New Koch strategy on climate change: Abandon denial, stall like crazy

[BlueStreak]

Last edited Tue Aug 14, 2012, 01:15 PM - Edit history (1)

You may have seen the editorial in the New York Times recently by Richard Muller titled "The Conversion of a Climate-Change Skeptic".
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/the-conversion-of-a-climate-change-skeptic.html?pagewanted=all

This is a guy who has been receiving money from the Kochs and has been way out front leading the chorus of deniers. That is why it was quite remarkable that he would write this opinion piece, essentially admitting that everything he had said previously was a lie. And what made it even more remarkable was that the Kochs funded the latest "research" cycle that led him to this point.

But sometimes people do change. Maybe this guy was just a little slow. I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, but certainly not forgive him for everything he did to set back progress on this issue by 20 years.

Well, that was before he appeared on the Diane Rehm program today. I have seen several other appearances by Muller recently where it was just him and an interviewer. He seemed genuine. But on the Rehm program, it was a panel of three, plus Diane fielded calls and emails from her well-educated audience. This laid bare the real Koch brothers strategy.

It is clear they have determined that it is no longer possible to be a denier and retain the slightest bit of credibility. Maybe Muller told them as much, I don't know. He certainly had reached the end of that rope. Anybody still denying at this state is either a complete quack or a shill for the polluters. It became clear through the course of the dialog that Muller/Koch have shifted to a new strategy. Their argument now is

"OK, we admit climate change is real and it does result, at least in part, from our pollution. But none of the solutions ever proposed would have completely solved the problem, so we didn't lose any time by taking an extra 20 years denying this. And furthermore, because nobody has a single magic solution that is guaranteed to completely solve every possible climate concern, then we should continue to do absolutely nothing."

OK, to be fair, Muller isn't saying do absolutely nothing. He wants us to replace coal with natural gas, but certainly not invest in renewable sources.

It was really sickening to hear a man sell himself out this way. With each word, you could palpably visualize another part of his integrity floating up into the ether.

You can hear that segment by clicking on the "listen" button on this page:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-08-14/new-consensus-climate-change

[Junkdrawer]

1. Climate Change is causing real, painful (sometimes fatal) problems that will only get worse....

Especially drought, desertification, tornadoes, floods, etc. etc.

When it was a problem that only our children or grandchildren would face, it was "Party On! Oh, sing me that Denial Rag again!"

Now, it's a harder sell. So the "Half-Measure Blues" will be the new tune.

[BlueStreak]

3. Alliance of polluters and ostraches

The polluters don't need any rationalization for denying and stalling. They do it simply because it is profitable.

But they can only get away with that because there are millions of morons out there who are perfectly happy believing nonsense. The principal difference between liberals and conservatives is that conservatives cannot empathize. If something does not hurt them personally, they cannot show any concern for it. I truly believe that in another 20 years, this will be regarded as a disease -- perhaps a missing empathy gene.

Well, as you say, it is now affecting just about everybody one way or another. If you have not suffered through a drought or flood, you are certainly going to see higher food prices as a result of the devastation in this year's corn crop.

[Junkdrawer]

4. Richard Muller's Prescription for Global Warming:

[Scuba]

2. Abandon denial, stall like crazy... then try to sell us the cure.

[summerschild]

5. BlueStreak is right. Muller is a shill. The Kochs always get what they pay for.

I had read Muller's Op and was anxious to see him on Maddow. Seeing him there, however, I had no doubt his miraculous "conversion" was bought and paid for by the same group/s that purchased his denial in the past.

Natural gas is Koch's big next diamond mine. As fracking increases and citizens learn and complain more about their polluted water, their sink water bursts into flames, and their foundations crumble in never-before-earthquakes, Koch needs more room to navigate by buying some expert testimony that will sell fracking as the better alternative to coal. Of course that requires you to create some fear of something (climate change) in people that didn't fear before AND ASSURE THEM IT CAN BE SAFE. Muller gave them both.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/#48409332

[Junkdrawer]

6. "Seven Ways Koch Industries is Monitizing the Fracking Business"

Ever notice the endless procession of television ads praising the value of fracking, or the amazing number of D.C.-based “institutes” and “foundations” promoting the controversial drilling method, despite growing scientific evidence that this sort of natural gas extraction is poisoning the water table and leaking carcinogenic chemicals into the environment?

Many of the pro-fracking think tanks, like the Heartland Institute and the American Legislative Exchange Council, are funded by the petrochemical conglomerate Koch Industries. To get a better idea of why Koch-funded organizations are so desperate to force fracking on local communities, Republic Report has compiled the ways in which Koch Industries has monetized the fracking business:

– 1. Koch Pipeline is partnering with NuStar Energy to develop a dormant pipeline from Pettus, TX to refineries in Corpus Christi. The pipeline will transport crude from fracking sites in southern Texas. Koch Pipeline is a Koch Industries subsidiary.

– 2. Flint Hills Resources recently purchased a small craft pier and wharf in Ingleside, TX to store shipments of natural gas from fracking operations in the Eagle Ford shale formation. Flint Hills Resources is a Koch Industries subsidiary.

– 3. Koch Supply & Trading, a Koch Industries company that deals with commodity trading and financial products, is “already trading Eagle Ford crude” to help supply Koch companies and other customers, according to a Koch Industries newsletter.

– 4. Koch Chemical Technology Group is designing a processing facility near Yoakum, TX to help process natural gas fracked in southern Texas. Koch Chemical is a subsidiary of Koch Industries.

– 5. John Zink, a Koch Industries company, is providing flares for a natural gas processing plant in Helena to service the fracking industry.

– 6. Georgia Pacific produces resins used for chemicals used to prop open micro-fractures, an important process for fracking to occur. Koch Industries acquired

– 7. Koch Fertilizer, a Koch Industries company, has tapped into increased natural gas production from fracking


http://www.republicreport.org/2012/koch-fracking/

Oh, Richard, we so wanted to believe your "conversion"....

[BlueStreak]

7. Oh, Richard, we so wanted to believe your "conversion"....

I did. I really thought there was a chance this was a genuine thing. I must say it strained my credibility when he argues that the Koch Brothers funded his "research" without any strings attached. The chances of that are -- well is there any number smaller than zero?

Something I think I am altogether too cynical about what these bastards are doing, and then something like this happens to convince me that no amount of cynicism could ever be equal to the task.

I wonder if Rachael will try to bring him back onto the show and hold him to account for the reality of his "conversion" that is emerging.

[AverageJoe90]

8. They forgot one thing:

Help push all the psycho Cassandras out there and call them the voices of climate science, on top of lying about knowledgeable climate scientists and spreading disinfo about their work. That's been happening for a long time now, really.