Althouse: Why won't the Obama say that polar bears are endangered and thus make it possible to use the Endangered Species Act to deal with global warming?

December 23, 2010

Why won't the Obama say that polar bears are endangered and thus make it possible to use the Endangered Species Act to deal with global warming?

"U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan sent the [Bush administration's] controversial listing decision back to the Obama administration in October, asking officials to clarify the language the agency used when it determined that polar bears aren’t 'endangered' under federal law. Environmentalists ... had hoped that Obama administration officials would ... protections to the species."

I'm guessing that wasn't changed because polar bears aren't endangered and because using the Endangered Species Act to fight global warming is a bad idea.

57 comments:

Anonymous said...: "... using the Endangered Species Act to fight global warming is a bad idea."

Since there is no such thing as global warming.

Right?; 12/23/10, 3:50 PM
Alex said...: If I believed in AGW, then I would believe that AGW threatens species like the polar bear. Thus, I would be for using ANY mechanism to fight AGW. Doesn't that make sense professor?; 12/23/10, 3:53 PM
Rumpletweezer said...: But...But... I'm certain I've seen ads for the World Wildlife Fund saying that they are...and trying to get my kids to get me to send money to save the poor polar bears.

Damn that Supreme Court. Letting corporations run ads that lie on TV.; 12/23/10, 3:55 PM
Anonymous said...: AGW - a religion that couldn't possibly pass the Lemon test.; 12/23/10, 3:57 PM
Alex said...: AGW modeling predicts harsher climate swings like the ones we are currently experiencing. Harsh winters and overly warm winters in other areas.; 12/23/10, 3:59 PM
Hal Dall, MD said...: Why not? The ESA has been misused to achieve other environmental regulatory havoc since its first day.; 12/23/10, 4:02 PM
Kirby Olson said...: There are more polar bears than ever.

They would have to use army helicopters to shoot 95% of them, and THEN they could use the Endangered Species Act...

But polar bears are hard to spot from the air in the horrible winters up north.; 12/23/10, 4:04 PM
Unknown said...: Considering the ferocity of polar bears, they do a pretty good job of endangering other species.

Besides, as with most things, The Zero needs to be told his position on it.; 12/23/10, 4:06 PM
Alex said...: Polar bears are simply grizzlies that wandered too far north. It's the same animal.; 12/23/10, 4:07 PM
campy said...: When has the O administration ever rejected an idea just because it was bad?; 12/23/10, 4:11 PM
AllenS said...: If Michelle isn't interested in saving the polar bears, then Barack has no idea that there's any problem.; 12/23/10, 4:19 PM
Anonymous said...: "Why won't the Obama say that polar bears are endangered and thus make it possible to use the Endangered Species Act to deal with global warming?"

It's a head fake. He knows he doesn't have to. The EPA will, FCC like, legislate. Welcome to Obamerica.; 12/23/10, 4:30 PM
Original Mike said...: "I'm guessing that wasn't changed ... because using the Endangered Species Act to fight global warming is a bad idea."

You're not that naive. Tell us the real reason.; 12/23/10, 4:34 PM
garage mahal said...: Since there is no such thing as global warming.

Wonder why only 6% of scientists self identify as Republicans.; 12/23/10, 4:41 PM
Anonymous said...: "Wonder why only 6% of scientists self identify as Republicans."

94% of Democrat scientists think science is a consensus contest won by the person with the most "friends" on Facebook.

It's no wonder they haven't been able to win the day on the AGW debate.; 12/23/10, 4:54 PM
Anonymous said...: AGW = ecological string theory

Alex --

"Polar bears are simply grizzlies that wandered too far north. It's the same animal."

No. Not at all.; 12/23/10, 4:54 PM
Alex said...: No. Not at all.

Polar bear evolution

More recent genetic studies have shown that some clades of brown bear are more closely related to polar bears than to other brown bears,[17] meaning that the polar bear is not a true species according to some species concepts.[18]; 12/23/10, 4:56 PM
Cedarford said...: Alex said...
Polar bears are simply grizzlies that wandered too far north. It's the same animal.

