Nuremberg-Trials-for-Skeptics-Guy Dave Roberts writes at Grist:
On climate change, the GOP faces the same situation it faces on many other issues (gay marriage, immigration, guns): The right-wing base holds extreme positions that embarrass more reasonable Republicans. But the party leadership remains terrified of the base, especially after the primary massacres of the last few cycles. So Republican politicians have to be extremely careful not to publicly cross the crazies. At the same time, they are trying to “rebrand” the party to appeal to new demographics (young people, minorities, women). It’s a difficult — perhaps impossible — tightrope to walk.
Witness their strategy on climate change. GOP insiders have talked to enough consultants and pollsters to realize that outright denialism sounds backward and crazy to everyone outside their core demographic of older white men. Nonetheless, the right-wing base is still very much denialist. More so than ever.
Why can’t life’s problems hit us when we are in our youth and know everything?
I’m white 64 y/o male who’s been practicing conservation before it was
popular. I believe in clean air and water, having a clean environment, but
I refect this nonsense called global warming or climate change. It is a religion most of all and definitely a political movement and the way it is
promoted and enforced is by making it politically correct, and to label any
who oppose it “deniers”. Political correctness will be our downfall
I don’t touch guns because I can’t hit the broad side of the barn. Sword-brandishing, yes.
I prefer to be called Black-in-Law. It’s more interesting that way
Man
And I’m less than half the age of most of y’all.
Old: Getting there.
White: Yep!
Gun Totin’: When it’s called for.
Man: For sure.
Homophobic: Not really, adults can do as they please in my opinion.
Anti-Immigrant: Not per se, but I’m tired to death of this issue being such a political stinker. We are a country of immigrants, but there have to be rules and limits, so make the rules and then enforce them. Actually we have lots of current rules that we routinely ignore, so lets start by enforcing the ones we have while all the lame politicos argue about what the new rules should be.
Oh yes… the climate. With all the above as a given I will state unequivocally that scientists by the score attest to the fact that CO2 has is NOT a greenhouse gas and it has no effect on climate. The effect it does have is to give Washington a way to wring more taxes out of us. When we have politicians saying that too many people will capsize Guam, and that riding bicycles should be taxed because bike riders produce more CO2, I think the new rules we should be looking at is how in the hell can we vet these numbskulls so that this kind of idiocy is not over there in Washington doing their very best to screw us over!
Old: Chronological Age 61, Emotional Age about 19 (on a good day)
White: Nope, Scandihoovian for the most part, which actually makes white people look brown
Men: I am WOMAN!! Hear me Roar!!
Gun-toting: Most of the time, no, because I work in a place has security guards, and they don’t allow competition.
Homophobic: You know the difference between ignorance and apathy . . . I don’t know and I don’t care what you do in private, or who you do it with
Anti-immigrant: Most of my beloved ancestors came to this country about 150 to 175 years ago, banded together in frontier areas, and helped other members of the family to come over by providing assistance, food, and shelter until they could be on their own. My father was third-generation born in America, and he spoke Norwegian until he went to school, where he learned English (and that was about 100 years ago). So I don’t care if people are legal immigrants, but if you break the law and sneak in, you should be deported, because you are an illegal alien.
Roberts: “The right-wing base holds extreme positions that embarrass more reasonable Republicans.”
Reality: The left-wing base holds extreme positions that embarrass more reasonable Democrats.
Old? 66
White? yes
gun toting? check
homophobic? indifferent=homophobic for this guy
Adders that put me in the suspect class: conservative, retired military (reserves), scientific education, employeed in industry.
I suppose when you keep losing the argument, you need to resort to ad hominem attacks. However, I’ve sort of gotten accustomed to the name calling because for years I’ve been responsible for all the evils of the world, being a (young, middle aged, old) white, southern male who was attached to the military and industry. So, why not add AGW?
I guess if you’re not happy with a single-point substitution that screws up reproductive instincts in a small fraction of all living things with neurons, they will call you homophobic. To be socially acceptable, you need to celebrate it with pomp.
But your seems rather insightful…
sounds a lot like the Founding fathers…..
“The right-wing base holds extreme positions that embarrass more reasonable Republicans.”
Yeah, like we agree with the 1st Amendment, 2nd Amendment, etc. Believing in the Constitution is extreme.
On “climate,” our refusing to deify Man is extreme. Calling people “denialists” is not an argument for CAGW; it is noise.
I regret that I have a stereotype picture of greenies as white, mostly unrecognized by educators as achievers, raised without appreciation for work of any kind, and deeply resentful for being unrecognized for anything meaningful
Stereotypes are just awful, aren’t they.
Dave Roberts neglected to mention swastika-bearing Hitler saluting.
An oversight I guess.
Old? Check, 62.
White? Check, except during the summer.
Man? Yes, and I don’t need to check.
Gun-toting. Nope.
Homophobic. Nope, more like homoindifferent.
Anti-immigrant. Nope, Russian women are gorgeous as are asian.
Old? I’m pushing 60 but not very hard. Half-check.
White? Check.
Man? Check.
Gun-toting? http://www.montanaterritorypeacemakers.org
Homophobic? Uh-oh, I’ve been advocating civil unions for all and cheerful acceptance of adult choices.
Anti-immigrant? Uh-oh, I’ve been saying to secure the border but welcome any who come to the front door.
His strawman is burning.
I love it when leftists profess to have some great understanding of consevatives by applying their stereotypical stawmen and fantasies.