White House Insists Mayors' Discussion Of Climate Change Occur ‘Behind Closed Doors'

[AgingAmerican]

The White House continues its fatally counterproductive strategy of promoting climate silence.

Reuters reports it here:

The White House asked that a discussion about climate change at the mayors’ meeting on Thursday take place behind closed doors, frustrating some participants, even as hot button topics from immigration to gun control got public airings.

“This should be discussed openly,” said Jim Brainard, the Republican mayor of Carmel, Indiana, who co-chaired the climate panel.

White House liaison for climate change Heather Zichal led the discussion, but declined to comment on why the meeting was closed.

While one academic political scientist seems to think Obama’s climate silence is not significant, real-world politicians know the President is the only person who can single-handedly change the media coverage and public conversation — and the national agenda:

“We are looking for leadership from the president in detailing to the American people the magnitude of this issue,” [Seattle Mayor Michael] McGinn said after the meeting with about two dozen peers….

“There is a lot of call for the president to use his ‘bully pulpit’ and explain the consequences here,” said Brainard.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/01/21/1475111/climate-silence-lives-white-house-insists-mayors-discussion-of-climate-change-occur-behind-closed-doors/

Why does the White-house continue this inane policy of climate silence? What are they thinking?

[el_bryanto]

1. one rationale and I'm not saying this is correct

But if the Republican legislators are on the record, they are probably required to pretend that they don't believe in climate change. Behind closed doors and away form the cameras they can move past that particular line in the sand and try and make progress.

I guess it depends on what you want - incremental policy improvement or rubbing climate change deniers noses in the sand? Or that's the logic I assume. The problem is that as long as Republicans are allowed to pretend openly there is no climate change, there's a definite limit to how much they can actually do to fix it behind closed doors.

Bryant

[AgingAmerican]

2. I dont think Obama should walk on eggshells around GOP stupidity

He has the bully pulpit. He can shout it from the rooftops. Out of sight, out of mind, is an epic FAIL policy IMHO.

[el_bryanto]

3. I do see the logic to what you are saying. But it's a trade off.

What you are saying is the chance to highlight GOP stupidity is worth more than any potential legislative progress that could be made behind closed doors.

The President apparently doesn't see it that way.

Bryant

[AgingAmerican]

5. Highlighting GOP stupidity isn't the end game

They do a find job of that all on their own. Educating the public is paramount. An educated public will put pressure on lawmakers to address this issue. I have kids who have to live with the consequences of this.

[el_bryanto]

7. I don't have kids. Obama does.

Which is maybe why he is willing to take incremental progress now, over hypothetical progress once the public is more behind him.

Bryant

[Hekate]

4. Stops the public posturing and bloviating of the GOP, which I would support

[Ikonoklast]

8. THIS^^^^

The Republicans want a ready-made grandstand to throw red meat provided by them by the Koch Bros. anti-climate change denier machine to the stupids, denying them that opportunity is the correct course of action.


This has nothing to do with 'silence' on the part of the administration.

So many are totally ignorant of politics here it is frightening.

YOU DON'T GIVE YOUR OPPONENTS A SOAPBOX FOR FREE.

[Hekate]

9. Wellll...

Public posturing and bloviating are not confined to the GOP; sadly enough we see some of it here.

[2pooped2pop]

6. They don't want us to know how truly fucked we are.

People would panic, try to relocate out of the areas predicted to be underwater, etc. They can't allow us common folk to be doing that until the rich are finished buying and selling the property they want.

[datasuspect]

10. the government already knows the score

"Bin Ladin Determined to Strike in US"

we've been through this before.

[AgingAmerican]

11. Investers are having a hardtime selling oceanfront property in the Gulf states

Gee, wonder why?