Pic Of The Moment: Climate Change Explained, GOP Style

[EarlG]

Energy Chair Joe Barton (R-TX): "Greenhouse Gases are Good, because Greenhouses Help Things Grow."

Follow @demunderground

[struggle4progress]

1. Congressional Report Denying Climate Change Was Likely Plagiarized

Experts hired by USA Today to analyze a 2006 Congressional report that questioned global warming data say the report appears to have been plagiarized heavily ... The report was requested, and then often quoted, by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) when he was chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee ...
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/11/climate_change_denying_report_plagiarized.php

[hobbit709]

2. That level of stupid should be immediately and excruciatingly painful to the person.

[patrice]

3. STUPID & IRRESPONSIBLE, Republican is thy name.

[struggle4progress]

4. Carol Browner: ‘Stunning’ Climate Denial In The House Prevents Any Action On Climate In Washington

Dec 6, 2012 at 9:38 am
by Luke Morgan

Former EPA Chief and White House Climate Czar Carol Browner says that climate deniers in the House of Representatives are the biggest impediment to getting a price on carbon ...

Speaking directly after Browner was Texas GOP Representative Joe Barton. Barton is the chairman emeritus of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and sits on the Environment and the Economy subcommittee. However, while collecting $1.7 million from Big Oil over the years, he has displayed alarming ignorance on climate reality ...

Barton also claimed that the atmosphere had, in the past, contained carbon dioxide levels greater than 5,000 parts per million (ppm), implying that we could do so again today. The current scientific consensus, however, is that 350 ppm is the safe upper limit ...

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/12/06/1292171/carol-browner-stunning-climate-denial-in-the-house-prevents-any-action-on-climate-in-washington/

[Aviation Pro]

5. Fucking moron...

...go talk to a fucking flower, you fucking idiot. Since you can't bother reading a fucking book about atmospherics just fucking stick your fat head up your ass.

[montanto]

6. So, more carbon dioxide will grow the economy!!!1!

Now I understand: Bigger, stronger, taller, greener economy will emerge if we make a greenhouse out of the entire planet.

[sulphurdunn]

64. Sadly, yes

but not by making anything bigger, stronger, taller or greener. The economy will benefit by increasing the use of fossils fuels that are melting the arctic and triggering the greenhouse effect feedback loop that could make most if not all of the earth uninhabitable. The real problem isn't with the politicians and teabaggers. They're just political dildos and useful fools. The real problem is with suicidal corporate capitalism, and its self-serving legal obligation and demented, amoral obsession with doing anything for profit, regardless of the consequences.

[asolarski]

70. And Water Sustains Life

Which is why floods and tsunamis are not really problems either, thanks to God and Republicans.

[Jakes Progress]

7. A public dumb-ass on proud display.

Almost as smart as his governor.

[SoapBox]

8. Such the dumbass...

musta beaned some Home Skool'n in his life.

[Major Nikon]

45. The GOP war on abstract thought rages on

[pacalo]

9. This corporate shill is dangerous to be in charge of setting federal policy.

Barton also claimed that the atmosphere had, in the past, contained carbon dioxide levels greater than 5,000 parts per million (ppm), implying that we could do so again today. The current scientific consensus, however, is that 350 ppm is the safe upper limit.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/12/06/1292171/carol-browner-stunning-climate-denial-in-the-house-prevents-any-action-on-climate-in-washington/

And what does this 350 number even mean?

350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in "Parts Per Million" in our atmosphere. 350 PPM—it's the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change.

If we're already past 350, are we all doomed?

No. We're like the patient that goes to the doctor and learns he's overweight, or his cholesterol is too high. He doesn't die immediately—but until he changes his lifestyle and gets back down to the safe zone, he's at more risk for heart attack or stroke. The planet is in its danger zone because we've poured too much carbon into the atmosphere, and we're starting to see signs of real trouble: melting ice caps, rapidly spreading drought. We need to scramble back as quickly as we can to safety.

http://www.350.org/en/understanding-350#2

[JoeDuck]

10. How about a room full of CO2?

Seeing as how it's good for you, he should go spend a couple of hours in a room full of it. After that, I would be willing to listen to his opinion.

[Plucketeer]

16. I like the way your mind works, Joe

But I'd like to ask if you really think Barton's WORTHY of CO2. I think the two is too good for him. Why not just CO? CO2 - given how valuable it is to the rest of us - is too damned good for Barton.

BTW, WELCOME to DU!!!

