Why don't RW'ers accept global warming?

[old mark]

This seems to come up from time to time - they see it as a political ploy of some sort, but the reasoning was never clear to me.
Is there reasoning or some magic power that will make things OK because the GOP is in power, or what? What do they think the "left" could gain?

mark

[dorkulon]

1. Global warming requires global regulation. It obviates the libertartian world view.

If reality really does require a global set of emissions regulation, then the libertarian ideology doesn't make sense. So it must not exist.

[randr]

2. They always chose to accept information from their own models of authority

The oil companies and fright wing pundits are far more knowledgeable than elitist intellectuals.
Scientists do not believe in the same God and do not understand the miraculous working of the great Exxon.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. They're "dangerous thinkers". Rebels. Mavericks.

The left suffers from this neurosis as well -- but it's usually pretty mild and self-limiting for us.

--p!

[LeftinOH]

4. It smacks of environmentalism..which is RW code for "liberal", ergo, they're against it..n/t

[Frustratedlady]

5. They don't like taxes, regulation or interference with corporations/companies.

I'm probably wrong, but it seems to me that this became a hot issue when the feds were trying to cut down on emissions from smokestacks and vehicles, among other pollutants. Some of these "repairs" were expensive, but look at the air quality, compared to then.

They don't want to be taxed...who does? However, they are willing to suck all the money and services from the government that they can...some, even illegally.

[theoldman]

12. No, you are probably right.

Clean air by cutting down emissions costs money therefore cutting company profits. In the long run we will have to suck it up and pay our dues if we want to live longer.

[KharmaTrain]

6. Because Their Selfish and Blissfully Ignorant

They see the world in black and white...and in a very narrow range. They think that a car is their right and that oil is their ticket to the ultiamte freedom. If we have cheap oil...at the point of a gun, if needed, then it's our "destiny"...and those that attempt to bring up any issue that gets in the way of their freedom is to be mocked or ignored.

The other facet is the religious component. Right wing fundies have waged all-out war on science as it destroys the underpinnings that keep these syndicates in power. Global warming means the world wasn't created in 7 days. I've heard some even believe that their invisible cloud being provides for them...it was left here for our taking...as if it's an unlimited source. Agreeing that man can affect his environment and that it's not a preordained system destroys the autocratic nature of most organized religions...they don't like it when the heathen ask too many questions.

The GOOP long has played this short-sightedness to it's advantage...promising the goodies (since that would benefit their big donors and real puppetmasters)...dangling a bone out there that is always chased but never caught.

Cheers...

[riverdeep]

7. For the same reason they fought like hell to limit lead in paint.

When scientists showed that children eating lead paint were growing retarded, they put up a full scale effort to discredit the work.

In other words, they're fucking evil.

[dbonds]

8. Many are Dominionist and think god gave them dominion of the earth to do whatever they want.

And the end of the world will come before things get too bad, so why worry about future generations.

[Frustratedlady]

14. In other words, they'll just Rapture their way out of it?

I cannot believe the truly intelligent friends I have who scoff at global warming...a member of my family, included.

They won't even discuss it. The only thing I can think of in their defense is that they have grown up around oil. We'd never criticize them, now would we?

[OnionPatch]

9. My brother-in-law is not quite a rightwinger, but

he leans that way and is always spouting off stupid things his wingnut father tells him. He said he believes global warming is a hoax. When my sister (his wife) and I asked him why anyone would lie about global warming, he said it was all so the scientists could obtain funding for research. We laughed at him and asked, "Come on, which is more likely; that scientists are angling for funding, or that the big oil companies want to keep on making the billions and billions and billions of dollars they currently make on oil?" We were almost rolling on the floor laughing at the idea of "evil" scientists scheming harder than the oil barrons. :rofl:

Personally, I believe they are merely against anything that might mean they have to change their lifestyle in any way. They really, really hate having to pitch in for any sort of common good.

[Deep13]

10. It means admitting that the way we are living is wrong. nt

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. Because it cuts against their literal biblical sense of history.

If the earth is only 2000 or so years old, then there can't be all of that data we discuss that involves digits in the millions.

Their little pea sized brains can't handle the truth!

[ScreamingWhisper]

13. I've had this discussion a number of times with the RWs in my office

and the consensus of most is that, they don't dispute the rise in global temps it's the premise that it's man-made in it's origins.
In typical Limpballs stratagem they always pull out the argument that the cycle and mechanisms of the planet are far too complex to be accurately predicted from year to year much less decade to decade. The cycle experienced currently is the same as previous cycles and is a natural turn in the Earth's evolution. In the same way that man is not responsible, man cannot control or prevent the occurrence either. Likewise a favorite POI is the whole "Earth's oceans are massive organic scrubbers of polution"...they can never back up this claim with science, but it just sounds so darn good.
Personally, I don't necessarily dispute the theory outright, as the Earth does seem to have an amazing ability to heal it's own wounds in an amazing fashion. My point to them is why contribute to any of the ills, naturally occurring or not, if it's not necessary. We may not be able to control the destiny of this little blue orb, but we can certainly control OUR destiny.

[123infinity]

34. A "healthy planet" isn't the same as a planet that's "healthy" for humans.

In fact, the concepts may well be mutually exclusive give the way we treat our environment. I mean, we can't hurt the planet but it can sure become uninhabitable for us.

[old mark]

35. You would think that - given we all live here - they might want to

take care of the place.
It's not like we can move down the block....

mark

[The2ndWheel]

15. The same reason some people think there is an environmentally friendly car?

Or the same reason that, even though hunting with sharp sticks increased our impact on the environment, we think we can somehow create a global civilization that decreases our impact on the environment?

