Republican Debate: Pause Reality

 

republican debate contestants

The story at the Republican debate tonight won’t be what presidential candidates say or forget to say, it will be what they ignore and deny, perhaps the greatest threat to humanity the world has ever seen.

The next Republican debate is in a few hours on CBS. What can we expect? Well, for one, we can expect they will have to seal the doors and pause reality inside the studios for a few hours. Getting this group of Republican presidental hopefuls together cannot coincide with the normal laws of nature — global warming cannot exist (and it certainly can’t be caused by humans), evolution can’t exist, math can’t exist, and science, in general, can’t exist.

What will we hear? We will hear that the Department of Energy needs to be shut down. We will hear that the Environmental Protection Agency needs its knees cut off. And we will hear that drilling for oil is the way out of our energy and economic crises. Of course, to anyone who has studied the matter, and is not a member of the fossil fuel industry or close allies with it, this is all nonsense. Or, worse than nonsense, this will all lead us into a cold, dark future in which more people have less (unless you’re talking about problems) and the health and death costs associated energy and environmental decisions will be like nothing the world has ever seen.

It would be good if we could close those guys in that room and leave them to enjoy the fruits of their alternate reality. Unfortunately, this isn’t a fairy tale.

The Republican candidates debating tonight (with the possible exception of Jon Huntsman) either failed science or have decided that science can be altered to fit their personal beliefs and the preferences of their funders.

Time is running out for humanity on the biggest crisis to ever face us. If you spend a few hours looking into the real science of global warming and climate change, you will be shocked at the inaction of the U.S. government, you will be ashamed to live in a country that isn’t willing to address a threat that could cost the lives of billions if not the existence of our whole species. And you will certainly wonder what alternative universe these GOP candidates in this GOP debate tonight have smoked or have drunk or have convinced themselves of in order to please their financial supporters.

Certainly, politicians running for president of the United States of America, perhaps the most powerful political position in the world, would have access to the best scientists, the best science, and would be looking to deal with this issue.

If only we were so lucky….

On the good news: Republican presidentical candidates have made themselves into such a laughing stock, some are closing the possibility of any of them getting elected.

“In the last 60 days, the overexposure created by the GOP’s chock-a-block broadcast schedule, along with the fact that there are simply too many people on stage to elicit anything more than soundbites, campaign slogans, and one liners, has put more of a spotlight on the ineptitude and the cartoon character-like behavior of most of the candidates than any negative ad campaign the Democrats would be capable of dreaming up on their own,” Kris Broughton of Big Think writes.

“Are we really going to tune into CBS tonight to listen to foreign policy positions? Or are we just watching to see if Rick Perry can remember who’s on first? Or are we waiting for a moderator to ask Herman Cain a sexual harassment question so he can give his patented evil eye glare? Or are we playing the new game where you count how many seconds will elapse before Michelle Bachmann crows Obamacare?”

Maybe he’s right. Maybe the country knows that these people would make better comedians (even if inadvertant comedians) than presidents. Let’s hope so.

(And, of course, despite Republican efforts to deter voting, the United States is still a democracy of sorts, and we can talk to others, share important information, and vote on election day in 2012.)

Republican Debate image via the talented DonkeyHotey

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