I’m sure many WUWT readers on both sides of the AGW debate watched Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech last night. The most memorable line that got a standing ovation was a poke back at Obama’s famous line – “I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children … this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.” given at his acceptance speech in 2008.
Marc Morano of Climate Depot has the story about how some folks are upset about that. Mike Mann, since he doesn’t have anything else to do since being put on “sabbatical” is of course given the opportunity to refute. He’s the ‘go to guy’ now that Gore has imploded.
Below are selected excerpts of the Politico article. To read full article go to here. (subscription required)
Politico: Romney’s climate change remark makes waves
By Alex Guillen
8/30/12 11:29 PM EDT
Mitt Romney took a shot at President Barack Obama’s climate change position during his acceptance speech Thursday.
“President Obama promised to slow the rise of the oceans and to heal the planet,” Romney said after accepting the GOP’s presidential nomination in Tampa, drawing laughter from the crowd. “My promise is to help you and your family.”
The line received a standing ovation.
Romney was referring to now-famous remarks Obama made in 2008 after securing the Democratic nomination. “I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children … this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”
A needless slam on science? That’s how it appeared to Penn State climate researcher Michael Mann.
“How sad it is to witness such fallacious logic from a major party candidate for president,” Mann, one of the nation’s best-known climate researchers, told POLITICO. “If we do not take the necessary actions to combat climate change now, we will of course be leaving our children and grandchildren the legacy of a degraded planet.”
[…]
Marc Morano, publisher of the climate skeptic blog Climate Depot, predicted that Romney’s line from Thursday’s speech will be memorable.
“Kudos to Romney for an accurate framing of the global warming debate,” he said. “Romney’s quip will serve to remind voters just how lofty Obama’s rhetoric once was. Romney’s reminder of Obama’s promise to command the oceans will be one of the most memorable lines of the speech.”
Romney’s speech also included a reiteration of his promise to achieve North American energy independence by 2020 “by taking full advantage of our oil and coal and gas and nuclear and renewables.”
To read full article and comment online:
https://www.politicopro.com/go/?id=13838 (subscription required)
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I agree with Dr. Michael Mann, candidate Obama’s statement about healing the planet was indeed “fallacious logic”, especially in lieu of his track record on climate now. – Anthony
Actually I didn’t think this was a particular reference to climate change but rather to the silly Messiah hype of Obama while Romney intends to focus on everyday issues that matter to everyday Americans, i.e., the economy and jobs.
Morano is about as bad to our side as Mann is to the other side.
If Gov. Romney wins, Professor Mann’s gravy train may be derailed.
Frankly, there is no proof that any body can slow the rise of the oceans. As for healing the planet, placing solar panels all over the Western US is anything but a healing venture.
Mann has so much of his integrity wrapped up in his scam/junk science that he will still be claiming global warming as a 2-mile thick glacier wipes State College, PA from the face of the Earth.
I agree with Parentofed. I took the comment as more a reference to our Undocumented Worker-in-Chief’s Messiah complex. Arrogance-squared. He certainly does not have self-esteem problems.
Good one from mr. Gekko – oops, Romney.
Barak “King Canute” Obama
King Cnute was told by his courtiers that he was all powerful despite his efforts to deny such hubris. His failed stand to turn the tides was his act to show limited power. Unfortunately Obama has no such wisdom.
Policies to reduce oil imports, whilst expanding home production, will go a long way to help every American man and woman in the street.
Romney might even reduce EPA power.
parentofed – that was exactly what it meant. But we tend to see things through the lenses we wear, and the more often we wear them, the more jaded our vision. I’m sure to MSNCB that dig by Romney was a veiled racist comment – to them every thing is.
Romney is a Gaian. He’s doing a good job of reciting random Republican soundbites now, but he’ll return to his true church if he’s elected. They always do.
parentofed has it accurately. The left saw Obummer as a messianic character who would part the seas of individualism so his chosen people could reach the promised land of collectivism and “environmental justice” on the backs of the productive class. Like King Kanute, however, unintentionally, Obama has shown how impossible it is to legislate against the tide, even to the point of bringing us to the fiscal precipice of economic collapse. Romney, a far more humble man, is setting his goals much more realistically.
That said, I’m still not enamored of Mittens or his neocon backers. The way they behaved toward the Ron Paul delegates made a travesty of every principle of democracy.
Oops – MSNBC!
parentofed says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:09 am
Actually I didn’t think this was a particular reference to climate change but rather to the silly Messiah hype of Obama while Romney intends to focus on everyday issues that matter to everyday Americans, i.e., the economy and jobs.
Ditto. This was a reference to Obama’s naked hubris.
King Canute commanding the sea
To teach his courtiers this importance of humility,King Cnut (Canute)
From Henry of Huntingdon, Chronicle Canute’s death and character AD1035 (p 199)
For a popular retelling see King Canute on the Seashore from The Book of Virtues
Be careful criticizing their Messiah, they’re likely to burn you @ the stake,
O, wait
They’ll burn you @ the stake no matter what you say…
…carry on.
So Mann is implying pretty strongly that the policies he has made his fortune on do not help families.
Jeff says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:11 am
“Morano is about as bad to our side as Mann is to the other side.”
Morano is the Breitbart of climate skepticism. More power to him. YMMV.
polistra says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:40 am
“Romney is a Gaian. ”
…whose company ran what? Steel mills?…
It took a republican to create the EPA & I’m sure Mitt will reform that agency. You will not see or hear of eviromental justice anymore. That is nothing but redistribution of $ from developed countries to the undeveloped ones. Total BS.
@Neo, “[T]here is no proof that any body can slow the rise of the oceans.”
I don’t know what might pass as proof, but freshman physics suggests that removal of the Earth orbiting body, the Moon, would eliminate Lunar tide rise and fall.