[mrcheerful]

16. Mainly because global warming is a concept which requires thinking

about what the effects of global warming will be, its not a simple black or white A + B = C concept. For one thing the name global warming to them doesn't sound all that bad, heck means less snow up north to them. Remember most of these nit wits believe that man and dinosaurs palled around, T-Rex was a nice herbivore that pulled their plows for the fields.

Science is their enemy that calls their belief in the invisable man up in the sky who does everything by doing nothing, but if they believe hard enough and beg hard enough he does do things for them, they have proof because of the bad things that happen to them.

Now you expect people dumb enough to believe that crap to understand the danger of Global warming? Remember these people build houses on sand at the edge of a cliff in an area that has mud slides and are surprised to wake up after a rain storm to find 1/2 their house is no longer where it was when they went to bed.

You can't fix stupid end of story.

[slackmaster]

17. I believe most RWers accept the well-documented fact that the climate is warming

The issue they (and not just RWers) have with the whole issue comes down to two questions:

1. How much of the warming is caused by human activity vs. natural causes, and

2. What can or should be done about it?

[CPschem]

18. Beacuse they have nothing but contept for science

and for those who care about the environment.

[NNN0LHI]

19. These are the same freaks who swore that cigarettes don't cause cancer

[zbdent]

20. They'll accept it the same way that they accept everything else ...

20+ years too late ...

Case in point ... a female VP ... of course, if you mean a COMPETENT female VP, it's still a long wait ...

[Orsino]

21. It's the car. Wingers dig the car.

Accepting man-made climate change would implicate the automobile, particularly the conspicuous consumption of frivolously large SUVs and trucks. You think they're nuts about their guns? Wait 'til the other phallic symbol is taken from them.

[distantearlywarning]

22. Because they were told not to by the Bush administration

and they're a bunch of sheep.

Seriously, I realized years ago that some of these people just desperately want someone else to tell them what to think about and how to think about it. If Bush says being against global warming is an issue they should care about, then suddenly they think that's the most important thing in the world. If Bush sacrificed small babies to Satan on the White House lawn and then got on Faux News to tell his cult followers that baby sacrificing was ok, they'd all start blathering on and on and on for years about the evil libs who want to stop our wonderful president from babies.

[electron_blue]

23. They see it as cutting into their profit line. Also, many religious ones are deluded

into thinking God is in charge, so how can man possibly screw this up.

This is changing, however. Many fiscally conservative companies (like the insurance business) have totally come around to the realities of Global Warming, because they see how much money they are losing by being in denial over it. Other religious groups are pointing out that God wants humankind to be stewards of the Earth and that we're failing in that responsibility. Still other traditionally conservative (and Republican) groups are realizing how much money can potentially be made on the new technology to deal with G.W. Many Republicans are not in denial about G.W.'s importance, and McCain was in fact a "true believer" and his environmental policies were comparable to those put forward by Obama and Clinton earlier this year. So much will change once Bush is finally out of office. I think both parties are ready to deal with this seriously for many reasons.

[rucky]

24. Then they'd have to accept responsibility for something.

or something.

[hadrons]

25. They also worry that other countires won't complie the same way as the U.S.

These people are obsessive about someone getting something they aren't ... they worry that they will have to change and no-one else will. This is why welfare bugs the crap out of them, someone is getting something they aren't and it doesn't matter how little it is or how much better they have it.

They like the U.S. getting the upper hand over everyone and one of the reasons they fear Democrats in charge is that they'll be ... "gasp" ... fair with other countries (they won't, but they'll be nicer about taking advantage of them.)

[melm00se]

26. they view (we just had this discusion in one of my classes 44 years old and going back to school)

global warming as a normal part of the cycling of climate and that there are other, far more impactful, events than humans:

- a single volcanic eruption kicks out more greenhouse gases than all of man
- the sun contributes more energy to the system and even a 1 or 2% increase in solar output will have more effect than humans.

It boiled down to a disagreement that GW is anthropogenic or not.

[samrock]

27. The question is NOT the existence of global warming....

It is determining how much of it is due to mankind.. IF there were 0 humans on the earth would global warming still happen?? How do you tell/make developing nations not advance like we did cause it will harm mankind to much ( I know what most of them would tell us to do with our meddling). I am afraid that by the time you convince enough of the world that action is require to act it will be to late to effect Global Warming ( assuming that we COULD affect it even if every human on the earth was doing all they could to stop it).. Our best efforts might be in planning to deal with the consequences of global warming..

[City Lights]

28. The ones I know don't deny that the globe is warming. They deny that man has

anything to do with it. They claim the Earth is just going through its natural cycles.

[StopThief]

29. They see it as just another. . .

in a long line of attempts to destroy capitalism.

They claim that the green movement is the new home for all of the discredited communists, who are using it in their battle against the market economy.

They also have the idea in their heads that the Earth has not been warming since 1997, and that in fact most of the U.S. has had below normal temperatures this whole year.

Most importantly, though, they think that even if man made global warming exists, the proposed cure will be much worse than the disease.

Loons, all of them. ;-)

[dkofos]

30. They have been told for years by their brains (hannity, rush,et al) that it

was all made up by Al Gore.

They can't really think for themselves.

[Nihil]

31. Same reason that a lot of DUers don't ...

... they're just too f*cking stupid to understand the scale and
breadth of humanity's negative impact on the environment yet, sadly,
not *quite* stupid enough to stop breathing.

[yardwork]

32. The gas and oil companies pay big money to keep the denial going.

Gas and oil pay the salaries of lots of people in the right-wing movement who deny global warming. They fund think tanks, publishing houses, foundations, blogs, centers, an entire industry devoted to denying that global warming is caused by burning fossil fuels.

The right-wingers who get their news from right-wing sources are taught day in and day out that global warming is a liberal myth.

[DU GrovelBot]

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