From the irascible Joe Romm at Climate Progress:
But how did this happen? Follow the money. The Daily Caller has this story:
Big ‘green’ dollars propel McAuliffe to victory
Environmental activists poured millions of dollars into the Virginia gubernatorial campaign to help propel Democrat Terry McAuliffe to victory over Republican opponent Ken Cuccinelli.
Environmental groups put up $3.8 million to help McAuliffe defeat Cuccinelli, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. That’s about four times as much as fossil fuel interests gave Cuccinelli.
Energy and environmental concerns became a major focus during the campaign, as McAuliffe planned to jump-start Virginia’s renewable energy production and bring green jobs into the state.
Of course, we all know about ‘green’ jobs. They tend to be subsidized, transient, and only available to a select group of people.
Green groups also spent millions on TV ad buys during the campaign. NextGen Climate Action, which was founded by San Francisco billionaire Tom Steyer, spent more than $2.4 million — the most spent on TV buys by any group.
…
The League of Conservation Voters was able to mobilize volunteers to knock on 100,000 doors in the Richmond area and 300,000 across the state, reports the Hill.
Environmentalists were successful at making global warming a central issue in the campaign, having former University of Virginia climate scientist and global warming activist Michael Mann stump for McAuliffe.
The stigma of political stink will always be over Michael Mann now, as he has transformed himself from scientist to political activist, much like Dr. James Hansen (formerly of NASA GISS) has.
If big environmental outfits can so easily spend millions buying an out-of-state candidate like Terry McAuliffe, then how hard is it to buy a climate scientist or two?
Is team climate science now the best science money can buy?
Those “secret” UVa emails Mann has been viciously defending might give some clues. More later.
Jquip, frankly, you’re just unwilling to concede an argument you lost before it started. If having a third candidate in the Virginia race WASN’T to Democrat advantage then the Democrats wouldn’t have funded him and provided legal assistance to him to make sure he got on the ballot and was more than an asterisk in the race. Or perhaps you think they did all that out of their sense of charity?
Its not that the Democrats didn’t TRY to gain such an advantage, it is that it didn’t work. Exit polling by the Washington Post shows that twice as many self identified Liberals voter for Sarvis as self identified Conservatives.
So yes they probably tired, but the jokes on them.
In any case, I don’t think the money spent on Warmist ads had any affect whatsoever.
Finally, you know nothing abut Libertarians. Libertarians oppose victimless crimes laws, but probably indulge less than Republicans.
Jquip, your premises are absurd. Republican aren’t engaged in electoral chicanery because they’re not as craven as the Democrats. It’s just that simple. And they aren’t because regular influx of groups like the Tea Party keep them that way.
Jquip says:
November 7, 2013 at 11:17 am
….And the other says the GOP are the other Democrat party.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
They are read “America’s Ruling Class ” http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the/print
“…Today’s ruling class, from Boston to San Diego, was formed by an educational system that exposed them to the same ideas and gave them remarkably uniform guidance, as well as tastes and habits. These amount to a social canon of judgments about good and evil, complete with secular sacred history, sins (against minorities and the environment), and saints. Using the right words and avoiding the wrong ones when referring to such matters — speaking the “in” language — serves as a badge of identity. Regardless of what business or profession they are in, their road up included government channels and government money because, as government has grown, its boundary with the rest of American life has become indistinct. Many began their careers in government and leveraged their way into the private sector. Some, e.g., Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner, never held a non-government job. Hence whether formally in government, out of it, or halfway, America’s ruling class speaks the language and has the tastes, habits, and tools of bureaucrats. It rules uneasily over the majority of Americans not oriented to government.
The two classes have less in common culturally, dislike each other more, and embody ways of life more different from one another than did the 19th century’s Northerners and Southerners — nearly all of whom, as Lincoln reminded them, “prayed to the same God.” By contrast, while most Americans pray to the God “who created and doth sustain us,” our ruling class prays to itself as “saviors of the planet” and improvers of humanity. Our classes’ clash is over “whose country” America is….”
The encouraging thing is because the Ruling Class or Political Class is so uniform and mostly ignores the rest of us they don’t really understand us especially since the man in the street is starting to wake-up and is now distrustful of the MSM.
