re: #1 Charles

A lot of the “do anythings” are bad. A cap and trade bill that exempts politically powerful industries and creates a multi-hundred-billion dollar slush fund for Congress. “Green energy” initiatives that mainly line the pockets of the politically connected (Tesla, Rick Perry’s corporate welfare fund). Excitement about things like food miles which either make zero difference or even make things worse. Or a global agreement that exempts China and India. Another Washington cycle of “We must do something. This is something. Let’s do it.” is not going to keep Antarctica from melting.

The only way out of this is to find a new sources of energy. Solar and wind are not yet ready to fill that role given the hideous expense and land use issues. But technological breakthroughs need lots of private and public money for R&D, which means a health economy.

The AGW realists would throw more weight behind realistic stuff, like curbing industrial methane emissions, funding R&D, raising CAFE standards, or removing the legal double standard on SUVs that lets them pollute, guzzle gas and endanger motorists in ways that are illegal for other cars. Unsexy, but helpful with little economic drag.

I think a lot of the GOP know this. Even Bush, in fact, started some efforts on industrial methane (eliminating it could delay the worst of AGW for decades). They just figure there’s more votes and higher Fox News ratings in stoking the fires of ignorance.