Are Climate Change Deniers Traitors?
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman accuses most of those who voted against the Waxman-Markey climate change bill of being traitors to the planet.
Columnist Paul Krugman seems to be losing his cool as the climate warms.
He applauds passage of the historic Waxman-Markey climate-change bill making it's way through the U.S. Congress, while offering a harsh judgment of most of those who voted against the bill.
You can read his opinion in his own words here.
In brief, Krugman accuses opponents of the bill of ignoring well established scientific facts, and the fate of the planet, to score petty political points. He seems eager to apply the label "treason" to those who disagree with his own point of view on climate change.
I agree with Krugman on the science and the need for urgent action. There's enough scientific consensus to take a "better safe than sorry" approach to climate change.
Regrettably, liberal opinion shapers like Krugman too often seem too anxious to be, well, traitors, to their own causes.
A relentless passion for a public pose of moral superiority is too often placed above actually winning the issue, and changing the course of history.
A majority of opinion, and votes, are needed to make any substantial change to any situation. In order to create this majority, some of those who disagree with our point of view have to be won over to our side.
How does calling those who disagree with us traitors assist this effort? Isn't this name calling putting petty partisanship above the planet too?
Such rhetoric, whether from the left or right, accomplishes nothing but exciting those who already agree with us. And once our friends are excited, they still have only one vote, a vote they are already casting for our position.
Krugman's article seems sincere, and the punch he offers is skilled show biz partisan rhetoric, but lousy climate change politics.
It's not our friends we have to persuade, but our climate change opponents.
Let's give Krugman the last word here.
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Are Climate Change Deniers Traitors?
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman accuses most of those who voted against the Waxman-Markey climate change bill of being traitors to the planet.
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