The Biggest Loser of 2013: the Political Class: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/09/14/biggest_loser_of_2013_the_political_class_119939.html
(2010) “Only four percent (4%) now support the Political Class. These voters tend to trust political leaders more than the public at large and are far less skeptical about government.” http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/january_2010/65_now_hold_populist_or_mainstream_views
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 …survey finds that 84% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat angry at Congress, including 54% who are Very Angry. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/april_2013/54_are_very_angry_at_congress
Theo Goodwin says:
November 7, 2013 at 4:18 pm
I don’t like having to ask people for money.
But partition could well happen without me, given the results of the 2014 & 2016 elections. Divvying up the country would probably produce more than two nations, however, as the EU-like zones would have to form enclaves separated by American-style swaths of heartland, which would themselves likely form different polities.
New England, eastern NY & PA, central MD & northern VA would be cut off from an Akron-Flint state along Lake Erie, another larger “Blue” (but really “Red”) enclave from Gary to KC to Duluth, maybe one in the Rockies of NM & CO, then two or three on the West Coast.
Jquip says:
November 7, 2013 at 5:04 pm
It’s entirely possible that the Mainstream GOP, or its representatives in DC, is happy just being Democrats Light, not being in control, except of the House, so that they can get reelected by not rocking the boat, & enjoy the perks of power, doing well for themselves instead of doing good for the country. I know some GOP members of Congress who fit that description, going along to get along.
IMO the GOP should fund Green Party candidates the way the Democrats do “Libertarians” who are really just statist social liberals. IMO the fate of liberty in the USA rests on much more substantial grounds than the rights to smoke dope & abort eight-month old babies.
Don Tabor (November 7, 2013 at 12:20 pm) I am a Libertarian in Chesapeake Va, and I find this speculation unfounded.
Don, I am somewhat libertarian and used to be a big supporter of the Libertarian party. I think your demographic explanations are pretty good. I would add that many of the comments above about national issues like Obamacare are irrelevant. Most voters vote locally on likability and that is especially true in conservative districts in Virginia like the one I live in. I’m not sure Cuccinellii was all that likable.
I opposed his fishing expedition into Mann’s records at the time and I said so here. I have not found any reason to change my mind in the meantime. The law he used only applied to fraudulent billing. All researchers like Mann have assistance in filling out grant requests. They may make an honest mistake or two but that would be pretty rare. don’t think taking on one crappy scientist who pretended to be a statistician is very useful as a signature issue. OTOH taking on the EPA was very useful for principles and standing up for ordinary people (electric rate payers).
Peter Miller says: @ur momisugly November 7, 2013 at 12:06 pm
The point I was trying to make is this: most of the world and much of the American electorate perceive the Tea Party part of the Republican Party as being intransigent nay sayers, who are ruthlessly prepared to play chicken with the US and world economy.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
WHOA,
All the Tea Party is saying is Taxed Enough Already. They want Washington to abide by the Constitution instead of using it as “Loo paper” and to quit using THEIR money to buy votes while spending the country into the ground.
How many more years can we support politicians like Reagan, Obama, Clinton and the Bushes before they bankrupt the USA? The USA already has the highest per capita debt in the world:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/sites/all/files/images/-1.img_assist_custom-640×421.png
If you are worried about the world economy then you should be FOR the Tea Party.
Also the actual US unemployment has been 22% ==> 23% since Obama has been in office. The shipping of US jobs was set-up by Clinton (actually started under Bush Sr.) via NAFTA and the WTO, his getting China into the WTO and also selling US technology to China so they could out compete us.
http://www.artistmarket.com/writers/piraino/clintonchina.htm
“GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC REPORTS: THINGS YOU’VE SUSPECTED BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK!” http://www.shadowstats.com/article/employment
…..
Oh and speaking about US bankruptcy it seems the IMF is whispering in The politician’s ears:
“The International Monetary Fund (IMF) quietly dropped a bomb…the report paints a dire picture for advanced economies with high debts that fail to aggressively “mobilize domestic revenue.” It goes on to build a case for drastic measures and recommends a series of escalating income and consumption tax increases culminating in the direct confiscation of assets.
Yes, you read that right. But don’t take it from me. The report itself says: “…..The tax rates needed to bring down public debt to precrisis levels, moreover, are sizable: reducing debt ratios to end-2007 levels would require (for a sample of 15 euro area countries) a tax rate of about 10 percent on households with positive net wealth. (page 49)”…..
Note three takeaways. First, IMF economists know there are not enough rich people to fund today’s governments even if 100 percent of the assets of the 1 percent were expropriated. That means that all households with positive net wealth—everyone with retirement savings or home equity—would have their assets plundered under the IMF’s formulation.
