WAPO GIVES FATS LIMBAUGH MORE DENIALIST AMMO

This opinion piece by a staff writer at the WaPo could've been taken straight from Fats Limbaugh. Fats has been attacking the notion of man-made global warming for years and ridiculing anyone who thinks there's something to it.

Global Warming Did It! Well, Maybe Not.
We're stuck on the notion that climate change is the culprit every time a natural disaster strikes. But that's just muddying the waters.

By Joel Achenbach
Sunday, August 3, 2008; Page B01

Somewhere along the line, global warming became the explanation for everything. Right-thinking people are not supposed to discuss any meteorological or geophysical event -- a hurricane, a wildfire, a heat wave, a drought, a flood, a blizzard, a tornado, a lightning strike, an unfamiliar breeze, a strange tingling on the neck -- without immediately invoking the climate crisis. It causes earthquakes, plagues and backyard gardening disappointments. Weird fungus on your tomato plants? Classic sign of global warming.

As evidence for his claim that "we" are all doing this, Achenbach refers to a single writer at NEWSWEEK. The real problem with this piece is that it will be used by the denialist gasbags and they won't bother to mention that Achenbach DOES think there is man-made global warming.

Moreover, the evidence for man-made climate change is solid enough that it doesn't need to be bolstered by iffy claims. Rigorous science is the best weapon for persuading the public that this is a real problem that requires bold action. "Weather alarmism" gives ammunition to global-warming deniers.

Our fundamental problem is that -- now it's my chance to sound hysterical -- humans are a species out of control. We've been hellbent on wrecking our environment pretty much since the day we figured out how to make fire.

Conservatives say that we just need to focus on maintaining free markets and let everything sort itself out through the miracle of the invisible hand. But the political tide is turning against unfettered free markets and toward greater regulation. Climate-change policy is part of that: Somehow we've got to embed environmental effects into the cost of energy sources, consumer goods and so on. The market approach by itself has let us down.