There’s no doubt that your understanding of modern Private Equity is limited to what you learned watching the 1980s movie, Wall Street.
From Wikipedia, on King Canute:
“Henry of Huntingdon, the 12th-century chronicler, tells how Cnut set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes. Yet “continuing to rise as usual [the tide] dashed over his feet and legs without respect to his royal person. Then the king leapt backwards, saying: ‘Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.’ He then hung his gold crown on a crucifix, and never wore it again “to the honour of God the almighty King”.[95] This incident is usually misrepresented by popular commentators and politicians as an example of Cnut’s arrogance.[96]”
Doesn’t sound like Obama.
Friday funny II:
31 Aug: BBC: Richard Black
Farewell and thanks for reading
This is my last entry for this page – I’m leaving the BBC to work, initially, on ocean conservation issues.
While this page will no longer be updated, it will stay here for reference…
To keep up to date with news and views about the environment, I hope you’ll keep reading the science and environment pages of the BBC News website, and my science correspondent colleagues Jonathan Amos and David Shukman.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19422041
You either got your ‘sides’ mixed up or that was the lamest troll attempt evah!
Marc Morano is doing tons for ‘our side’. He runs an enormously important skeptic/realist website, easily in the top 5 of all of them. He gets into the TV and radio media where the AGW kooks have overwhelming representation. He worked in the federal government in DC, for James Inhofe no less who is probably the highest profile and most reliable anti-AGW politician. Marc Morano takes flak, lots of it, from the AGW religious wackos, that means he is always flying over the target.
What have you done for ‘our side’ again?
Let us know when you parachute into an AGW kook infested climate conference as he did with Chris Monckton at Durban this past December …
‘End of the world’ doomsayers beware, adults will be judging your “science” in the future. Prestige points will not be awarded for name-calling, guesswork or fraud. Alarmist nut-jobs need to drink a big cup of STFU, it’s over.
I think that line was from June ’08, well before the convention. It was after he’d clinched the nomination, which may account for the mistaken impression, not fact-checked, by the political writer. Of course, I haven’t fact-checked either.
========================
We if there ever was a greater expert on fallacious logic we could defer to that opinion, but Mikey is in a world class all his own in that area of expertise.
It appears Romney is a good, decent man with a sound business background. But it would be interesting to know how he framed his campaign to be elected governor of liberal Massachusetts. The health care law he passed in that state is just another controlling government program that costs more and erodes choices. I’m concerned he’s saying all the right things at the moment, but once in office does a McCain “reach across the isle” to compromise the conservative principles that are presently on display.
Tom G(ologist) says:
Barak “King Canute” Obama
I suspect that is no the analogy you want. King Canute was a wise king who had bad advisers who tried to persuade he could change nature. Unlike Obama and climate, Canute showed his advisers (climate scientists) how daft their ideas were by commanding the seas to stop rising.
Yep Romney kicked the hoaxers right in the face …
wobble says:
August 31, 2012 at 8:06 am
There’s no doubt that your understanding of modern Private Equity is limited to what you learned watching the 1980s movie, Wall Street.
Don’t jump to conclusions, I may know more about finance than you think.
[snip . . funny but against policy no matter how cunning . . kbmod]
Parentofed and others are correct. What I found amusing was how so many members of the clerisy thought Romney’s crack was about climate. It wasn’t – it was an indictment of Obama’s failure to live up to his billing as redeemer. Obama claimed he would unite Blue America and Red America, White America and Black America, into one America – and four years later, the partisan rancor is WORSE than it was in 2008, after five years of “Bush Lied, People Died.” This myopia is a wonderful validation of the case Jonathan Haidt makes in his new book “The Righteous Mind.”
Obama or Romney no difference. I wish America the best in fixing their system, Main St America will get the same treatment under either of these men. Republican or Democrat will give working families the same result in Corporate extremist America.
http://theagenda.tvo.org/guest/169970/Chris-Hedges
DirkH says: August 31, 2012 at 7:59 am [in response to] polistra says: August 31, 2012 at 7:40 am “Romney is a Gaian. ”
“…whose company ran what? Steel mills?… ”
But Mitt, as governor of Massachusetts, was advised about global warming by current Obama science czar John Holdren, see http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/101411-588168-romneys-bad-advice.htm?p=1
If Mitt wants to make himself more convincing for skeptics, he can always admit he was hoodwinked about Holdren’s one-sided view of science, along with perhaps a revelation that back in 1998, Holdren was involved in White House efforts to marginalize skeptic scientists: “White House Involved in Warmist Smear Campaign” http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/11/white_house_involved_in_warmist_smear_campaign.html
(different Jeff…I support Morano and anything Breitbartian that exposes the lies/scam/etc. of AGW).
Almost can’t believe this about Richard Black:
pat says:
August 31, 2012 at 8:19 am
Friday funny II:
31 Aug: BBC: Richard Black
Farewell and thanks for reading
This is my last entry for this page – I’m leaving the BBC to work, initially,
on ocean conservation issues.
Black should have put “to work” in bold or caps or something, as his previous output scarcely qualifies as work….
Good on Romney for calling out Obama and the other warmistas (Gore, et. al.) who have the temerity to believe that we can control the oceans (and the winds, etc., etc.). Makes one think of that old commercial “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature”….
barbee they can’t burn you @ the stake , it would release too much Co2 😉
What, TVO? Are you serious Sun Spot? TVO has something relevant to say about American politics? I don’t think so. CDN media is heavily negative towards Americans – especially Republican Americans, only pro for Obama, Clinton and etc.
I’m from Ontario, Can. and anything that TVO carries is only and always one sided and it’s for the liberals views only. The way they are slavish over Obama but still hate the rest of Americans who may not support his policies – huge turn off for me.
