Why Science Denial Amazes Me

Yesterday, Donald Trump once again said global warming is a hoax and he will institute policies that rescind all U.S. efforts at contributing to a reduction in green house gases.  Yet, at the same time, he wants to build a wall in Ireland to protect his golf course from rising sea levels.  In other words, he is prepared to buy some insurance from a risk that he perceives in business, but one that he downgrades in the political world.

And that is what I don't understand about the politics of science denial.  The earth is so far as we know, the only planet with water and life.  We have the Kevlar telescope looking for other possibilities in the solar system and they have found over 1000 candidates for further investigation.  But they are all hundreds, if not thousands, of light years away.  We live on a rare planet.

And you would think, GOP politicians, who are generally a conservative type of person that would never be without insurance for their personal risks, would want global society to have that same attitude toward risk management;  nothing could coincide with such conservatism more than preserving our environment, including the overall temperature of the planet.

Now I know the cat is out of the bag so to speak on global warming, but you would think some measures, that do not overly harm the economy, would be prudent to try and reduce future global warming just as a form of insurance.  And you would think, American conservatives as religious people, would want to contribute to improving the conditions of life around the world by doing something to contribute to a reduction green house gases.  After all, their personal environment is effected by the overall temperature of the planet.

So why is the GOP so dead set against all reductions in green house gases?  My only answer is that personal greed trumps all else.  Business makes money when they don't have to pay to prevent stuff that society pays for in other ways and cannot charge it back to the business.  That is why business pollutes if there is not legislation which makes polluting a crime.  And business can give politicians the money they need to be reelected, which is how those politicians support their life style.  What I cannot explain is why the working whites who vote the GOP in, don't see that technology is what is causing their economic stress, not immigration, global trade or pro-environment regulation.

But even with that greed, I would think as conservative people they would care about the life their grandchildren and future generations will have.

But they do not, even when they have to build a wall to protect their property.

And that is what amazes me about science denial.