Spin Me Again! More Americans Now Think Global Warming is Exaggerated

For all President Obama’s rhetoric of science being back in the White House spotlight, it sounds like much of America hasn’t quite gotten that message.  A new poll from Gallup suggests that 41% of Americans think that the threat of Global Warming is exaggerated, the highest such number in a decade.  Well, at least people now mostly accept that it’s happening, even if it’s not a big deal…

Take that, Science!

Not surprisingly, the numbers on urgency seem to be based on political party: 66% of Republicans now think the Global Warming concerns are overblown, whereas people who identify as Democrats are holding at around 20%.  The political party that supports old energy doesn’t believe we need new energy… hmmmm…

It’s very easy for me, and for everyone else who clearly sees the logic behind the climate change science, to be frustrated by the war being waged on these facts by a coordinated series of commercial campaigns, and by the political factions who are allied with oil and coal interests.  But my background is coming from the news, so it’s not surprising that it’s the mainstream media that makes this poll really stick in my craw.

We Have Built a False Idol to Objectivity.

The news needs “balance” on a lot of discussions.  Political issues, complex social questions, and foreign policy debates usually necessitate a counter-quote to present the opposite opinion in an article.  When one is reporting the news, the common wisdom is that the reporter should remove their opinion and gather both sides of a discussion: Objectivity is King.  Check it out some time.  You can’t find a news story about anything without a counter-quote some where in the last few paragraphs.

Well, this method does not work when discussing Global Warming.  It feeds directly into the hands of groups like ACCCE or the Heartland Institute who make a living providing the other side of an objective discussion… only that side doesn’t exist.  Ironically enough, even as I am decrying the media from the one side, the anti-global warming crew makes hay in exactly the same way.

I’ve worked in new rooms and produced interview shows.  I know how it feels to be searching desperately for someone to balance a discussion.  “Well, we’ve got the Pro side booked, now we just need to find a good Con.”  And I’ve been properly outraged when someone from my side of a discussion was given short shrift.  But for a certain series of stories, it is more then unacceptable to cover both sides with equal time.  The Gallup poll tells us that it is actively destroying our chances of solving this whole Global Warming thing.

>> More Gallup Polls on Red Green and Blue

What Does Success Mean?

One side defines success not by convincing the world that Global Warming does not exist (as that would be pretty much impossible), but simply be extending the conversation and keeping the money train that currently exists chugging along. The other side is trying to get a country motivated to act on something that they can’t see every day, and are not able to grasp easily.  Doubt, then, is a crucial factor in this whole discussion and everything that feeds into that doubt is actively disastrous.

I am not calling for scientists and researchers or even pundits and thinkers to be silenced, regardless of how wrong I might think they are.  What I want is for media outlets to look closely at what they view as “balancing” a story.  The American standard of talking to both sides just does no apply in this case.

Now, it’s time for some Objective Balance in my own article.  Counterpoint: this might not matter.  As much as I would like people to listen to, you know, the scientests, our current version of environmentalism seems to be pushing people to the cause for different reasons.  Economics-based environmentalism seems like a valid call, and with charismatic leaders like Van Jones heading to the White House, I’m hopeful that people will get on board regardless of their belief in Global Warming science one way or the other.  But man, it feels like it should matter, right?

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