[robbob]

31. You're too kind...

I was thinking more along the lines of him tying a plastic bag over his head and seeing how long he can survive on CO2

[bulloney]

79. I'd be happy if Barton would stick his face in a toilet twice and pull it out once.

[AldoLeopold]

81. About 6000ppm should do the trick nicely

[SutaUvaca]

11. Would dumbass Barton care to INHALE his carbon dioxide?

How can you get to be a congresscritter and be so abso-fucking-lutely stupid!?

[snappyturtle]

52. I, too, have wondered that many times! Ignorance reigns I guess.

Haven't seen you here before and I guess I'm a bit late but welcome to DU! Glad you're here!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Republican dominated House Science committee is even more stupid

Akin is on it (as a lame duck). So is Sensenbrenner, Rohrabacher, and Broun -- a dimmer bunch of bulbs is hard to find.

[xocet]

26. Indeed, Paul Broun and the "Pit of Hell" counterargument to modern science...

[Dont call me Shirley]

33. Baptist: that explains it all.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

41. God.

I hate these
[font size=20] FUCKING SHIT BRAINED IDIOTS [/font] so GOD damned fucking much.

[snappyturtle]

54. We can only hope he has given up his medical practice. nt

[Happyhippychick]

13. Can he demonstrate it by sticking his head in a plastic bag?

[Plucketeer]

15. Honestly - I'm in a quandry as to whether I should cry or snarl.

Only STUPID can nominate STUPID to do their bidding in DC. Barton - as well as the doofuses on the syence commi-tea - are just standard bearers for the ignorant goo that must prevail in their districts. We can laugh at their stupid, but they could EASILY be replaced by someone JUST AS - if not MORESO - STUPID as they are! That it looks as tho the Right may be crumbling - and thus give a glimmer of hope - the wreckage that falls out may well restructure itself and come back even MORE determinedly ridiculous.

I live in a California district that likely would hail Barton as a genius. While I'm proud to say our senators are good folk, our rep, the S-teamed ("S" for Stupid) Devin Nunes, is a bought and paid for employee of the 1%. His "qualifications" are that he can ably ignore the peons of this district - while convincing the dolts he works for them - AND vote just like he's told - by party leadership - NOT his constituents. The Okie and Arkie mindset that travelled here during the dust bowl - still prevails. It's like a mini-south here - with it's determined anti-gubamint stance while happily raking in any undeserved subsidies they feel "entitled" to. I'm reminded of the "Hands off my (government) Medicare signs we've laughed at.
Anyway, our purposely dim-witted Rep is an honest example of the prevailing flavor here. If it weren't for him, it would be someone just as rubber-stamp talented. IF the GOP manages to stay intact, it'll be interesting to see what sorta leverage Nunes will ultimately be afforded as just reward for wielding his drawer-full of rubber stamps when instructed where and how to.

[wandy]

27. They are not stupid. They are well paid to misguide the stupid....

Their corporate masters fund their campaigns and then lobby (read give gifts) to insure they will preach the party line and protect the interests of those they represent. Hint, they do not represent the people who voted for them, they protect the people who paid for them.

[JanT]

77. yes i think you may be on to something nt

[left on green only]

61. Our thinking is identical

I live in rural California as well, only my congressional district is the 19th (I believe yours is the 21st). So all I have to do is substitute Devin Nunes with Jeff Denham (they both share parts of Fresno County, in addition to sharing intellects).

But the thing I keep wondering is what the people in these districts will do if it turns out that the republican party in California becomes a thing of the past (which I believe it soon will)? I mean, it isn't as if they are Republicans just because they have been trained to think that way for their whole lives. They are also Republicans because they actually believe the Republican mind set. If their beloved political party vanishes, they aren't going to change their political thinking. That means they can either stop voting, or else gravitate to whatever replaces the Republican Party. Will the right wing Aryan Nation see a big spike in membership?

[Speck Tater]

17. How can they pack so much ignorance into something as small as the human brain? nt

[beachgirl2365]

18. Texas school system's finest!!!

They must be so proud!

[Enrique]

19. "we call it life"

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/06/barton-likes-bp-and-they-like-him-b-1.html

Individuals or PACs associated with the oil and gas industry as a whole have been Barton's biggest patron since he entered Congress, donating more than $1,448,380 since the 1990 election cycle. The figure puts him at No. 1 among all House members for donations from the industry, fifth among members of Congress and fourth among active members of Congress.

[awoke_in_2003]

20. "exhaling carbon dioxide as he spoke"...

part of me wishes he would stop

[U of M Dem]

24. I believe the appropriate nomenclature

for this man is oxygen thief

[awoke_in_2003]

30. Welcome to DU...

[volstork]

21. Doh

[liberalmike27]

22. Wow

That is such classic "idiot logic." It's used so much today, as our population is largely too stupid to recognize absurd attempts at manipulative logic. I guess it's because they are too interested in finding something to repeat, rather than to have to think.