Second, such a repudiation of private property will not pay off Western governments’ debts or fund budgets going forward. It will merely “restore debt sustainability,” allowing free-spending sovereigns to keep tapping the bond markets until the next crisis comes along—for which stronger measures will be required, of course….”
The report also said measure would have to be taken to prevent “capital flight” and loss of “productive citizens”.
So are the Tea Party “intransigent nay sayers” or people intelligent enough to see the oncoming train?
(No I am NOT a member of the Tea Party.)
OOPs forgot last link. The International Monetary Fund Lays The Groundwork For Global Wealth Confiscation: http://www.forbes.com/sites/billfrezza/2013/10/15/the-international-monetary-fund-lays-the-groundwork-for-global-wealth-confiscation/
Some people have said the Libertarian candidate drew off an equal proportion of votes from both candidates.
Such people are smoking something that alters their brain’s ability to function.
Don Tabor says:
November 7, 2013 at 6:04 pm
You’re wrong as to the exit polls. Maybe the WaPo conducted its own, but it appears to use the same polls as CNN, to which the following directs me:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/11/06/libertarians-silver-lining-in-virginia/
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2013/images/11/05/va.gov.exit.polls.1120p.110513.v2.final%5B1%5D.copy.pdf
Note that more self-IDed Republicans voted for Sarvis than Democrats.
The CNN article linked on the WaPo blog says that, according to exit polling, if Sarvis had not been in the race, McAuliffe still would have beaten Cuccinelli by two points, 48% to 46%, which means that more Sarvis voters leaned toward Cuch, although not enough. Maybe the missing six percent simply wouldn’t have voted in the governor’s race.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/05/politics/election-2013-exit-polls/
Perhaps less clearly than with Perot in 1992, the third party candidate hurt the GOP. Sarvis’ deal with his Democrat backers wasn’t as corrupt as Perot’s promise from Clinton of huge Hillarycare contracts for his software company, but still stinks to high heaven, as did the phony Libertarian candidate in Montana last year.
@Merrick: “Republican aren’t engaged in electoral chicanery because they’re not as craven as the Democrats.”
Yes, exactly. So long as you consider that “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” to be chicanery rather than a sound principle diplomatically and militarily, then you have no business being in a position that requires either.
@milodon: “IMO the GOP should fund Green Party candidates the way the Democrats do “Libertarians” who are really just statist social liberals.”
Yep, It’s an interesting game theory problem. If you have two primary competitors for ideas, party A and B, and both are assumed to be marginally intelligent then each should assist minor parties at both ends of the idea spectrum for their opponents. eg. Team A should assist moderate-B and extreme-B people find a candidate to vote for; that fits their ideological criteria.
Jquip says:
November 7, 2013 at 6:48 pm
I’ll be making out a check to the Green Party of Oregon next year!
“If big environmental outfits can so easily spend millions buying an out-of-state candidate like Terry McAuliffe, then how hard is it to buy a climate scientist or two?”
Yoo Hoo! Big environmental outfits! I’m a climate scientist. (I.e. I post on WUWT and JoNova.) Toss a million or so my way and I’m yours.
Time to redraw the maps? How about 57 states?
Let me suggest Va dump northern Va. New York state dump New York City. Colorado dump the Denver area. DC, northern VA, and eastern Md becomes a state. That’s three new states. California could be split 3 ways. That makes 56 states. Just need one more to make it 57 and America will be truly transformed. How would Illinois like to be rid of Chicago? That would make 57 states a winner.
Now give the states authority in managing their own affairs and reduce the overwhelming responsibility of the federal govt to issues of national security. The feds could consult with the individual states on matters of the collective many. Sounds good to me.
Not sure if those newly created states with their great population centers would be a threat of invasion to the more rural states/areas, but I’m sure the rural areas will be able to handle it should it ever materialize.
eyesonu says:
November 7, 2013 at 8:01 pm
I’m good with that, but Obama thought there were 57 states, plus HI & AK, so need two more. Maybe five states out of CA, or split TX & FL, too. Just cutting loose everything east of & including the Delaware River drainage & the SF Bay would be a good start, though.
Important thing is to limit the power of the federal government. Let states be as commie as they wanna be, or as free. Spread power as broadly as possible among federal, state & local government, private organizations & charities, communities, families & individuals.
