This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis. This post was adapted from a previously published study at the Brookings Institute.
So, according to that graph, I only have to wait until 2080 for Republicans to start addressing climate change? Why am I not encouraged by this?
I was thinking if some of these people are the same ones that believe guns don’t kill people, people kill people we might have a really long wait for them to see the light.
Thesis makes a lot of sense, and I would like to take encouragement from it-but it assumes that voters will always vote w perceived self-interest, when cultural identity has been a far stronger force for quite some time.
Republicans are voting for people who are opposed to climate policy, even as they are most exposed to climate damages.
Not new. Republican rank and file have and continue to vote against their own self interest, see farmers and Trump’s trade war or opiod ravaged communities voting against Obamacare.
Don’t expect the damages inflicted by climate change to cause Red States to start taking it seriously.
These red states also receive more money back from the Feds than they pay in yet that fact doesn’t diminish their cries against “socialism.” As noonm says, folks vote tribe over just about all other factors.
Something I’ve been saying for a long time that hasn’t and won’t change:
Republicans will acknowledge that climate change MIGHT be a problem when the ocean reaches the outskirts of Orlando.
Makes sense, although, I believe the authors are being optimistic to believe it will be another 60/70 years before consequences are truly felt. It is happening today.
I live in East TN, coal mines just 20 miles down the road so could say I live in coal country. What has been occurring since I retired to the area. Rain, rain, rain and more rain leading to many washouts and mud slides during the Winter months. Temps hitting the 80’s for many days in January, temps constantly in the +90 range for weeks at a time, humidity makes it feel over 110 nearly every day. Both raise the cost of doing business. As for an individual, costs of municipal water have doubled in past 8 years what was $35 is now $75 per month. That is according to my neighbors, I use rainwater retention so have not felt any increase. My neighbors have also mentioned that, in the Winter especially, power cost have gone up by at least 25%. Again I have been 100% off the grid since 2004 so have not felt those dollar increases. So from empirical experience the region is starting to feel climate effects NOW, some increase is expected but these are much larger that reasonable.
Then I read of misguided remarks by someone who should be smart enough to read and understand better than the remarks suggest. Bill Gates suggests that renewable incentives should be dropped, he believes they have served the designed purpose. One question Mr Gates, if renewable energy is now at a mature stage does not the same go for fossil fuels. Should you also not be suggesting that those much much much larger subsidies be dropped. After all the industry is a mature industry. Mr Gates remarks seem to be coming from the fossil fuel industry playbook and are designed to hinder movement to a sector that will help mitigate climate effects. Not helpful for the region already feeling those effects.
I’m certainly not above sneering at the confederacy one more time, but this map is highly dubious.
My Wisconsin snowbanks last March were too high to be cleared by the satisfying arc of my snowblower. Meaning I had to manually break off the top 2 feet of snowbank, before I could use the machine to throw it back. Wisconsin climate change denialism sounds like, “global warming my ass! Look at all this fucking snow!” The Rump himself cracks this joke every year.
But in fact, the snowbanks were 3 feet closer than they should’ve been, due to a January 40-degree rain that made the snow too heavy to move before it froze in place. Meanwhile, the warmer, unfrozen Arctic Ocean water pushed the jet stream and all that moisture further south. It was one of the best snowmobiling seasons I can remember but the county sure as hell didn’t save any money on plowing.
Also, 60 degree temperature gyrations are extremely destructive to plumbing, septic, driveways, roads and building foundations. I think we’re going to be waiting a long time for our big savings.
From what I’ve seen, climate change denialism is part of today’s “conservative” theology. One can strut their winger true believing conservative bona fides in most any non-political discussions by sneering climate change. Conservatives will change their anti-climate change religion just about the time the Pope converts to Protestantism.
Not that long. Climate change will become a GOP priority when the Atlantic Ocean reaches the front door of Mar-a-Lago. Then they will push for a non-bid contract to be given to Koch Industries to solve the issue.
Denial is too effective a defense mechanism to be surrendered easily.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
BTW: The word “data” is plural.
“…Mr Gates remarks seem to be coming from the fossil fuel industry playbook…”
Did not know this about Gates. What could drive him to say this? It’s not like he’s running for office or needs money.
By the end of the century, 81 years, there maybe some present day newborns who will be here. It just isnt in our genes to be forward thinkers.
That confirms something that is pretty obvious when you look at the map, but don’t forget the oligarchs controlling those GOP run states don’t really live in them and don’t have a real stake in the future of any of them. They simply deploy very potent propaganda to dazzle and confuse the natives as they strip each state of its resources.
We have this issue in California, where the industry most at immediate risk from climate change impacts is agriculture, and the region where ag dominates is profoundly Republican.
I don’t believe the economic analysis here. Colorado where I live will not benefit by climate change. All projections I have seen indicate that we will see reduced snowpack along the front range. Such an outcome would be bad news for the population centers that rely on it for drinking water. Warmer winters have already caused huge outbreaks of pine beetles that have taken a toll on the forests. So, while I would like to sit back and feel smug and superior because I live somewhere that will be unaffected I have my doubts. And indeed, uncertainty is perhaps the most terrifying thing about this experiment we are running on the planet.
Idiots. So lets build a border wall along Canadian border when winters become too harsh.
Reminds me of “Eric the Viking” watching the king of Hi-Brazil denying there’s a problem as his kingdom sinks into the sea.
All the climate deniers I know drive pick-up trucks with really big wheels and figure they’re safe…