Funded through the most vapid global warmers believers around – CBC our forced upon us liberal state broadcaster are proponents of CAGW, Move.on.Org, Tides and etc. Our “national” broadcaster CBC at billions a year couldn’t even be bother to be real journalists about this GW lie as they are part of the UN agenda – in fact cbc thinks UN SHOULD run the world and that it’s a good and all wonderful thing to happen – shudders up my spine.
MOST Canadian media will turn back to being vapid anti-American if Mr. Romney wins. I’ll bet on it.
Ironic that we have a new NEWS outlet for TV called SUNNEWS networks – they’re from the right side of the opinions and far more honest than any of the others from what I’ve watched of them so far.
I see Obama’s promise to end the 14,000 year trend in sea levels as a symptom of his entire ideological blinders not just an issue of climate policy. He and those of a like mind think they can change the course of the planet and the nation by ignoring thousands of years of lessons from history, economics, and politics just on their good intentions and an appropriate bureaucracy to control it. The world doesn’t work they way they think it does, and you can’t fix natural processes by getting in the way you can only enable them to function in their chaotic ways. You can’t create jobs with a government program designed to tell the economy how to function, you just get government out of the way and let it work only applying intervention to stop intentional disfunctions.
obama: change
romney: turn the page
obama: withdraw from iraq, enough wars, close guantanamo
romney: stop climate change hoax..etc..
Bush: fool me once, shame on… fool me, cant get fooled again
“””””…..polistra says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:40 am
Romney is a Gaian. He’s doing a good job of reciting random Republican soundbites now, but he’ll return to his true church if he’s elected. They always do……”””””
Well ‘heaven’ help us, if that is on the top 100 list of criteria for choosing a de facto leader of a free world. We have a Jim Jones clone messiah now, raised evidently stone deaf in the Church of Reverend Wright, while worshipping at the feet of Saul Alinski. Check out the history of the Mau mau rampage in Africa, where settlers were slaughtered with machettes in the night, until Churchill sent in the troops; you might find a genetic link to someone, who threw the bust of Churchill out of the Oval Office.
As for the Gaians, well MY Mother Gaia, is simply the ultimate Maxwell’s Demon, who sees all and knows all, but doesn’t tell us. Now she ALWAYS gets the climate correct; it always, is exactly what it is supposed to be; while OUR models pretty much always get it wrong.
Almost can’t believe this about Richard Black:
pat says:
August 31, 2012 at 8:19 am
Friday funny II:
31 Aug: BBC: Richard Black
Farewell and thanks for reading
This is my last entry for this page – I’m leaving the BBC to work, initially,
on ocean conservation issues.
Black should have put “to work” in bold or caps or something, as his previous output scarcely qualifies as work….
Good on Romney for calling out Obama and the other warmistas (Gore, et. al.) who have the temerity to believe that we can control the oceans (and the winds, etc., etc.). Makes one think of that old commercial “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature”….
(btw I’m a different Jeff…I support Morano and anything Breitbartian that exposes the lies/scam/etc. of AGW).
As these speeches go, this one was fairly tolerable and devoid of pandering to “progressive” sympathies that creep into the Republican big tent. None of GWB’s lame “compassionate conservatism” marketing hype here; just plain spoken statements that don’t assume a brain-numbed audience. No attempt to mollify eco-extremism; just the sensible assumption that people understand that no politicians in their right minds would attempt to revert to rampant polluting and despoiling of the landscape. It’s no longer necessary to tell people that of course you love the trees and animals. Refreshing, actually.
What does “fallacious logic” even mean in the context of Romney mocking Obama’s over-promising rhetoric?
Tom G(ologist) wrote:
I’m surprised more media commentaters didn’t make a comparison between Obama and king Canute. Perhaps Canute is not so well known on the other side of the pond.
But Scottish Sceptic, Chris B. and David L. Hagen have the correct take on the comparison.
Perhaps we should call his royal Obamaness, King YesWeCanute.
Romney wants three themes to this election: Job, jobs, and jobs.
This was a clever way to make crystal clear where his priorities lie.
zonasumaka,
I’ll take the good natured Bush over this jamoke:
@ ldd says: August 31, 2012 at 9:46 am “What, TVO? Are you serious”
Chris Hedges is an American, duhhhhh !!!
Reblogged this on Climate Ponderings and commented:
“Let’s hope so! A mocking rejection of any claims that a U.S. president can control sea level is the only response that is appropriate. After all, we have advanced past medieval witchcraft — or have we?!”
“I’m sure to MSNCB that dig by Romney was a veiled racist comment – to them every thing is.”
Chris Matthews recently declared that a reference to Obama playing a lot of golf is racist. According to Matthews, the most prominent golfer right now is Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods is black (even though Mr. Woods himself goes to great pains not to describe himself that way). Obama is also black. Therefore the reference to golf is just an attempt to remind voters that Obama is black, which a racist tactic to try and discredit Obama.
Barbee says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:49 am
Wouldn’t burning people at the stake increase their carbon footprints?
Hasn’t sea level dropped since then?
Obama cannot and did not change the sea level rise. The sea level rise based on tidal gauge has not changed. The unadjusted satellite data shows the sea level rise is over. There is no sea level problem to solve.
There is no extreme AGW problem to solve. (The earth’s response to a change in forcing is to increase planetary clouds in the tropics – negative feedback – rather than the IPCCs’ assumed positive feedback. The warming due to a doubling of atmospheric CO2 is less than 1C if the feedback response is negative rather than positive.)
Obama can double the price of electricity by EPA legislation. The agenda behind the legislation to double the price of electricity and to double the price of gasoline is carbon dioxide and AGW fearmongering. “Green energy” is a very, very, expensive scam that does not significantly change carbon dioxide emissions which are not a problem anyway. Basic economics and engineering calculations of CO2 reduced based Vs CO2 required to construct and maintain the green facilities do no support the expenditure. Carbon dioxide emissions continue to increase in the world. China now emits 30% more carbon dioxide than the US. As China uses cheap coal to generate electricity.
