Climate Inaction Figures: They Distort Facts, Twist Logic and Reject Science

By Climate Denier Roundup

Last week’s #WebofDenial blitz was a serious effort to call out the denial apparatus, its importance underscored by Lamar Smith’s retaliatory subpoenas. This week though, things have taken a more light-hearted turn.

As the Partnership for Responsible Growth’s Wall Street Journal ads come to a close this week, they’ve started running ads on Fox News with pro-climate statements. But instead of coming from the usual voices like scientists or activists, all the calls for action come from conservative politicians. The ad opens with a quote from President Reagan written on screen and features snippets of McCain, Romney and Boehner saying sensible things on climate, along with Bush (H.W.), Bush (W.) and Bush (Jeb!)

Two of H.W. Bush’s quotes in particular stand out: “We can’t let a question like climate change be characterized as a debate” and “To say that this issue has sides is about as productive as saying the Earth is flat.” So the next time a denier says something about a story not covering both sides of the climate debate, they can be directed to this video for a reminder that this issue hasn’t had two sides in decades.

More fun, however, is an ad that Friends of the Earth tried, unsuccessfully, to get Fox News to air. This amusing 30-second bit mocks Fox News with a faux Fox News broadcast, featuring an anchor reading off a few extreme weather stories as the studio fills with water.

Watch the Climate Change Ad Fox News Refused to Run – EcoWatch https://t.co/No1bJjEp32 @ukycc @Climate_Rescue

— EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) July 19, 2016

If that’s not enough fun for you, how about getting your own climate inaction figure? The Years of Living Dangerously project (season two starts this fall on Nat Geo) has launched a new social campaign skewering top denier politicians with their own inaction figures. With pages on basically every social media platform, take your pick of how you want to see the toys that come complete with accessories. Click through to see how Chris Christie’s face(book) is covered by a “Selective Vision Helmet,” Inhofe carries a pin(terest)-spiked snowball mace, Cruz insta(gram)-blocks facts with his anti-science shield, McConnell’s ready to get rough and tumblr with his coal gauntlet and Boehner can ride out any future (tweet)-storm with his cloak of denial.

Sarah Palin Climate Inaction Figure.#climateinactionfigures #climatechange #putapriceonit #yearsoflivingdangerously pic.twitter.com/3sT62PUHx1

— Climate Inaction (@ClimateInaction) July 18, 2016