Bill Maher: Climate Change Deniers Are "So Stupid They Make ME Question Evolution"

On "Real Time" Friday night Bill Maher raked climate change skeptics over the coals, particularly those in the GOP, insisting that they must "stop pretending climate change is a future problem." He showed images of Australia with its current host of wildfires, and wondered how those in Southern California would react to such a vista (see above).

That's in reference to the fact that much more severe wildfire seasons have been predicted for California due to global climate change. It's already clear that California has been in a drought for some time.

I think, one problem with the issue, is that people continue to call it "global warming." It's global climate change, not global warming, and people need to get that straight. Some parts of the world will get warmer, some colder, but all will face much more severe weather patterns.

And that's another thing: don't confuse weather with climate. Just because it's cold today, or even colder in a winter season, doesn't mean the climate isn't changing.

Maher first target was Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who has previously referred to global climate change as the "greatest hoax." Of course, Inhofe has no science background.

Maher also targeted Republicans who, while no longer insisting that the issue of global warming "needed more study," now insist that it's "probably too late anyhow." An example was GOP Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), who has claimed that we will simply "adapt" to massive climate change.

You right-wingers realize that such adaptation is the sort of thing that evolution would account for? And that evolution would therefore weed out those who are not genetically predisposed to adaptation (meaning a heck of a lot of people would die).

Maher said: "These people are so stupid they make ME question evolution," which is particularly humorous due to his atheist leanings.

Watch the video:

Exelon Leaves U.S. Chamber of Commerce Over Climate Change Denial

Today, John Rowe, the CEO of Exelon, announced that his company, which is the largest electric utility company in the United States, would not renew its membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce because of its opposition to global warming action. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce claims that a cap-and-trade program to limit global warming pollution would “strangle the economy” and has even called for a “Scopes monkey trial” on the science of global warming.

It's hard to understand the denials of the Chamber of Commerce, but the economy is a favored argument of those harping against climate change. The thing is, working on green technologies can only help the economy, and even if it did not, what good is an economy without a planet?

Cynic that I am, I have to wonder what's in it for Exelon. In the press release announcing their decision to leave the Chamber of Commerce, Rowe said:

“The carbon-based free lunch is over. But while we can’t fix our climate problems for free, the price signal sent through a cap-and-trade system will drive low-carbon investments in the most inexpensive and efficient way possible. Putting a price on carbon is essential, because it will force us to do the cheapest things, like energy efficiency, first.

“Inaction on climate is not an option. If Congress does not act, the EPA will, and the result will be more arbitrary, more expensive, and more uncertain for investors and the industry than a reasonable, market-based legislative solution.”

Oil Industry Memo Reveals Fake "Grassroots Movement" Plan

A leaked memo obtained by Greenpeace reveals the American Petroleum Institute (API) is asking oil companies to recruit employees, retirees and contractors to take part in rallies against climate change legislation.

The memo was written by API president Jack Gerard. It was given to Greenpeace, according to Greenpeace USA research director Ken Davies. They wrote a letter to the API asking for confirmation that this was a real email, which the API confirmed.

Here's what the memo (.PDF) said, in part:

The measure of success for these events will be the diversity of the participants expressing the same message, as well as turnouts of several hundred attendees. In the 11 states with an industry core, our member company local leadership—including your facility manager’s commitment to provide significant attendance—is essential to achieving the participation level that Senators cannot ignore. In addition, please include all vendors, suppliers, contractors, retirees and others who have an interest in our success.

In other words, anyone who might want to see profits stay high at an oil company should join in on the "astroturfing."

Appearing on Democracy Now! this morning, Ken Davies gave more insight:

They said that it would cause $4 gasoline. Of course, we remember $4 gasoline; people don’t like that. But it actually—the study they drew from was from the Heritage Institute, funded by Exxon, and said that we’d have $4 gasoline by 2035. So they’re using fear tactics.

They’re using the jobs versus environment, the same old saw. And they’re attacking—they’re scaring people who work in the energy industry.

Yep, they're trying the same campaign: profit over environment, but what good is cash if you don't have a planet to live on?

While using the same arguments, the technique is new. It's also true that in the past, for example, companies like Exxon Mobil have been exposed as funding global warming deniers.

Interestingly, Davies noted that this tactic is not illegal, at least for companies. Its kind of like a company outing, if they truck employees to a town hall or something.

I’ve asked a couple labor experts about that, and apparently it would be very illegal if a union was doing it. But for a company to do it on company time, it’s essentially like a picnic. We don’t know the real letter of the law there, but it is a good question.