Doubling the price of electricity, massive unfunded increases in public spending, legislated benefits, makes the US unable to compete with Asia. The good jobs are moving to Asia. The US is being turned into a version of the EU. Actions have consequences. The US is failing.
Romney’s point is Obama’s policy destroys jobs and has no affect on the sea level and no significant affect on planetary temperature.
Mann is such a thin skinned maroon.
Romney’s point is that Obama has wasted his Presidency on trying to control the oceans, instead of helping Americans.
Romney is setting a goal to do things that actually help Americans.
Tilting at the oceans should be left for King Canute, Caligula and Obama.
Worrying about the oceans is great for rent seeking folk like Mann.
@Sun spot, well “duh”; that’s rather obvious from your link…and so what? So are the many TIDE members they have on CDN LSM lately…soros money with their UN agenda to try and harm our economy, next.
Pat’s link; about BBC: Richard Black’s Farewell
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19422041
Romney’s speech already claimed it’s first scalp. He ain’t even in the White House yet.
Romney visited Solyndra in a surprise stop on the campaign trail. His charge is that the Obama administration did not deliver on it’s promise to create green jobs. By “picking winners,” Obama did not “attract investors” into the solar industry.
My family cannot afford any help from mandate politicians such as Romney. I cannot afford Romneycare, which is running billions over projected costs in Ma, and I cannot afford energy mandates, not even 20/20, ie 20% co2 reductions by 2020. Using the government to “level the playing field” and “attract investors” into worthless wind and solar is not going to help my family. Look at Europe, Oz and Canada. No conservative party opposes AGW and renewables any more.
polistra says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:40 am
Romney is a Gaian. He’s doing a good job of reciting random Republican soundbites now, but he’ll return to his true church if he’s elected. They always do.
____________________________
Yes I agree.
All you have to do is read his actual statements to see he supports the belief in CAGW. He represents the Hegalian “Synthesis.” The Political Compromise between the Thesis – CAGW and the AntiThesis – any change in the climate is natural.
He is EXACTLY what Shell, BP, and ENRON were working towards in the first place!
Do not forget Shell, BP, other energy providers and even Exxon have funded CAGW some from the very start.
This is a first person report of ENRON getting into the act.
So where is Mitt Romney on Killing Coal and promoting natural gas… with US tax dollars of course.
And what is his point of view on Coal?
And what about the use of American Tax dollars to do all this promotion?
So as usual we get the choice that is not really a choice and continue to move in the direction the sheep herding wolves are directing us.
For where that destination is check out this VIDEO on UN Agenda 21 implementation in the USA by a California bureaucrat. I see nothing in Romney’s rhetoric to make me think he is actually “off message” all that has been done is a bit of repackaging. Obama was the extreme to scare us into a compromise that is further along the chosen path then we would have agreed to go of our own free will.
From GRIST of all places.
Mitt Romney: Smart Growth Champion?
“Smart Growth” and “Sustainable Development” are the code words for UN Agenda 21. You will not find anything saying Mitt supports Agenda 21 but you will find references that he supports “Smart Growth” and “Sustainable Development.”
Unfortunately voting for a third candidate is only a vote FOR Obama so with the greatest of reluctance I will hold my nose ad cast a vote for Romney. At least with a first four year term he will try not to be too outrageous. Meanwhile the real fight is getting those Official State Ban on UN Agenda 21.
President Obama, 2009:
“I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children … this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”
Whilst his current campaign slogan is ‘Forward’, Our Dear Leader made many thing go
‘Barack-ward’,!
– The strength of the US economy.
– Employment, for all segments of the US population.
– Average Incomes for US citizens.
– Ethnic, gender, age, and class concomity.
– Respect for US leadership on the world stage.
– Military preparedness and capability.
– Respect for the President…..
We can only hope that more citizens will embrace the ethos of Dr. King and judge this man based on the content of his deeply flawed character, his destructively divisive politics, his pathetically poor performance record…. and not the color of his skin. If they can, we will have new leadership elected in November.
If not, the US will have 4 more years of going tragically and perhaps terminally
‘Barack-ward’,…..
Obama should read Shelley’s poem Ozymandias…
Zeke,
To be practical, you only have a choice between Romney “The Fixer”, and Obama, who is owned lock, stock and barrel by the enviro-lobby.
Romney’s priority is getting the hobbled economy growing again. With Obama, you would get four more years of ever more radical actions. And you can be certain that Obama isn’t showing his cards. Fool us once, etc.
You have already seen how Obama ignores Congress, issuing Executive Orders when he can’t get his legislation passed [the Dream Act is a good example. When it didn’t pass, Obama issued an EO requiring the same open borders].
You have a rare chance to help fix things. Don’t blow it just because someone isn’t 100% perfect in your eyes.
The pro-AGW BBC cut the precursor “President Obama promised to slow the rise of the oceans and to heal the planet,” from the “My promise is to help you and your family.” quote….
Sickening really.
Romney wants to repeal ObamaCare, he believes the federal government cannot lawfully mandate that some one purchases a product. He supports a market-oriented replacement to ObamaCare. So what are you talking about?
If you’re talking about mandates, Obama is your man.
And who is that opposes renewables?
JEM says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:41 am
Oops – MSNBC!
____________________
What is hysterical is MSNBC is owned by General Electric. But then General Electric’s CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, Is head of Obama’s highly touted “Jobs Council”,
I hope Mitt has plans for picking someone who is not so visibly a mismatch for that job.
Romney was making two points
1) Obama is arrogant and full of hubris.