In Washington two candidates have won the elections. The only problem is they’re both dead.
http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2013/11/07/2-Dead-Candidates-Winning-In-Washington-Elections
Don’t you love it.
The alternative is the Australian system of instant runoff elections, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, with votes for the last-running candidate being repetitively reassigned to the next-favored choice among the remaining candidates. Then there’d be no throwing one’s vote away on minor candidates.
And ditch “E plurubus unum” in favor of “57 varieties”!
While many Republicans may be cheering Christie’s victory in New Jersey and thinking he may be an answer to Hillary Clinton – among his other RINO/DIRC (democrat in republican clothing) positions is believing gung ho in CAGW. In fact, he’s criticized der Fuehrer’s administration for not being aggressive enough (!) in dealing with climate change.
@Gail Combs –
Not a member of the Tea Party? You make a compelling case for it (which I do not criticize, but admire). My own observation is that a lot of climate skeptics lean towards Tea Party thinking, as it is consistent with the general philosophy of not wasting resources and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.
In any case, it is a serious mistake to accept the leftist media and RINO/DIRC demonization of people who seem to be only the most vocal supporters of the Constitution and of American liberty and prosperity. How will what they advocate hurt anybody that isn’t part of the kleptocrat class?
Cuccinelli got funds from fossil fuel interests? How about that.
Anyway, the Romm’s hysteria made me smile. Thanx.
cynical_scientist says: @ur momisugly November 7, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Money in politics is a real problem. It means parties that represent the poor and downtrodden like … er … the Republicans … find it difficult to beat the candidates from parties that represent the interests of the rich and powerful, like … um … the Democrats. Hang on a minute. Is that right?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Actually Yes.
You are making the usual mistake of thinking Bankers and corporate Ceos are capitalists, they are not. EM Smith (ChiefIO) explains it much better than I could:
http://chiefio.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/forget-gen-x-now-its-generation-hot/#comment-14483
Mother Jones gives a terrific example of why: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1995/07/dwaynes-world
and so does Top Senate Democrat Dick Durban: http://www.salon.com/2009/04/30/ownership/
The democrats also excel at twisting the truth
http://www.maggiesnotebook.com/history-of-democrat-racism/
Of course that is typical politics. The take home is the ordinary American has NO representation and they are finally understanding that. 78% Want To Throw Out Entire Congress and Start Over So the next election could be VERY interesting.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/october_2013/78_want_to_throw_out_entire_congress_and_start_over
I do not remember if anyone has mentioned it yet, but Obama NEVER signed a budget his entire first term. The government ran on a Continuing Resolution the entire time. So why the heck did Reid and Obama suddenly dig in their heels now and shut down the government in the most painful way possible?
Gestapo’ tactics meet senior citizens at Yellowstone
“….For many hours her tour group, which included senior citizen visitors from Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States, were locked in a Yellowstone National Park hotel under armed guard.
The tourists were treated harshly by armed park employees, she said, so much so that some of the foreign tourists with limited English skills thought they were under arrest.
When finally allowed to leave, the bus was not allowed to halt at all along the 2.5-hour trip out of the park, not even to stop at private bathrooms that were open along the route…..”
http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x1442580353/Gestapo-tactics-meet-senior-citizens-at-Yellowstone
milodonharlani says: @ur momisugly November 7, 2013 at 6:36 pm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
On third party candidates and their effects.
Darn, I can’t find the article. Anyway the poll showed the GOP edged out the Dems. if only two parties were given as a choice but when a neither choice was added the Dems won by a large margin. It seems the GOP is viewed as the lesser of two evils by many who vote for them whil the Dems have a solid following.
Here is a similar poll: 48% Feel Connected to A National Political Party: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/march_2013/48_feel_connected_to_a_national_political_party
Txomin says:
November 7, 2013 at 11:51 pm
Cuccinelli got funds from fossil fuel interests? How about that.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We know the fossil fuel interests are behind CAGW. Greenpeace and their buddies have never been able to dig up a really solid link between ‘Den!ers’ and fossil fuel interest except for the Kochs Brothers, sort of and a bit from Exxon. The piddling amount Cuccinelli got from fossil fuel interests was not enough to give him a win but it sure helped Greenpeace in their ‘Den!ers’ are fossil fuel interests disinfo. campaign now didn’t it?
Ah – politics
Poli – Many
tics – Bloodsucking parasites