigious post to elevate the climate crisis on the international stage. Indeed, this came up during his confirmation hearing yesterday, explaining, "I'll be a passionate advocate, but not based on ideology, based on fact, based on science."
One high-profile Republican was unimpressed.
That's too much effort to put on climate change, according to Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a leading early contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.
"I don't think it's the most pressing foreign policy issue facing America," Rubio told POLITICO outside Kerry's confirmation hearing on Thursday. "There's a lot of things government can do but changing the weather isn't one of them."
I'm reminded of an interview Rubio did with GQ a few months ago, in which he was asked how old he thinks the Earth is. The Republican responded, "I'm not a scientist, man," before immediately shifting to a theological discussion, and concluding that the age of the planet may simply be unknowable. "It's one of the great mysteries," Rubio said.
And yesterday, Mr. I'm Not A Scientist, Man suggested that, as far as he's concerned, combating global warming is an impossible effort to "change the weather."
Why does the political establishment consider the far-right Floridian a rising star with limitless potential? It's one of the great mysteries.
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""I don't think it's the most pressing foreign policy issue facing America," Rubio told POLITICO
That was before the sea level in Florida rose to a level that Miami will now be represented in Congress by the "Little Mermaid".
Interestingly, We heard all about the Arctic ice melting to all time record levels, but nobody in Miami noticed any change in sea level.
Looks like you're all wet.
Yeah - And it's really cold where I am today. Right now.
GlobalwarminghoaxrantI'msmarterthanascientistfail.
Don't count Ariel out. :) It's a small world, after all.
Education in Florida is actually pretty good - which is bad for Rubio and the anti-intellectuals.
If you'd take 5 seconds to actually look at the data and predictions, no one said Miami would be underwater at this time. There has been a rise in sea level, but relatively small so far, and mostly due to the expansion of sea water as its temperature rises. The major sea level rises will be coming over the next century as the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets melt.
As for the Arctic ice melting and not raising the sea level in Miami? Even a first-grader knows that ice floats, and the sea ice in the Arctic floats. As it melts, it is not going to increase sea levels, because the ice already displaces more volume than its own weight. Archimedes Principle---It's Not Just For the Ancient Greeks.
I see. Then why was Day saying Florida was going to be underwater?
It is the melting of land-based ice that is contributing to the rise of sea levels. Thermal expansion of water as a result of rising global temperatures is a factor, too.
It is all the better if the GOP leadership remains sincerely allergic to empiricism. Because as long as it infects their campaign thinking they will be unable to embrace the data driven techniques that are restoring the science back into "Political Science".
I suspect much has been omitted from the book Victory Labs that is unknown to the GOP, but the book is excellent at giving a glimpse of this revolution in how the left can conduct organizing.
I'm not sure who this "Day" is that Blanks is talking about, but the reality of the situation is that all of FL WILL be underwater, possibly early in the next century. No part of FL is more than 8 feet above sea level, so the sea level rises that will accompany the melting of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets will definitely submerge FL, well as many other areas that are near sea level already, from NY to NJ to the Outer Banks, to Louisiana, just to mention a few places.
Shooter,
THERE is scienific evidence that this is happening. Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide trapping in the suns rays. And we as humans produce A TON of carbon dioxide. Sure, there have been climate changes before (Earth has a cycle) but we are making it much worse with all the pollution. The ice on the polar caps melting causes more than just the sea level rising. The reflective surface actually deflects sun rays. But since we are trapping the rays in (via carbon dioxide) the heat is melting the caps. Thus making the sea temperatures rise (a few degrees). Warmer water means more intense storms. This isn't just an American issue, it's the worlds issue.
This "day" was using exaggeration as a literary device. As did Cervantes, Swift, and a couple of others we could name.
(And, it should be noted that the Little Mermaid is a fictional character, a copyrighted Disney cartoon. That said, she may very well appear on the ballot in Florida. Mickey Mouse often has.)
Shooter, if the Arctic melts completely there will be no effect on the sea level. The Arctic is just one big nice cube. A full glass if ice water doesn't overflow when the ice melts. The problem is if the glaciers and Antarctica melts. That's when the levels will rise.
While we are haggling over whether Miami will be under water or not the temperature continues to rise.
Yes, it is cold in the South today like it was in the West last week, but it is warmer in Cortez, CO this morning than it has been all of 2013.
It will be warmer in some places and colder in others. It will be wetter in some places and dryer in others. There is already a drought in India. (Info. from Jim Cantore on the Weather Channel this morning.)
It is the temperature rise that is the threat. See essays by Larry J. Schweiger at www.nwf.gorg/view. Schweigher is the President and CEO of The National Wildlife Federation. The National Wildlife Federation is a really good place to follow this issue of climate change.
Another way of putting it is that most people can understand the difference between weather (the cold temperatures you might be encountering today) compared to CLIMATE (the aggregate weather conditions over longer periods of time). That's why they call it climate change and not weather change.
