From my Here’s Something I Don’t Get folder:
Indiana is in the middle of the worst drought in most of our lifetimes. A new study by the National Climatic Data Center shows that this summer’s drought rivals the Dust Bowl; nearly 55 percent of the contiguous 48 states is in drought, the highest such percentage since 1956. The past 12 months have been the warmest on record since we started keeping track of such things in 1895. According to Indiana Public Media, “Corn production is already down 20 percent. Soybeans have declined 15 percent. Purdue agronomy professor Bob Nielsen says as of July first, only 19 percent of Indiana’s corn crops were rated good to excellent.”
More than 1,000 counties across America, including 55 in Indiana, have been declared
disaster areas because of the drought, which stretches from Nevada to South Carolina. Here in Indianapolis, we have a water ban in hopes of saving 25 million gallons a day.
Why, for the love of Mike, does GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence refuse to accept the reality of climate change? More important, why do so many smart people–including lots of farmers and most people who live in our agriculture-supported rural communities–continue to support him?
The Hoosier Environmental Council calls Pence “an outspoken critic of climate change.” That’s not too surprising, given that Pence is an outspoken critic of science.
How are we supposed to believe Pence when he says we need to improve the math and science scores in our schools and attract jobs to Indiana? How are we supposed to do that when we deny the reality of science?
Look: let’s just stop lying, shall we? We don’t have to agree on the solutions or even the causes. But let’s agree that climate change is very real, and perhaps we should take it very seriously. How many more hundred-degree days do we need in Indiana? How many more farms and ethanol plants have to go out of business? How expensive do our groceries have to get?
Mike Pence: stop lying about climate change. The science is not in question. You are not that stupid. Stop the political posturing and tell the truth.
Earth runs in cycles we just happen to be in similar one to the 1930′s. What concerns me more is the fact the state took 5 million dollars from disaster relief money from the federal govt.and used this money to finance bonds for a private development .one north of south in downtown INDPLS.
Politic are sleazy, Tom. But that doesn’t have anything to do with the idea of climate change. You can’t simply dismiss it as “natural cycles.” Most of the world’s scientists wouldn’t agree with you, in any case.
Unfortunately, as long as certain scientists can be bought, the denial of climate change shall continue. It’s the same here in NY with “geologists” who are paid by the oil companies. They are allowed to testify that fracking will do no harm.
Here’s a helpful link on how to answer the seemingly endless attempts to rebut the science.