Virginia Lawmaker Says ‘Sea Level Rise’ Is A ‘Left Wing Term,’ Excises It From State Report On Coast

[kristopher]

Virginia Lawmaker Says ‘Sea Level Rise’ Is A ‘Left Wing Term,’ Excises It From State Report On Coastal Flooding
By Rebecca Leber on Jun 10, 2012 at 6:59 pm

Virginia’s legislature commissioned a $50,000 study to determine the impacts of climate change on the state’s shores. To greenlight the project, they omitted words like “climate change” and “sea level rise” from the study’s description itself. According to the House of Delegates sponsor of the study, these are “liberal code words,” even though they are noncontroversial in the climate science community.

Instead of using climate change, sea level rise, and global warming, the study uses terms like “coastal resiliency” and “recurrent flooding.” Republican State Delegate Chris Stolle, who steered the legislation, cut “sea level rise” from the draft. Stolle has also said the “jury’s still out” on humans’ impact on global warming:

State Del. Chris Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, who insisted on changing the “sea level rise” study in the General Assembly to one on “recurrent flooding,” said he wants to get political speech out of the mix altogether.
He said “sea level rise” is a “left-wing term” that conjures up animosities on the right. So why bring it into the equation?
“What people care about is the floodwater coming through their door,” Stolle said. “Let’s focus on that. Let’s study that. So that’s what I wanted us to call it.”

There is a resistance to calling science what it is, even in...

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/06/10/496982/virginia-lawmaker-says-sea-level-rise-is-a-left-wing-term-excises-it-from-state-report-on-coastal-flooding/

[atreides1]

1. Virginia Beach

That makes sense...it's close enough to the North Carolina stateline for the stupidity to carry over!

[Ian David]

2. Then he wouldn't mind if we buried him in the sand at low tide? n/t

[rfranklin]

3. "Climate change" & "sea level rise" = liberal code words for "climate change " & "sea level rise"

So fucking stupid that they can't even use the English language properly.

[truebrit71]

4. ^This

Sometimes the stupid really does burn..

[LiberalEsto]

5. New state motto:

Virginia is for dunces.

[Downwinder]

6. Underwater a rightwing thing?

[abelenkpe]

7. Virginia?

Really?

I'm ashamed.

[Starboard Tack]

8. Wonder what the code word is for snorkeling to work.

[kristopher]

10. Burglub burglub? nt

[bpj62]

9. Sea Level

Most of Virginia Beach is at sea level or just above it. A direct hit from a hurricane the areas for miles inland. If the polar caps melt and the sea level does rise then I guess it will "flood" peoples houses. However most flood waters recede. A rise in the sea level in kind of a permanent thing. As a born and raised Virginian I really wonder what is the water that our republican politicians are drinking. They have gone bat shit crazy and there is no turning back.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. I have often wondered why some people

are not seemingly concerned about climate change/global warming/etc

Now I know....inherent stupidity.

[stufl]

12. How did the report deal with the two mile thick ice cap on Greenland?

Where do they expect all that water to go in the next 20 to 50 years and what will they call it?

[unc70]

13. North Carolina GOP trying a similar approach

Here is a recent story on the GOP efforts in NC:

[link:http://www.wral.com/news/state/nccapitol/blogpost/11179532/|

It looks like another one of those coordinated efforts by RW GOP groups.

[longship]

14. An epidemiologist needs to investigate this.

VA is next door to NC. The infection is obviously spreading in a northward direction. But, if we don't get the CDC on this quickly, the stupid could spread all over the country.

... Er... Eh... Rmoney is the Republican nominee? All the women health laws (agin, not fer). Now this spread of King Canute laws! (Which is precisely how they should be entitled.)

Stop the King Canute laws!

[OKIsItJustMe]

15. Lawmakers avoid buzzwords on climate change bills

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/06/lawmakers-avoid-buzzwords-climate-change-bills

[font face=Serif][font size=5]Lawmakers avoid buzzwords on climate change bills[/font]

By Scott Harper
The Virginian-Pilot
© June 10, 2012

[font size=3]…

So lawmakers did away with all mention of sea level rise, substituting a more politically neutral phrase: "recurrent flooding."

The amended study, while fixed on the same research, sailed through the General Assembly and was signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell, who also has raised questions about what is causing slightly higher temperatures on the planet.

The episode illustrates the continuing, even increasing, volatility of climate change as a policy issue in Virginia, at the same time that other states and whole nations are moving forward with plans to combat the phenomenon.

It also shows how climate skeptics, through their political connections and organization, are forcing state and local government to stay clear of certain buzzwords in quietly pursuing a strategy, else they risk unleashing a brawl.

…[/font][/font]

[kristopher]

16. "The ALEC agenda in action" would be more apt

http://www.democraticunderground.com/112715562

[OKIsItJustMe]

17. If it’s ALEC at work, they failed miserably

After all, the legislation passed once the wording was changed.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/environment/global-warming/virginia-gop-lawmaker-christopher-stolle-forced-scientists-stop

[font face=Serif][font size=5]Virginia GOP Lawmaker Christopher Stolle Forced Scientists to Stop Using Words "Climate Change"[/font]

Submitted by Michael Allen on Jun 11, 2012

[font size=3]Earlier this year, Virginia House Delegate Christopher Stolle (R) told Virginia State Senator Ralph Northam (D) that the terms “climate change” and “sea-level rise” are “liberal code words” that must be removed from an environmental study request, reports the Virginian-Pilot.

Even though Republicans control the state’s general assembly and senate, they voted to approve $138K to fund the study after State Senator Northam agreed that the term “sea-level rise” would be swapped out for “recurrent flooding.”

…[/font][/font]

[kristopher]

19. ALEC pushes a mindset

And that operates by chipping away at the "enemy" every time any opportunity presents itself. Think about this for a moment.

The jerk didn't attack "climate change" just because he doesn't like words that start with "c", he attacked it as part of a broad based campaign to make anything associated with the idea of climate change toxic.

In this case just the use of the term elicits a fight. Now think about how most reasonable people will go out of their way to avoid confrontation if they can. When this is a pattern of behavior on the part of ALEC Reps around the country at all levels of government, are you really sure it isn't going to have a strong chilling effect on bureaucratic and legislative actors that would like to do the right thing in steering policy?

[GliderGuider]

18. So I guess if the sea levels go up a meter or so...

that means we win?

Urk!