If climate change were true, then you'd be able to show that the average temperatures had risen over time. Wait a moment, I think NOAA has recorded temperature data that does just that:
http://www2.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/news/2011/noaa_ustemps_1895-2010.jpg
This is just in the US. In the Arctic north, Inuits have reported that there is a lot less ice cover where they used to hunt (ie, it's more water than it used to be). In other parts of the world, glaciers have receded dramatically. Those two results alone seem to me to indicate enough of a change in climate (not weather) that it is fair to consider whether people have the ability to change their own impacts on those trends.
Don't forget ocean acidification.
Shooter (although I doubt you'll care) -
Your "facts" are wrong. There has been a detectable rise in the sea level over the course of the last couple of years. Also, your logic is wrong: the melting of sea-bound ice DOES NOT directly contribute to sea levels. As you may have learned in third grade science, anything floating displaces the mass of water equal to its own mass; a pure iceberg floating will displace just as much water as it contains, so when it melts the overall level will not increase. You can see this for yourself by putting a few ice cubes in a glass, filling it to the brim, and watching as the ice cubes melt. The level of water does not change.
What DOES change the level of the seas are melts of non-floating ice sheets such as what we have seen in Greenland. Also, overall water temperature affects sea levels. Finally, local conditions affect how much of the overall sea level rise any particular inch of shoreline will see (the ocean is not a static flat puddle of water and because of currents and tides has "higher" spots and "lower" spots).
So, the melting of floating ice in the Arctic is not directly a cause of rising sea levels, although it may contribute in secondary ways. However, we DO have a documented sea level rise all over the US coastline, which is attributable to the other global warming effects. You are wrong on both counts.
I assumed that DAY was referring to Jodi Benson, but her wiki page says 'Ms. Disney' lives in Gainesville, Georgia, not Gainesville, Florida.
Glaciers on land, like the ones in Norway, Greenland, etc etc. that are melting.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/extreme-ice.html
deny, glub, deny, glub, deny, glub glub glub.
Also, as the arctic ice breaks apart it allows more water vapor to enter the atmosphere. Water vapor is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.
I'm not a scientist but, evaporation draws more moisture into clouds, which would create bigger storms, right?
Don't the corporations and the leaders who are behind the resistance to doing anything about climate change realize that if we as a human race become extinct, there will be no economy to worry about? That they will not continue to reap billions in profits by maintaining the status quo?
Is their greed and selfishness so incredibly deep that they can't even consider what sort of future we'll have, for even their own offspring?
I've never understood this. I guess it speaks to the level of intellect, ethics, and morality of which our current crop of business leaders are deeply lacking.
"Is their greed and selfishness so incredibly deep that they can't even consider what sort of future we'll have, for even their own offspring?"
I realized long ago that the answer to this question is, sad to say, definitely "Yes".
No. It's actually just a case of "we don't believe you". Climate change is just a secular religion.
Shooter you are entitled to believe what you want to believe, but I will personally side with the overwhelming majority of scientists and organizations that study this and say it's an existential threat. Even the US Military you worship understands this grave threat we face.
Similar to the gun debate, the tide is turning and the reality based community will no longer allow a small minority of intellectually lazy and willfully ignorant people such as yourself prevent meaningful change.
So what? As the saying goes, "Après moi, le déluge." Apt, isn't it?
In the meantime, they make out like bandits. When the time comes, they can afford their own tropical Aleution paradises with enough goodies stocked up to last them and their grandchildren as long as they like -- and in the meantime, they can get off on being the wealthiest people the world has ever seen (or will again.)
Shooter242,
If you truly feel the whole global warming thing is a hoax, then google map the North Pole and tell me where Santa’s home has gone.
Because he's pretty. It's not a mystery.
And he tows the extremist party line.
Despite Rubio's statements that lead people to believe he is going to run for President or VP, his qualifications will be found lacking by the political establishment. I suspect Rubio is the male version of Sarah Palin and the scrutiny of a national campaign will make that apparent. He can whip up a crowd but there is no substance to the man.
In which case they'll get Santorum. I don't think they'll like that any better.
My read is that the Establishment is looking farther ahead than the wingnut in the street: they smell "FAIL" all over Frothy, and they know that they have to do something about the Hispanic Apocalypse. Thus, push Rubio. It's not that they love him, it's that he's at least manipulable -- and the alternative Republican Hispanics are Martinez and Cruz. Both have even greater liabilities than Rubio.
Did these guys major in "Indifference" in college? It's easy to sound lax about facts, but this dismissive "if I don't know it, it must not be important" attitude just makes them sound lazy.
I think they just majored in stupidity.
Up is Down. No, really... show me the science that says otherwise.
Igits.
It is an unwritten rule of the political/media establishment to hail all young republicans that have yet to accomplish anything as a rising star.
Pretty simple. They just assume a Cuban Republican would win the various hispanic voting blocks and that he's enough of a Tea Partier not to lose any old, white, Republican voters. The GOP likes to promote him because they think it's good for the brand, that he proves there's no racism or xenophobia in the party, and the beltway tends to defer to the parties when being told who their rising stars are.
So they can hold him up and say "see! we got one too"
How did that work out for Michael Steele?