2) The President of the USA is supposed to represent all of America’s interest, not the international eco-lobby’s interest.
You are certainly welcome to your opinion that your only choice is to become Europe, Astralia and Canada, with no differences between the parties in energy and health mandates Smokey. But this is not something I am willing to do voluntarily. We have Congress and governors to fight, to go down fighting AGW and wind turbines.
The presidency is now too big and deformed to be of use to real Americans.
Romney is a mandate politician. I am simply opposing health and energy mandates as I always have. Awareness of these facts about Romney can only be a help to you. Forwarned is forarmed.
(And then there was this.)
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-rush-freaks-20120112,0,16119.story
“This week, in an interview on CBS, Romney defended himself against critics of his work at Bain Capital by equating what he did as a corporate restructuring specialist with Obama’s temporary takeover of General Motors and Chrysler in 2009. “In the general election,” Romney said, “I’ll be pointing out that the president took the reins at General Motors and Chrysler – closed factories, closed dealerships, laid off thousands and thousands of workers – he did it to try to save the business.”
pat says:
August 31, 2012 at 8:19 am
Friday funny II:
31 Aug: BBC: Richard Black
Farewell and thanks for reading
This is my last entry for this page – I’m leaving the BBC to work, initially, on ocean conservation issues….
_________________________________
So the Black Bell Wether is leading the way to the next catastrophic crisis.
For those who do not know what a wether is here are how to instructions. (Caution place drinks on table before reading)
“Repeal and replace.” That refers to keeping the backbone of Romney/Obamacare in place: exchanges. Go fish.
One more time, we’ll see people vote “because we can’t let HIM win,” and one more time people will find out that the political class wants to be elected, they want power, and they’d do anything, say anything to get it. It’s not about the ideas, it’s about the power.
The best convention analysis occurred on Fox Business News after the close with the John Stossel show. It was past most people’s bedtime.
Yes, the treatment of Ron Paul’s delegates was a travesty. Unlike Trenberth’s inability to find the heat.
I said nothing inaccurate, unreferenced, or unkind to you Smokey. This is for the record, regarding my lost reply.
j molloy says:
August 31, 2012 at 9:31 am
barbee they can’t burn you @ the stake , it would release too much Co2 😉
________________________
No they have prison camps in mind where slave labor replaces mechanical energy. Sort of the reverse of the industrial revolution that freed us from slavery in the first place.
Why no one ever links the industrial revolution and oil with the abolition of slavery and advertises it in big screaming letter I do not know.
It would have made a better Heartland billboard than the one they used.
lurker, passing through laughing. says:
August 31, 2012 at 11:27 am
….Tilting at the oceans should be left for King Canute, Caligula and Obama.
_________________________
I thought he was closer to Don Quixote with Nancy Pelosi as Sancho. I will leave to the imagination who the other two in the picture represent.
On vein that went through Romney’s speech (and even most of the speeches before his) was the common American family. Whatever you think of President Obama, he had a pretty bizarre childhood compared to most Americans. He only saw his father once (whom he idealized) and his mother was gone much of his childhood in a desire to live in third world conditions as he was raised by his grandparents. He lived in Indonesia a time, until his mother decided to leave his stepfather because he became too capitalist.
I’m sorry, but I know absolutely no one who would have made the choices that Stanley Dunham made as young Barack was growing up. Do we believe that upbringing and abandonment by parents have no bearing on the people we become? If so, there is a huge area of study called psychology that is a crock.
Mac the Knife says:
August 31, 2012 at 11:50 am
President Obama, 2009:
“I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children … this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”
Whilst his current campaign slogan is ‘Forward’, Our Dear Leader made many thing go
‘Barack-ward’,!…
_________________________
I just came across this article reporting on a PEW report showing:
* middle class has shrunk drastically over the last 10 years
* Americans’ net worth has plunged (dropped from $129,582 to $93,150 )
* wages declined
* standards of living slipped
* household wealth declined by 35 percent to $66,740 between 2005 and 2010
* median family net worth dropped from $126,400 to $77,300 (2007 – 2010)
* median household income has fallen from $72,956 to $69,487 (2001 – 2010)
The brain washing seems to still be holding strong unfortunately.
OOPs the link to the article on the PEW report http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/08/22/usa-economy-middleclass-idINL2E8JM66Q20120822
Zeke, what would happen if we could somehow repeal ObamaCare without replacing it? Individuals would continue to not be able to deduct healthcare insurance purchases. Most payments would continue to be made by third parties. Healthcare insurance would continue to be linked to employment, and not portable.
Only through replacing ObamaCare will we get anywhere close to a market-oriented solution. Before ObamaCare, health care and health insurance were two of the most highly regulated businesses in America. Repealing ObamaCare won’t change that.
It’s also not politically viable to repeal it without offering a replacement. Personally, I believe what we had before is better than what we have now, but most of the electorate is not in agreement.
But truth to be told, the rise of the oceans DID slow. Not sure about the healing stuff, removing an open sore like Osama might count towards that.
Let’s not be so critical of our dear Michael Mann and Barack Obama. You see, they’re kindred souls, they feel each other’s pain. They know, they just know what it’s like to have massive, but oh so thoroughly justified egos. They may look different: Mann, the chubby, balding one; Obama, the slim, close-cropped one. But in their hearts, or whatever organs they have that replaces them, they are the same. They know the feeling one gets when one looks in the mirror and likes what he sees so very, very much that a droplet of spitool dribbles from the corner of the mouth, and a small, inconsequential bulge develops under the clothing (from a mosquito bite).
Michael Mann knows what it’s like, as Barack Obama knows what it’s like, to have chosen to save us; the unwashed, unworthy ones who do not even exist on the same level as they so effortlessly inhabit. They know what it’s like to engage in this wondrous, humanitarian exercise, only asking that we properly drop to our knees, and pay them the mere bargain basement asking price of our impoverishment. What a pair of guys!
