I don't have the time for the Sunday political talkies, but I may have to make an exception.
Tomorrow's Meet the Press might be interesting.
I'm gonna have to find out if they stream it.
FRIDAY, FEB 14, 2014 11:48 AM MST
“Meet the Press" to host climate change “debate" between GOP’s Marsha Blackburn and Bill Nye “the Science Guy"
If it's Sunday, it's the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community being treated as a partisan argument
ALEX PAREENE
http://www.salon.com/2014/02/14/meet_the_press_to_host_climate_change_debate_between_republican_marsha_blackburn_and_kids_show_host_bill_nye_the_science_guy/
This Sunday, “Meet the Press," the renowned televised political news forum, will host a discussion of climate change — perhaps the single most pressing issue of our time — featuring a professional children’s entertainer and a Republican member of Congress. Yes, David Gregory will be refereeing a “debate" — their word — between “Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ and Tennessee Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee." Nye will be arguing the pro (climate change is real and bad) and Blackburn will be arguing the anti (climate change is made up and not bad). By the end, America will be just a little bit more stupid and doomed.
". . . What’s insulting (and insane) is that there is to be a “debate" at all, on one of America’s supposed premier news talk shows. What’s scary is that the side of this debate that is wrong, and that is wrong in a way that will very probably lead to worldwide disaster in a few generations, is taken seriously because it is the side taken by one of America’s two dominant political parties."
I can't imagine a more unbalanced debate. But it will probably be entertaining. Why not someone with a science background who denies climate change? Well, I admit they probably couldn't find one, so Blackburn might be the best of a bad lot.
Blackburn "attended Mississippi State University, earning a B.S.in home economics. In college, she joined Chi Omega and worked as a student manager for the Southwestern Company, selling books door-to-door." With a background like that she's eminently qualified to debate climate change--at least from a Republican's point of view--about as qualified as she is to be on the Energy and Commerce committee. How she wangled that is anyone's guess.
Incidentally, Southwestern Company has an "interesting" way of selling books. It's a typical Republican way of doing business that provides no salary and no benefits to the salespeople. See the Wikipedia article on the company. Interesting reading.
Lois