[triplepoint]

23. So Joe...Why are the World's Oceans Dying?

Last edited Sun Dec 9, 2012, 12:49 PM - Edit history (2)

Say it ain't so Joe! Say it ain't so!
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[AzDar]

25. Sweet Baby Jesus...

[AlbertCat]

28. It's like a 5 year old...

I had one tell me that the trees waving their top branches is what caused the wind ( not the other way around) This is so cute because kids say the darnedest things! But coming from a grown man...who is a Rep! Just scary.

BTW, Genius Barton, the reason we build a green house is, not to help things grow, but to RAISE THE HEAT so warm weather things can grow in a colder climate or time. The moron's never grown anything.

Do these people not understand the concept of "too much"? He'd probably over fertilize and water anything he tried to grow because...well water and fertilizer make things grow, so MORE of them obviously make thing grow MORE!

He's really not this dumb. I don't believe he actually believes what he says. He's just paid to act stupid.

[yonder]

29. I'd argue

that water is also a "necessity for life". You can still drown in it however. What a moran

[Volaris]

32. Science is hard...

[freshwest]

34. Oh, frick! We're frigging doomed with people like this in charge!

Good Gawd Almighty. The end has finally come, not with a bang but a whimper because this almost makes me weep. This planet is too stupid to live on.

It's no wonder people want the world to end, to wipe all of this out and start all over again. What a failed experiment this has been. What dumbfuckery this is...

[AverageJoe90]

42. I dunno about 'doomed'.....

But yeah, this is a fucking problem, if we still have to deal with people like Barton in Congress. Now, granted, I will also admit that hyperbole hasn't been at all helpful, either, and in fact, where it not for certain parties engaging in such, I might dare say that the deniers probably would have had far more trouble selling their bullshit by now; the reason I say this is because they were able to take the weirdest and most ridiculous claims made by "climate Cassandras&quot and, occasionally, by people who are usually much better about sticking to the real science and avoiding hyperbole but occasionally let something slip anyhow, i.e. Jim Hansen, though they can be much more easily forgiven in my view.), such as "Venus Syndrome on Earth", for example, and try to spin yarns all over the place, a la FOX News, so they could try to muddy the waters for as long as possible by saying that we were ALL "Chicken Littles".

Thankfully, though, the deniers are indeed finally having increasing amounts of difficulty selling their ill-conceived wares to the public(no thanks to the "climate Cassandras", though, that's for damn sure), so maybe it's not too late to avoid the 3-4*C scenarios, which are the average estimations for BAU scenarios.....but our job has been made a LOT tougher by all these distractions during this past decade or so.

[freshwest]

57. Okay, agreed. But I've heard elementary students with much more knowledge than that showed.

The Idiocracy is in full swing. But then we have those great stories of the replicator and the skin gun, there are still some functioning brains doing great things. Most likely though, twits like Barton would put up the sign of the cross in front of their eyes to protect them from such satanic knowledge that would liberate mankind. Sad!

[AverageJoe90]

58. Yep.

Yes indeed, we are still facing many challenges ahead of us, some large, and some Herculean, but we've still got some smart people out there willing to make a difference. And that could be salvation, of a sort.

[Jennicut]

80. Yup, my 8 year old knows more about the environment then this idiot Barton does.

She knows that trees produce oxygen and take in carbon dioxide. And that too much CO2 can affect the environment. We were just talking about it the other day because her class was studying about it last week. At least the youth of today is better educated and less willing to believe in conspiracy theories and lies then these Repub idiots.

[Major Nikon]

35. This is your brain on GOP

[mimi85]

37. Good One...

Maybe the Mayans WERE right! And the mega low info voters that get these Neanderthals into office! Wait, don't want to insult our ancestors!

[Salviati]

36. So, using that logic and the fact the locks are good, because they protect your valubles...

and hems are good because they keep your pants from fraying, let me respectfully suggest a delicious new beverage for Joe Barton to try. It's Socrates Approved!

[AverageJoe90]

38. Barton's an idiot, 'nuff said.

Who in their right minds can possibly deny that global anthropogenic climate change is happening? All the evidence out there clearly proves it, and yet.....actually, fuck this. I don't think any the most hardcore conservatives will ever wake up. They are a lost cause.

But, perhaps, with all the others, there may be some hope.....especially if we can start waking up more farmers and fishers, because they'll be amongst the hardest hit in this country, especially if worst comes to worst(it's not inevitable by any means even under BAU but it still could happen. Better safe than sorry, IMO.).