"Why does the political establishment consider the far-right Floridian a rising star with limitless potential?"
Because as a people, WE have allowed our standards for politicians to be dumbed down! WE have a corporate owned lame-stream media that picks out the most intellectually lazy, least knowledgeable and most callus of the GOTP and elevate them with words such as "potential, courage & brave" - none of which is true!
Let's face it THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES ON! Will anyone be brave enough to call out the mendacity, obfuscations, bullshyt for what it really is?! Enough, these people don't even believe in government and want to dismantle every social service program that helps lift working Americans all for the benefit of the Oligarchy! They are whoring themselves for their Oligarchical pimps - and WE the PEOPLE are being led to slaughter by their policies!
VOTE THESE TRAITORS TO THE PEOPLE OUT IN 2014!
What do you mean, when? We're doing it all the time, Zora. Calm down and find an organization to support.
Don't agonize, organize. - Florynce Kennedy
Q: Why does the political establishment consider the far-right Floridian a rising star with limitless potential?
A: Because the Inside the Beltway 'political establishment' and their employers The Corporately Owned Media engage in groupthink based upon repuknican talking points!
OK, so maybe climate change is not the most pressing foreign policy issue right now....but it is definitely very near the top. And unfortunately, as long as the far right deniers have any power, there will be nothing the US can do on climate change. We didn't sign the Kyoto Accords, and even as we see more frequent and destructive weather events wreaking havoc on the nation, repubs will continually deny it is happening, or that we just have to live with it as part of a natural cycle, all the while denying disaster aid to the people affected by this "natural cycle". In other words, its God's will, and if your city is destroyed, send the bill to God, or just die.
"Why does the political establishment consider the far-right Floridian a rising star with limitless potential?"
Same reason they consider Paul Lyin' an idea man: When your IQ is 70, someone with an IQ of 80 looks like a genius.
For years Paul Ryan was hailed as the brilliant rising star of the GOP and an expert on budgetary issues. Then once he was selected as the vp nominee, it took less than a week for the blogosphere to expose him for who he is and what he represents.
Sarah Palin was celebrated as a rising star and deemed an expert on the issue of energy. We all know how that worked out.
Marco Rubio will have the same fate.
"Rising star"... kind of like a big firework - looks like a "rising star" then it goes Bang and looks really pretty - and then poof - disappears - because it has no real substance.
Nice analogy. Too long to gain popular traction, but apt nonetheless.
http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/florida-sea-level-rise-letter-0342.html
It amazes me how little foresight people like Rubio have. And that he came from a family that dreamed big enough to get him to where he is now. I know humans love tradition - even when it kills them - but haven't we progressed enough to actually consider our future with a little more introspection and courage to to do the things that will prevent, or at least miminize disasters?
We should call it the Paul Ryanization.
The beltway boys fall in love with and "up and comer" and that person becomes a serious political heavyweight simply because the beltway boys say they are. And no matter how much evidence is presented to the contrary, the myth lives on.
Why do they consider this clown a rising star? Because he tells them what they want to hear...it's really cold today..therefore there is no such thing as climate change...besides shouldn't we be thinkin about starting another war in the middle east?
This is not just a scientific issue, it is a human rights issue as well. And as such, becomes a national security issue for the U.S. And although Rubio doesn't feel the need to defend his constituents' safety now, his succesors, undoubtedly, will have no choice.
Kathleen Dean Moore, in an interview for Sun Magazine says, "And we’re seeing it again as the rich nations create climatic conditions that are melting polar ice. Because the Inuit culture is based on a cold climate, [Sheila]Watt-Cloutier claims that her people have a right to ice. Those in the far north are suffering the most from the disrupted climate even as the effects spread to the rest of the globe. Climate change is damaging food supplies, spreading disease, and creating refugees, and it is poised to become the most massive human-rights violation the world has ever seen."
http://thesunmagazine.org/issues/444/if_your_house_is_on_fire?page=1
I stopped supporting Susan Rice for SOS when I found out she owns stock in the Keystone XL pipeline. I hope Kerry will put a stop to that and that he will put climate change at the top to the world agenda. If Climate Change is not the most pressing issue, it must be or the planet Earth is doomed.
The Republicans did not think they could lose the election in 2012, so why should we listen when they deny climate change?
As to Rubio’s
"There's a lot of things government can do but changing the weather isn't one of them."
The weather HAS change in the Los Angles basin because of the government.
From the mid 60’s to about 10 years ago, the only time you could see the San Gabriel Mountains was right after a rain and that is living only about 10 miles away from the base of the foot hills.
Because of government regulations the air quality has improved to were you can see the mountains more often than not during the hot days of summer. I don’t know about you but I consider air apart of the weather.
And miraculously Mr. Kerry and President Obama will succeed where so many other have failed to curb other industrialized nations such as China, Russia and India's unabashed refusal to regulate greenhouse emissions?
Such a convenient excuse for doing nothing. :-/
This link http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2013/01/sea-level-rise-where-we-stand-at-the-start-of-2013/ shows both increases in sea level and temperature. In the last 10 years alone the increase in Sea Level is about 10 mm.