The original Mad magazine protagonist encapsulated “fallacious logic” & now on funny friday a “this seat’s taken” parody: http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/whatmeworryobama.png
Obama did keep his promise about slowing the sea level rise; it has slowed since he was elected.
Don E,
Well, that proves it for me! Good thing the country immaculated Obama, eh? [We’ll disregard the inconvenient fact that the sea level was already decelerating.]
But what about me? Yesterday I predicted the sun would rise in the East this morning. And it did! I have plenty more predictions like that if you like. Can I be prez now?
/sarc
Maybe it is your choice of journalistic diet? Try less left-leaning media and institutions …
.
Ummmm … isn’t it a little late for that now?
Would it be too much to ask to ask placere esse quietum until after the election?
After which you can become Cindy Sheehan for all practical purposes.
.
ldd says:
August 31, 2012 at 9:46 am
What, TVO?
TVO is not so bad.
How to Grow a Planet – episode 2
http://ww3.tvo.org/video/178596/episode-2
Doug, no one appears to have caught your pun. Just to let you know from one punster to another: good one!
Doug Huffman says:
August 31, 2012 at 8:05 am
@Neo, “[T]here is no proof that any body can slow the rise of the oceans.”
I don’t know what might pass as proof, but freshman physics suggests that removal of the Earth orbiting body, the Moon, would eliminate Lunar tide rise and fall.
Note to Romney bashers—Consider the alternative….
more soylent green! says: @ August 31, 2012 at 1:24 pm
…Zeke, what would happen if we could somehow repeal ObamaCare without replacing it? Individuals would continue to not be able to deduct healthcare insurance purchases. Most payments would continue to be made by third parties. Healthcare insurance would continue to be linked to employment, and not portable…..
___________________________________
Much of the cost of healthcare is due to bureaucratic red tape, regulations and insurance. Just ask your doctor and you will get an earful.
One guy at Duke University I talked to told me new nuclear regulations caused the price of radiation sources to skyrocket by tens of thousands of dollars. He used to go to the physics department to get his radiation source. Now he has to buy it from a commercial source for mega bucks.
Studies report as a rule the average physician spends three weeks a year on billing- and insurance-related tasks, and has to hire two-thirds of a full-time employee per physician. The Institute for Justice found the remove of even one regulation spurred the growth of small business.
Most people have no idea of the cost of each additional regulation. In the UK, one dairy farmer, the last one left in his neighborhood, reported that 60% of his time was spent filling out forms. With the Food “Safety” Modernization Act 2010 regulations about to go into effect in 2012 expect many American farmers to exit farming or convert to growing trees or other non-food items. American farmers have neither the time, money or knowledge to meet the new regulations. Worse the penalty for screwing up can be a multi-million dollar fine.
Personally I have yet to met a farmer without a second job or at minimum without a wife working outside the home.
Romney is going to be facing the fall-out from this food law passed in a lame duck session and signed by Obama. The people targeted for “removal” will be the little street side veggie stands and organically grown beef, eggs and other products so beloved of the Organic Food crowd. So take the 73752 corporate farms out of the 2.1 million farms and multiply that by all the yuppies buying their products and you have a rather large number of potentially irate people. Oh and now they want you to register your home gardens too.
On top of that 46,405,204 Americans are already collecting food stamps according to the USDA. 48.8 million Americans are living on the edge of hunger Nearly one in four children in America lives in households that struggle to put food on the table.
Then there are the lies about coming out of the “Great Recession” in 2009 … the recent Great Recession that officially ran from December 2007 to June 2009, ending just six months into Obama’s first term…. What a crock! While “official” statistics show a decrease in unemployment thanks to lying with statistics, (Discouraged workers and part timers are not considered unemployed) Shadow Statistics shows about 23% are STILL unemployment and there is no real change from the sky-rocketing unemployment since 2009 link
Seems some one got their figures wrong on just when the “Great Recession” was. (The MSM usual blames it on Bush.)
To put it bluntly Romney if he wins has a really big mess to clean up.
23% are unemployed, 7.2% (as of 2006) are on welfare, 13% are over 65, another 17% (as of 2006) are working for the federal government, and who know how many are working in state, county or city government jobs or depend on government grants and of those who do work only 50% earn enough to actually pay taxes. Now add in a major rise in food costs thanks to the food law and you really have a mess in the making.
I am sure the MSM will be very happy to blame Romney for the mess though.
http://ww3.tvo.org/video/178381/episode-1
The first episode takes a look at how plants created the world. A team of botanists, plant hunters and scientists hunt down the descendants of the plants that have dominated and driven the most fundamental changes in Earth history – creating the oxygen we breathe, the soil we walk on and deciding which animals live and die.
And
How to Grow a Planet
We might think that humans are the most powerful living thing on Earth, but it is plants that time and again have set the agenda for life. Plants enabled amphibians to leave the water, they had a hand in the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, and they ensured the ultimate triumph of insects, mammals and birds. This series offers a stunning new perspective on Earth’s history.
Thanks Clipe, I will check this out as I have abandoned them in recent years as I have much of TV altogether. However recently I did check out some at Discover.ca and NatGeo for these kind of programmings as they both were doing earth and space series so after reading the descriptions thought I’d check out the space ones thinking they can’t tie in global warming with that now.
Wrong, they did right at the end. Apparently we’ll be Mars if we can’t control our C02… Sigh. But I will give this video a watch this weekend and see, in hopes.
The stand out thing in this post, is Mike Mann put on sabbatical?
Is he loosing the plot with all his lawfare? are those higher up the food chain waking up to his shenanigans? Mike may soon fade into the sunset, from legend in his own lunch time to a broken man, like his hockey stick.
