not that anyone cares.....

but I came across an excellent article by Bill McKibben at The Nation about the current debate over climate change.

LinK: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100315/mckibben

A few tidbits from Mr. McKibben's article that I found interesting:

"For a gifted political operative like, say, Marc Morano, who runs the Climate Depot website, the massive snowfalls this winter became the grist for a hundred posts poking fun at the very idea that anyone could still possibly believe in, you know, physics. Morano, who really is good, posted a link to a live webcam so readers could watch snow coming down; his former boss, Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, had his grandchildren build an igloo on the Capitol grounds, with a sign that read: "Al Gore's New Home." These are the things that stick in people's heads. If the winter glove won't fit, you must acquit. "

I immediately began thinking, 'gee that sounds like something fox news would do'. Knowing that i rarely have an original idea, it was no shock that Mr. McKibben proceeded to mention how he thought that Fox had astutely capitalized on this story for further gains. The complete adherence to the particular view of this 'news organization' by one political faction of this country is not only utter absurdity, but also the reason why I often find myself compelled by the 'reporting' of the Fox News organization.

"Worried that someone is going to wreck your future? You're right about that, too. Right now, China is gearing up to dominate the green energy market. They're making the investments that mean future windmills and solar panels, even ones installed in this country, will be likely to arrive from factories in Chenzhou, not Chicago. "

This is a fear that I think is not only legitimate, but also one I share with the author for several reasons. Chief among them being the fact that by the time America catches up in policy, China, like the delivery guy in those Jimmy John's commercials, will be at your doorstep. (So much for that so called American ingenuity! Perhaps that is why Japanese auto manufacturers have dominated the auto industry...oh people want cheap economical cars that will help them save at the gas pump? Good thing it only took 10 years and a major safety recall to take them down a few notches. However I will save those thoughts for another time.)

Take what you will from Mr. McKibben's article, but it is fairly clear that his article is not merely about climate change or the science that legitimately backs it up. Rather it's focus lies with the way the public debate over climate change has been purposefully slowed, and in some cases manipulated, so as to ruin any chance at saving the planet and achieving the impending economic benefit that implementing said policies will likely have.

Bill McKibben is an environmental activist and the author of The End of Nature. He is responsible for starting the nationwide grassroots environmental campaign 350.org and its predecessor Step It Up. Mr. McKibben is currently a scholar at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.