[toby jo]

39. Noooooooooo !

Joe, baby, remember in 1st grade, when 1+1 = 2?

Try a little of that logic on again, eh? You can work your way up to greenhouse gas theory from there.

Or, here's a thought, Joe, just trust the smart people.

[Canuckistanian]

40. It's this kind of ignorance we're up against

If our friggen lawmakers don't even understand the basic science, we're all screwed

[are_you_serious_1234]

43. Ummmm... I'm not sure I followed that Joe.

[onethatcares]

44. when you're up against this kind of stupid

it hurts to even rebut.

And to think someone(s)voted for this braindead asshole.

[DesertRat]

46. LOL

[midnight]

47. No wonder he apologized to BP and its CEO in front of congressional committee after BP destroyed the

Gulf.. He is probably under the impression that the gulf was to full of shrimp and other life sustaining animals for the area to support....

[AAO]

48. I'm so pissed that anyone could buy into this.

It's hard to argue with stupid.

[AAO]

49. I just thought of something really FN funny!

If I would have posted the same thing as EarlG , I think I may have been banned!

[tclambert]

50. Wow, he's really smart! They should put him on the Science Committee.

Seriously, where can they find ANY Republicans for the Science Committee?

[AgingAmerican]

51. Science be damned

Republicans are flippin' morons. Money worship makes people stupid.

[pediatricmedic]

53. Ummm, how do you even respond to something like that? nt

[snappyturtle]

55. It's hard to even figure out where to start!

Welcome to DU!

[wordpix]

56. omg, the STOOPID never ends with these repug idiots

what can one say but

[KansDem]

73. Really!

It's getting to the point they just dream shit up and it comes out their mouths!!!

All this for a six-digit salary and excellent health care with perks and a pension!

[FailureToCommunicate]

59. Come on Joe! Convince more rich guys to have greenhouses built to combat climate

change! I build antique greenhouses, and that would be good for business!
By the way Joe, I know you harvest a lot of oil lobby dollars so you may just be sprouting this nonsense on behalf of your industry pals, but just in case you actually are ignorant on the reason for glass structures allow me to water your budding knowledge on the topic:
The glass in greenhouses traps the suns shortwave radiation after they pass thru and become long wave radiation... that don't easily pass back thru the glass,- they are trapped- and warm the soil and masonry in the structure to keep the plants warmer in colder climates. They also can help keep moisture trapped inside raising the humidity that many plants prefer.



The Earth's atmosphere works somewhat the same way. That is one of the reasons we have life on this planet. It does NOT explain where there is so much stupid here though.



Oh, and one last thing Joe, these greenhouses are not actually green: usually they are white with clear bits in between. Just FYI.

[pangaia]

60. OK I apologize to the moderators but--

I gotta use some naught woods here.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT !!!

[dinger130]

62. This is the same moron

that said we should apologize to BP during the oil spill. Enough said.

[Buzz Clik]

63. Congressman Barton: I challenge you to live in a greenhouse for one week this summer.

Maybe then you'd get it.

[NoMoreWarNow]

65. We euthanize lab animals with CO2

Enough said. Except these rethugs are idiots and are killing the planet.

[asolarski]

71. You're making his point

See, we need CO2 for so many things we better not run out.

[Turbineguy]

66. In reality we are dependent

on the good will of the energy industry and market forces. Here's hoping that the energy industry recognizes that he's a moron. I just wish his constituents recognized it and stopped electing him.

[libodem]

67. Goober Gomer

Does the weather report. Ignorant anus.

[Deep13]

68. co2 is a deadly poison.

That's apart from it being a greenhouse gas.

[AgingAmerican]

69. Obamas climate change silence

is handing the issue to idiots like this guy and that weirdo Inhofe.

[griloco]

72. Rope. He's giving the dopes rope. n/t

[griloco]

74. Spoken like a true potted plant unlike..

[niyad]

75. It is too early in the morning to drink the amount of alcohol that would be necessary to read

his ignorant bs.

[Angry Dragon]

76. There needs to be an IQ test for politicians

[JanT]

78. i think he needs a dose of that wonder CO2 all for himself nt

[AldoLeopold]

82. I see this not as stupidity

But as a politician so beholden to the energy lobby that he's making up haphazard stories as best he can in order to justify his campaign donations and their existence.

He may very well know whats going on - but how do you explain to your mom when your hand is in the cookie jar?

"sorry...I...was....just looking for my homework. See, I put my homework in the cookie jar because...see...I was afraid...that the dog would eat it...and since the cookie jar is on the top shelf...well the dog can't get to it and eat my homework. And the cookies. See I was protecting the cookies, too. Aren't you proud of me?