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[Scott Chilcote <scottchilcote AT earthlink.net>]

Hi Tony,

It seems difficult to believe that a vast conspiracy of politically 
minded climate scientists on the left could be suppressing a few, heroic 
opponents who are desperately trying to reveal the truth.

In this country the government is completely controlled by right wing 
interests.  Conservatives have gained such power that evolution, the 
very basis for modern biology and archeology has been swept up in heated 
debate.  Bodies of long accepted scientific research have been called 
into question and criticized.  Intelligent Design was being taught in 
classrooms.

And yet somehow, the truth about the earth heating up has been locked up 
tight?  The article you've quoted was printed by the editorial pages of 
the Wall Street Journal, a source that is widely acknowledged to be at 
the right end of the political spectrum.  If, in reality, there were a 
small number of outspoken critics, this is one of the media outlets 
where I would expect them to be the most welcome.

If there were a convincing theory that explained why the earth is 
heating up so quickly, resulting in never before seen temperatures and 
vast amounts of glacier melting, I believe the scientific community 
would be glad to hear of it.  It would give us a possible reason not to 
fear grievous damage to our habitat.  It might even present some way we 
could attack the problem other than to pursue major changes in how we live.

Until there is a convincing reason, I believe the simplest explanation 
for all this obfuscation is to watch the money.  There are powerful, 
wealthy interests who stand to lose if we pursue the most obvious 
remedies to the global crisis that most climate scientists warn of. 
Just as the Church did with Galileo, just as the tobacco companies did 
with lung cancer, and just as the chemical companies did with DDT - 
those who feel the most threatened will fight aggressively against the 
tide of opinion.

--
Scott C.



Tony Spencer wrote:
> And if you don’t think politics influences science you’re kidding yourself:
>
> “Alarm rather than genuine scientific curiosity, it appears, is 
> essential to maintaining funding. And only the most senior scientists 
> today can stand up against this alarmist gale, and defy the iron 
> triangle of climate scientists, advocates and policymakers.”
> http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008220
>
>
> On 7/10/06 11:54 AM, "B Holroyd" <beeholroyd AT gmail.com> wrote:
>
>     I just love it when people confuse politics and the scientific
>     method....
>
>     On 7/10/06, *Michael Czeiszperger* <michael AT czeiszperger.org> wrote:
>
>
>         On Jul 9, 2006, at 11:14 PM, Tony Spencer wrote:
>
>         >  Geoff, I'm curious.  Did you consider what the motivation
>         would be
>         >  for Gore
>         >  to create this movie?
>
>         A long-held and sincere concern for the environment?
>
>         >  Did you consider what NASA's motivation for
>         >  originating the global warming theory?  (an idea:  budget
>         cuts?)  :)
>
>         Science doesn't even remotely work that way. If NASA scientists
>         tried
>         to propose a theory with no merit they'd be ripped to shreds, and
>         lose credibility.
>
>         ___________________________________________________________________
>         michael at czeiszperger dot org
>         Birdseye Maple 12-String Chapman Stick #499
>         Chapel Hill, NC