Originally Posted by sprocket

Global warming is one of those issues that simply cannot be discussed by the vast majority of conservatives (in my anecdotal experience) without the politics attached. They simply seem unable and unwilling to evaluate it from a purely scientific viewpoint, unfortunately. Never mind that accepting the science, and making political decisions are two different things... science should only inform, not dictate your political decisions. However, there is just no room for this nuance in the typical conservative AGW denier. Just like accepting evolution means you must be atheist, accepting AGW means you must be a commie socialist who hates america.

Its hilarious, often in the same conversation they will bounce back and forth from explanations as to why they think its not happening, then try to explain away why they think its happening by way of non-anthropogenic sources (the sun is the new favorite scapegoat), and then go right on back to denying that its happening. Then they'll throw up their hands and say we just can't know anything about anything, its all too complicated and uncertain. "We werent alive 1000 years ago to measure the temperature".... "We werent alive to see the creation of the earth or life so evolution has no evidence!" Same mindset.

And of course, its only the scientists living the fat cat life-style from "easy" grant money that are the corrupt perpetuaters of "the lie"... no one with any money, power or influence at all has a vested interest in keeping the waters muddy and making sure doubt stays strong according to these people.

Many political opportunists and the wackiest of the wacky environmentalists (we know they exist) do treat AGW with religious like belief, but the denier movement has all the same flaws, if not to a greater extent. Its a matter of faith to them, a matter of left vs right, ideology vs ideology.. science never enters into it.