Yesterday The Politico interviewed Raymond Orbach, the nation's first undersecretary at the Department of Energy. His comments reflect President Bush's evolving opinions on global warming, from, "Warming? What warming?" to, "OK, OK, it's warming! But you can't make me do anything about it." Here's an excerpt:Q: Is global warming real? And is it man-made?"At least part of the increase"? The IPCC has reported there's "at least 90 percent certainty that human activities, led by burning fossil fuels, [are] stoking warming."
A: Global climate change is a serious challenge, and we are performing the basic applied research that will confront it.
Q: But does a preponderance of evidence show that it is man-made?
A: My understanding is that the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), of which we are a part, believes that at least part of the increase in temperature is man-made.
Q: Have you seen "An Inconvenient Truth"?
A: No, I haven't. I really can't comment; it would be unfair.
Also, I get a chuckle out of the utter refusal of conservatives in general and Bush administration officials in particular to admit even having seen the movie. Just because you learn about other perspectives doesn't mean you disagree with them; it's called "opposition research." I certainly don't agree with the columns of Bob Novak, George Will, and Charles Krauthammer in the Post, but I read them to understand the conservative point of view.
Y'know, An Inconvenient Truth is out on DVD, maybe we should all chip in and get him a copy? Tell you what, if anyone donates at least $20 to ACE today through the NetworkForGood.org charity badge on the right side of this blog, I'll send Mr. Orbach a copy of the DVD and some microwave popcorn with a little note that says "From all of us here at The Green Miles." Any takers?
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