Heartland Institute facing uncertain future as staff depart and cash dries up

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

The first Heartland Institute conference on climate change in 2008 had all the trappings of a major scientific conclave – minus large numbers of real scientists. Hundreds of climate change contrarians, with a few academics among them, descended into the banquet rooms of a lavish Times Square hotel for what was purported to be a reasoned debate about climate change.

But as the latest Heartland climate conference opens in a Chicago hotel on Monday, the thinktank's claims to reasoned debate lie in shreds and its financial future remains uncertain.

Heartland's claims to "stay above the fray" of the climate wars was exploded by a billboard campaign earlier this month comparing climate change believers to the Unabomer Ted Kaczynski, and a document sting last February that revealed a plan to spread doubt among kindergarteners on the existence of climate change.

Along with the damage to its reputation, Heartland's financial future is also threatened by an exodus of corporate donors as well as key members of staff.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/20/heartland-institute-future-staff-cash

[Woody Woodpecker]

1. Good. All the stupid thinktanks should be shut down

Any right-wing thinktanks that gives bullshit in guise of pro-anything needs to be shut down.

We know they spread lies, and yet the First Amendment protects that.

[Archae]

2. Awww...my heart bleeds...

[jerseyjack]

3. Who says the news is all bad?

---but don't worry. The cock brothers will start a new think tank tomorrow, call it the Truthland Institute and you will read next month about how climate change is a fraud.

[johnfunk]

4. Buh-bye, fascist Kochfluffers, buh-bye, and don't let the door hitcha where the FSM splitcha!

Just sayin'...

[cheapdate]

5. Heartland "Institute" - what a joke. Bunch of washed-up hacks. n/t

[Plucketeer]

6. A Coke Bruthers Stink Tank fails?

Perish the thoughts - no - really! Heartland's board members -------
--->

[caveat_imperator]

7. As Ian MacKaye said so succinctly...

"Boo-Fucking-Hoo!!!"

[dpibel]

8. You got a problem with Heartland?

Some DU members think it's a quotable source:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1127&pid=15320

[alp227]

9. expect that user to be PPR'ed pretty soon...

[Blue Owl]

10. The Fartland Instatoot is full of bloated gasbags

n/t

[quakerboy]

11. That just means its time to be vigilant

The corporate sponsors are jumping ship because the truth behind the organization has been publicly unmasked.

But I feel safe in assuming that the money is still being given to some group fighting to deny climate change. So, who can figure out which one first?

[Liberty Belle]

12. Good. Oh please let them go under!

I am involved with a nonprofit that has a similar name and this causes no end of grief, as our parent nonprofit sponsors conferences about how to stop global warming and promote sustainable clean energy policies -- we have to publish disclaimers that we have no relation to these nut jobs. We'd never heard of them until they starting getting so much prominence - I hope they go under and disappear.

[qb]

13. And the corporate donors scatter like cockroaches from a kitchen light.

[SunSeeker]

14. They really jumped the shark with the Unabomber billboard. Hee hee.