A reading of this diary could benefit from the perspective leant by an earlier GMD diary about Bob Hartwell.
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What’s up with Senator Bob Hartwelll of Bennington?
Seven Days is reporting that Hartwell, who chairs the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee doubts the very existence of human influenced climate change!
Quoth Senator Harwell:
“To suggest that mankind is causing the whole climate to shift, that’s a big reach,” he added. “I don’t think anybody’s ever proved that.”
Continuing his conversation with Seven Days’ Paul Heintz, Hartwell goes on to parrot nearly every right wing talking point on the subject.
Where are we? Texas?
This guy is a Democrat; and he chairs the committee that shapes all of Vermont’s policies with regard to energy.
As VPIRG’s Paul Burns astutely observes:
“It helps to explain, perhaps, why the chairman has such a hostile view toward renewable energy development. I guess, in his mind, you can’t solve a problem that doesn’t exist.”
That a climate change denier occupies the key position on Vermont’s Senate energy committee confirms that even a whopping Democratic majority is capable of significant dysfunction when the Governor is more concerned with his own agenda for self-advancement than with building a sound progressive policy legacy to leave behind.
am I not sold on all of it. However, there appears to be evidence to the contrary. Although I reject vaccines unless for a tetanus shot etc despite some scientific evidence, this is my choice & affects only me. Climate change affects the world if in fact humans have a role which I believe are responsible at least in part.
I heard a guest on public radio over ten years ago. He said that in order to stop the adverse effects of climate change, we would have to return to the status quo of the nineteenth century. I don’t think we want to do that. Therefore we need sources of energy which do not pollute our world if we want to keep things our vehicles, toys & conveniences.
As I’ve said before I believe in erring on the side of caution in all things. So, since I’ve discovered that I even I am sometimes wrong & I do not know everything I believe in acting upon the science available for this reason alone.
Especially when all renewables a homeowner or business could easily install or have someone install will save money! Wow — there’s a wonderful reason.
Even if I disbelieved it — using renewables which use nature to produce energy is rather a no f’king brainer, which is why I am mystified by all the fuss.
And though there are legitimate concerns which should be addressed, It is the overlords of the fuss-makers who all just happen to have vested interests in keeping carbon or nuclear as the fuel du jour.
Even the power companies don’t want to pay the fair value for residents or businesses using net metering as it’s considered “competition”.
If it were not such a contentious issue I think we would find some of our lawmakers would not appear so adamant & so-called “beliefs” a gamechanger.
Once again, another disagreement with scientists on both sides presenting good but opposing arguments. You appear to be so narrow-minded & wedded to own opinion or too unininformed or misinformed to know this. I’m pretty much alone in my opinion on this here, however my point was that my decision affects me whereas if those who do not accept climate change data are wrong, it affects the entire planet.
As to your “basic science student” claim, the jury is still out so he “knows” nothing.
I met my other half over twenty years ago. I had no opinion on vaccines at the time just that I thought it odd the amount given children had increased 4-5 fold since I was that age.
He received a flu shot each year and each year faithfully contracted the flu in varying degrees of severity. It had become a hallowed custom no one questioned. I was not a member of the flu-shot club as I had no insurance nor antivaccer either. I suggested that if flu shots weren’t working he try going w/o them — I have had COPD since I was twelve & a prime candididate for flu but never contracted it, but have had pneumonia a dozen times at least.
He hasn’t had the flu since – this was over 15 years ago. I researched this & believe vaccines harm immune response, detiorate & destroy immune system. I suggest you take the blinders off & look at what physicians & new research – all based on science – have discovered. We take 500 mg of vitamin C 8 hours apart plus other supplements & are rarely sick with anything. It’s fraudulent & a huge hoax.
This one has links to the latest information withheld scandal & discovery:
http://article.wn.com/view/201…
Older:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/hea…
http://www.scientificamerican….
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com…
We’ve covered the debate about renewable energy here before: http://www.greenmountaindaily….
The fact that key policy makers here in Vermont, of all places, don’t accept the fundamental science raises serious questions of how we can hope to make progress, even here.
The Senate leadership should be held accountable.
So has Senator Hartwell’s position on climate change [“I don’t think anybody’s ever proved that.”] been an open secret with fellow Democrats in the Senate and on the committee all along ? Or are they all shocked,shocked to learn there is gambling …er climate change doubt going on?
Readers might be surprised to listen to the Dalai Lama’s response to the question when it was posed to him at Middlebury College. Video here:
“This guy is a Democrat; and he chairs the committee that shapes all of Vermont’s policies with regard to energy.”
With Democrats like Bob Hartwell, who needs Republicans???
Seriously! Vermont Democrats are almost all Moderate Republicans. Vermont Republicans are heading more and more into John Birch land…
Anyway, this is yet another reason I don’t support the Democratic Party…
Bob Hartwell says, “Who are you going to believe? Me, or your own lying eyes?”