The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate

The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate | Grist

grist.org 04 Sep '12, 7pm

The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate

After the lurid death of the cap-and-trade bill in Congress, global warming more or less disappeared from the national political landscape. Since there’s no climate legislation on the table and none proposed, no ongoing debate on the subject, nothing real to talk about, climate hawks have been reduced to a form of analysis I call “climatespotting.” It amounts to counting the number of times the term “climate change” is uttered by a politician (especially Obama) or political organization. It’s as though the very term is an endangered bird — every time it flitters across a screen somewhere, it’s met with great excitement. Climatespotters spend a great deal of energy attempting to interpret the sightings, seeking patterns and larger meanings. Obama didn’t mention climate in his State of the Union this year. That meant he’d abandoned all pretense of leadership and was an histo...

Full article: http://grist.org/climate-energy/the-futility-of-climatesp...

Tweets

@GreenPartyofDE » 09 Sep '12, 1am
Why highlight an enormous global problem when the system you’re governing offers you so little power to do... [link]
@GreenPartyofDE » 09 Sep '12, 1am
Everyone knows that Democrats want to do something about climate change and that Republicans don’t believe in it.... [link]
@orastynkkynen » 08 Sep '12, 10am
Grist: poliittinen järjestelmä estää edistyksen ilmastonsuojelussa USA:ssa, [link]
@wenstephenson » 06 Sep '12, 1pm
In the afterglow of Clinton's speech, read this earlier reality-check on #climate politics & system failure by @drgrist [link]
@Meteor_Blades » 06 Sep '12, 12am
RT @climatebrad: #climatespotting: In which @drgrist shows that he's very good at demolishing straw men. [link]
@climatebrad » 06 Sep '12, 12am
#climatespotting: In which @drgrist shows that he's very good at demolishing straw men. [link]
@Jackthelad1947 » 05 Sep '12, 8pm
"The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves. - [link] Powerless on climate. #auspol
@ifandwen » 05 Sep '12, 7pm
"@grist: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate, says @drgrist: [link]" #senate votes matter most
@david_turnbull » 05 Sep '12, 7pm
…but talking about it could help win him the election, IMO. MT @drgrist: ICYMI: The futility of climatespotting [link]
@ClimateDesk » 05 Sep '12, 7pm
Nice piece ex @drgrist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@drgrist » 05 Sep '12, 7pm
ICYMI: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@AoraSolar » 05 Sep '12, 5pm
#climatespotting:[link] @drgrist
@rebmoti » 05 Sep '12, 4pm
By @drgrist: Determined Republican opposition means little chance for meaningful federal action on climate [link]
@DavidFerris » 05 Sep '12, 2pm
How the Democrats acknowledge climate change and why it doesn't matter, by @drgrist. [link]
@Jonathan_Rowson » 05 Sep '12, 1pm
Why highlight an enormous global problem when the system you’re governing offers little power to do anything about it? [link]
@beardedarmenian » 05 Sep '12, 1pm
We all lose. Thanks GOP! RT @grist: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate, says @drgrist: [link]
@HSchwende » 05 Sep '12, 12pm
@grist @drgrist We shouldn't seel him short, Obama's the one guy I think has the guts to do it. He's a man of action. [link]
@greengrandad » 05 Sep '12, 12pm
"@grist: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate, says @drgrist: [link]" - dysfunctional US system
@markeliotcaine » 05 Sep '12, 10am
Excellent piece by @drgrist on the futility of #climatespotting and the constraints facing US #climate #change action: [link]
@EcoJive » 05 Sep '12, 2am
The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big... [link] #eco #rt #np #oomf #rt #ff @EcoJive
@heidihej » 05 Sep '12, 1am
Climate change and lack of movement. [link]
@erbmba » 05 Sep '12, 12am
Post by @drgrist about the political realities of #climate: in short, unlike the Arctic, progress will remain frozen [link]
@nartured » 04 Sep '12, 11pm
The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link] #Article #ClimateEnergy
@enoughkc » 04 Sep '12, 11pm
another american tragedy, this one affecting all 7 billion human beings. MT @grist - obama can't move on climate: [link]
@marisol3399 » 04 Sep '12, 10pm
Sad but true. #Obama's hands are tied on any significant action on #climatechange. [link]
@Camz99 » 04 Sep '12, 9pm
"The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves o..." - [link] - shared from @TaptuGreen
@SolarG8r » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
Well that's depressing/likely. MT @drgrist futility: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@ghanscom » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
Pinning your hopes for the climate on Obama's 2nd term? You'd be wise not to, says @drgrist [link]
@alannogee » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
RT @dbiello: meanwhile @barackobama, well... MT @drgrist: No matter what Obama says, he can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@JLVernonPhD » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
314 million missing variables in this equation. MT @grist: @BarackObama can’t make big moves on climate. [link]
@pcfulCOaLiTiON » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can't make big moves on climate [link]
@GroenWerkt » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
#grist The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate #mlfeeds: ... [link]
@btx91 » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
Sigh MT @drgrist: new post: futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@kellyrigg » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
Sad. RT @drgrist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on #climate [link]
@dbiello » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
meanwhile @barackobama, well... MT @drgrist: No matter what Obama says, he can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@drgrist » 04 Sep '12, 7pm
Climatespotting: the practice of counting the number of times politicians utter the words "climate change." [link]
@drgrist » 04 Sep '12, 7pm
My new post: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@SimonCopland » 05 Sep '12, 12pm
RT @grist: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate, says @drgrist: [link]
@grist » 05 Sep '12, 12pm
No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate, says @drgrist: [link]
@Cobbing » 05 Sep '12, 12pm
RT @grist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@whirrlpool » 05 Sep '12, 2am
RT @grist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@WTDeniers » 05 Sep '12, 12am
RT @grist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@grist » 05 Sep '12, 12am
The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate [link]
@Barb4Hmom » 04 Sep '12, 10pm
RT @grist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate. [link]
@LibertadoresLos » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
RT @grist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate. [link]
@willinois » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
RT @grist: The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate. [link]
@grist » 04 Sep '12, 8pm
The futility of climatespotting: No matter what he says, Obama can’t make big moves on climate. [link]