Seems like you guys are getting it back to front. Obama means he wants you guys to stop commanding the oceans to rise.
So Romney is the guy who wants to nay say that and to continue commanding the oceans to rise even more vigorously.
Maybe in the far future there will be a new moral tale about King Romney. Along the lines of getting your feet wet if you apply great power unwisely.
“his promise to achieve North American energy independence by 2020″ –> Note this includes Mexican and Canadian energy resources and NOT …. South American, Mid-eastern, and other rest-of-world resources.
An interesting proposition — any serious effort and even partial achievement will be a great improvement for us North Americans.
Only 2 candidates in USA ?
Those 2 have put America (and the world) in a terrible mess , time to change no?
I’m a federal employee, just like Dr Mann. I’m pretty sure that if I made a statement like his, I would be in a lot of trouble on Monday morning. I would probably lose my pension. I wonder why this guy is immune from the political constraints most federal employees operate under.
Are you over-blowing and misinterpreting things (again)?
That is a simple ‘census’ of ag products grown in small gardens and plots. From your supplied link:
Sinister, I know …
.
LazyTeenager, if I didn’t know you I’d have been laughing at the brilliant sarcastic wit.
However I do know you, and I’m laughing at your absolute refusal to let reality infringe on your world view.
0bama was referring to “his” environmental policies being the turning point, about the urgent need to fix the planet that we have so horribly “damaged”, and his intent to stop pollution and reverse the damage caused by 8 years of George Bush. Because, as everyone knows, pollution and planetary damage are not a problem when a democrat is in power. (Thus, the clintoon years were clean and green).
And in those rare places where an environmental problem occurs when a democrat is in power, it’s always some Republican causing it.
Look it up. It’s in the bible.
_Jim says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:09 pm
=======
Please spell out your wisdom, I’m dying to hear it.
It must be an all-knowing sort of thing, that will be the benefit of us all.
Just say go.
LazyTeenager says:
August 31, 2012 at 5:38 pm
“So Romney is the guy who wants to nay say that and to continue commanding the oceans to rise even more vigorously. ”
Please provide your source for this ‘fact’…
I have seen nor heard anything like your assertion above. I think you are not telling the truth.
RSVP with your specific source/reference for your statement of ‘fact’, that Romney “… is the guy who wants .. to continue commanding the oceans to rise even more vigorously. ”
Respond specifically with your source for that ‘fact’.
MtK
Bill Marsh says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:05 pm
“I’m a federal employee, just like Dr Mann.
One out of two, ain’t bad!
_Jim says:
August 31, 2012 at 7:09 pm
“That is a simple ‘census’ of ag products grown in small gardens and plots. Sinister, I know …”
_Jim,
This is not a ‘simple census’. What I choose to grow in my backyard plot is none of your damn business. If I choose to trade fresh tomatoes and radishes to my neighbor for fresh eggs, it is none of the ‘NASS’ (whatever the hell that is…), IRS, EPA, OSHA, TSA, or ACLUs damn business either! Butt Out!
Get your hands… and your long,snoopy nose, out of my knickers. I don’t feel ‘stimulated’!
Mtk
Someone please wake me up when the guy gets around to details. Maybe when the debates begin? Hopefully. I mean like the guy has been running for president for eight years. Says he was unemployed. He should have had plenty of time to work out the details. We like people with details much more than rhetoric and outlines of plans short on the details. Because if you provide the details we know you want the job.
How about replacing the d word (debt) with the g word (growth)?
How about some Jack Kemp style Kemp/Ross Economic Recovery Plan details?
The G word takes care of the D word.
Rhetoric does nothing for the 15% of our work force still idle.
WUWT folks watched but many people around me have tuned out.
The ratings for this party’s national convention have dropped substantially. Specific details with a growth message can turn things in the upcoming debates.
Woops, I’m referring to the Kemp-Roth (not Ross) tax bill. The 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act.
Romney: “My promise is to help you and your family.”
When a politician threatens to help you, be scared.
It’s funny that the “religious” Romney mocks President Obama for promising to slow the rise of the oceans. After all, according to the Bible, Moses rolled back the sea and the Israelites escaped from Pharaoh’s army. I don’t really believe in magic, but perhaps the prophet Moses knew a few things about geography, and that’s why he saved his people. Romney just told the whole world that he is no Moses and that he can’t roll back the rising seas. I think I am going to vote for President Obama because he has some scientific ideas about how we might slow the rise of the seas and save our people.
Please don’t assume we belong to a US political “side”. Some of us are not playing the game at all. From the other side of the world you all look completely bonkers.
I’m not sure why you all hate Obama so much. He hasn’t lost a war or started one. He seems to have managed to end one and is halfway to ending another. He nailed Bin Laden which has to be a good thing. He hasn’t vomited on the president of Japan recently. He hasn’t made poor taste jokes about nuking Iran. He still seems to have all his marbles. He hasn’t been caught boffing interns in the Oval office. He hasn’t been impeached. By the admittedly low standards of recent US presidents the man looks like an absolute saint.
@ ldd says: August 31, 2012 at 11:32 am
Your ad hom and rant against left wing Canadian media is irrelevant, it changes nothing and addresses none of American Chris Hedges talking points. I agree with Chris Hedges that with Obama/Democrat or Romney/Republican, electing either of these corporate America icons will change nothing for Main St. America (it will only further enrich Wall St. America).
http://theagenda.tvo.org/guest/169970/Chris-Hedges
Do not forget that Obama installed the Male-hating Feminists into the White House and spent plenty of time denigrating and humiliating Fathers, all men and boys just to ensure the female vote. His rhetoric on the AGW hysterics can also be witnessed by the actions of the Nation-wide, job destroying EPA.
