Rep. Emanuel Cleaver is Smarter Than You

Facing a robust and spirited challenge of global warming theories, accelerated in recent months by investigations into the practices of global warming scientists, Emanuel Cleaver decided that Americans need to take on the complexity of global warming:

Americans are growing skeptical about the threat of global warming because “they don’t get” the complex information that scientists deliver, according to Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).

Unless scientists can simplify their arguments to the level of newspapers that “print at the sixth grade level,” Cleaver said, the public is “going to get a headache and bail out.”

...Or maybe not.

Maybe Cleaver should go ahead and explain the science for us, since we apparently need an enlightened political class to rule over us and explain all of the complicated issues our fragile and tiny minds can't understand. Beyond insulting the intelligence of the American public, trying to dumb down the debate on global warming is a political move that puts him at odds with scientists on both sides of the aisle.

Recently, 320 scientists, including a number associated with the IPCC and 11 Nobel laureates, pointed to attempts at dumbing down science as the origin of several misconceptions about their arguments:

Caveats that were carefully crafted within the chapters [of the IPCC report] were not included when language was shortened for the Synthesis Report. While striving to simplify technical details and summarize major points, some important qualifications were left behind. These errors of omission in the summary process should also be recognized and corrected.

So why would Emanuel Cleaver be pressuring scientists to do what they don't want to? Because global warming is dwindling in the polls: not just because voters are less concerned about temperature changes, but because challenges to the credibility of the IPCC and other global warming advocates have the public exploring non-human origins for climate change. That's very different than getting a headache and bailing out.

Cleaver: Voters too dumb to understand issues.

Cleaver's side is slowly but surely losing the public debate, which is narrowing the window of opportunity for the government to get involved and do cool things like expand government, create massive new taxes and form new government agencies. Dumbing down the debate is a last ditch effort to hold the window open long enough for the government to sneak in.

One might also note how convenient it is that Cleaver lays the blame at the hands of the scientists, and not global warming advocates like Cleaver who have failed to act as leaders within their communities. Or how the public is so amazingly smart when they support Cleaver's policies, and so unfortunately ignorant when they don't. The intellectual arrogance is staggering.

Comments

[Cleaver basher]

Hasn't anyone told him car washes are not environmentally friendly? They waste water. He is destroying the environment one quarter at a time.

[Sandra Davison]

electing someone like Cleaver surely lends credence to our intelligence level, that's for sure. But you can bet your bottom dollar--come next election cycle for Cleaver, will find us smartened up--bunches!!!! Get on that "smart" train, Mr. Cleaver, you're about to leave town!!!