Ian H: Obama has a tendency to rule by Executive Order. So far he’s gone around both Congress and the Constitution. Both are impeachable offenses but the Senate is controlled by the democrats under Harry Reid. This is NO way that route will control Obama. So we set our teeth and wait for the elections.
kim says: August 31, 2012 at 8:36 am
I think that line was from June ’08, well before the convention. It was after he’d clinched the nomination, which may account for the mistaken impression, not fact-checked, by the political writer. Of course, I haven’t fact-checked either.
========================
Actually, Teh Won made this claim at his acceptance speech, in front of the Greek columns.
Ian H says:
September 1, 2012 at 10:05 am
“Please don’t assume we belong to a US political “side”. Some of us are not playing the game at all. From the other side of the world you all look completely bonkers.
I’m not sure why you all hate Obama so much. He hasn’t lost a war or started one. He seems to have managed to end one and is halfway to ending another. He nailed Bin Laden which has to be a good thing. He hasn’t vomited on the president of Japan recently. He hasn’t made poor taste jokes about nuking Iran. He still seems to have all his marbles. He hasn’t been caught boffing interns in the Oval office. He hasn’t been impeached. By the admittedly low standards of recent US presidents the man looks like an absolute saint.”
Point well taken by this US voter, but the reason he doesn’t get in much trouble is because he’s been out on the golf course for the majority of his term (except when he sneaks out for a forbidden cheeseburger).
Oh… I am a little miffed that he’s run up another $5 trillion on the US tab. He’s one of the three people in the US who hasn’t noticed that we can’t afford that right now. The other two will come to that awareness when they sober up.
Snapple says:
September 1, 2012 at 9:15 am
It’s funny that the “religious” Romney mocks President Obama for promising to slow the rise of the oceans. After all, according to the Bible, Moses rolled back the sea and the Israelites escaped from Pharaoh’s army. I don’t really believe in magic, but perhaps the prophet Moses knew a few things about geography, and that’s why he saved his people. Romney just told the whole world that he is no Moses and that he can’t roll back the rising seas. I think I am going to vote for President Obama because he has some scientific ideas about how we might slow the rise of the seas and save our people.
You left off the /sarc tag.
Ian H,
It’s time to let an adult run things for a ‘change’. The country handed the Presidency to Obama, who has not one drop of slave blood, in its misplaced apologia for slavery. The country gave the job to a clueless Marxist who had…
No governing experience
No military experience
No foreign policy experience
No economic experience
No business experience
No medical experience
No foreign trade experience
No energy experience
No wonder he’s managed to screw things up royally. For some contrast, here is Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater:
“I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution or that have failed their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is ‘needed’ before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents ‘interests,’ I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can.”
Instead, the country picked Lyndon Johnson, and what a disaster he was. Now the country has a real choice. We had better not blow it this time.
re: Ian H says: September 1, 2012 at 10:05 am
Speaking to your points first. He hasn’t won a war either, and the one ‘he ended’ was done by Bush’s plan. He delayed getting Osama for months, and was only able to do so to begin with because of intelligence work done before his time, and using methods he condemned. He may not have vomited (what, you think traveling presidents are immune to stomach bugs?), but Obama prostrates himself and our nation to foreign leaders – bowing to the Japanese Emperor, the Saudi King, even on American soil, bowing to the Chinese President, he even bowed to an American mayor who happened to be of Asian decent! He sent the Dali Llama out the back door, past a massive heap of garbage. He may not have joked about nuking Iran, but he ridiculed the disabled and the Special Olympics. He attacks Republicans and conservatives for discriminating against minorities – turns out Obama has one of the least diverse staffs of former presidents. Attacks Republicans and conservatives as discriminating against women – turns out Obama female campaign staffers earn less than male coworkers. He personally attacked and blamed; Fox News (repeatedly), Rush Limbaugh (private individual), ATMs, Wall Street “Fat Cats,” Bush, Bush, and Bush again, Republicans, wealthy people, Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Casinos, private jet owners, Wall Street, Big Oil, small oil, any oil, coal, Bush, over half of the very population he is sworn to represent (e.g., anyone who’s not a liberal/progressive or who disagrees with him), the Supreme Court, state governments, local governments, Fox News, Drudge Report, journalists and reporters in general, jet owners, Las Vegas, Las Vegas casinos, the Cambridge police, ATMS, Bush, and don’t forget, Bush, wealthy people, Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump, ATMs, European economy… the list goes on and on – it’d be easier to list groups he hasn’t attacked and denigrated than those he has! Obama sneezed while defending Obamacare; blames it on Republicans (frankly I think that one was staged purposefully). He hasn’t been impeached because Democrats control the Senate and would never try him.
But why do we really hate Obama’s policies? Over 43 months unemployment above 8.3%, and real unemployment and underemployment of more than 23 million people. The worst recession ‘recovery’ ever. The most expensive new regulations of any president. A “McJobs” ‘recovery,’ where there are currently still fewer people working than when he took office. The most people ever on food stamps and government assistance. All sorts of end runs around Congress and the Constitution that the Supreme Court will have to rectify after years of costly litigation. Rampant scandals such as Fast and Furious. His EPA running wild and in conjunction with Obama, strangling our ability to produce cheap abundant energy. First real wage drop ever. A Dept. of Justice that no longer provides equal justice under the law, but decides which laws it is even willing to prosecute and which it will ignore – and worse, prosecuting states for actually upholding existing laws. He’s appointed nothing but radical hard leftists to his Cabinet, Czars, and top positions, some of which have been forced to resign once their radical views became known. He’s been incredibly divisive – race baiting, class warfare, gender warfare, etc.
Do you REALLY not see why he is so reviled by many? Open your eyes and look at reality.
@ Gail Combs
Doesn’t the presence of Ryan have some influence on your expectations / analysis of Romney ?
Though perhaps only of popcorn relevance to me on this side of the pond.