--------------------
Nope, and God didn;t create them 5,000 years ago, either.

BUt they are recent, evolutionarily speaking, like modern man. 200,000 years ago, grizzlies got trapped on a Siberian peninnsula (Chuchkai I think) by glaciers...Genepool isolated from other grizzlies, they made spectacular adaptive changes - some 20 distinct things, led by the pigment-free hollow hair on their pelts.; 12/23/10, 5:03 PM
Phil 314 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/23/10, 5:05 PM
Phil 314 said...: So does this mean Nissan will need a new ad campaign for the Leaf?

(Or maybe, now that reality has set in, the polar bear will actually eat the guy? Now there's a way to lessen your carbon footprint); 12/23/10, 5:07 PM
bagoh20 said...: I like climate change. I don't like people who are against it. They are selfish, controlling and stupid.; 12/23/10, 5:08 PM
Original Mike said...: "Wonder why only 6% of scientists self identify as Republicans."

Because they don't like profligate spending? That's my reason.; 12/23/10, 5:11 PM
garage mahal said...: It's no wonder they haven't been able to win the day on the AGW debate.

There is no debating with complete fucking retards like you. But that's the point right? You don't want actual debate.; 12/23/10, 5:12 PM
TWM said...: "Wonder why only 6% of scientists self identify as Republicans."

Because, like a lot of Republicans/conservatives in academia, government, and the arts, they keep it a secret so they can keep working. Liberals are not very tolerant as you well know.

BTW AGW is bullshit and thank goodness people are realizing it now.; 12/23/10, 5:13 PM
garage mahal said...: Haha. Yep I'm sure that's what it is.

All those thermometer readings are faked. And the moon "landings" and such.; 12/23/10, 5:19 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: It's worse than we thought. A global warming-induced cold snap is now freezing endangered sea turtles to death in Florida.

Better get that heat-trapping CO2 out of the atmosphere quickly so that Florida can warm up again.; 12/23/10, 5:20 PM
Kirby Olson said...: I thought Obama meant Climate Change, so I voted for him. Now it turns out he's against it. Why did I hope?; 12/23/10, 5:24 PM
Anonymous said...: I'll believe global warming is real when somebody publishes an actual instrumental global climate record dating back prior to December 1979, not just adjusted numbers that cannot be verified as having any connection to reality.

I'll believe opponents of AGW are serious when they hold protests in front of Greenpeace offices demanding support for nuclear power.; 12/23/10, 5:36 PM
rhhardin said...: Cartesian bears migrate more easily near the poles.; 12/23/10, 5:48 PM
knox said...: I like climate change. I don't like people who are against it. They are selfish, controlling and stupid.

Even worse, they oppose climate diversity.; 12/23/10, 5:53 PM
Big Mike said...: I'm guessing that wasn't changed because polar bears aren't endangered and because using the Endangered Species Act to fight global warming is a bad idea

Well, polar bears aren't endangered, and Anthropogenic Global Warming has been exposed as a scientific hoax.; 12/23/10, 5:55 PM
Anonymous said...: using the Endangered Species Act to fight global warming is a bad idea."

Well, considering the globe is not warming, yeah.; 12/23/10, 5:56 PM
Big Mike said...: On the other hand, perhaps Lisa Jackson and her direct reports could be sent up to northern Alaska to count polar bears by hand.

On foot.

In white-out conditions.

Unarmed.

I think they need to get right on it.; 12/23/10, 5:58 PM
Crimso said...: "Wonder why only 6% of scientists self identify as Republicans."

Count me among the 94%. But that surely doesn't make me a Democrat. I tend to vote Repub much more than Dem, primarily because I tend to side with them more. But I don't agree with the Repub agenda in its entirety. My wife thinks I'm a libertarian. Still not right.

What I am, though, is someone who knows enough about measuring things to be very suspicious of the concept of "global temperature," as well as very suspicious as to how it is measured. I am much, much more suspicious of predictions based on computer models. And so I tend to think it somewhat insane to base policy on predictions of global temperature 100 yrs hence.

And you don't even want to get me started about calls for trials of skeptics.; 12/23/10, 6:10 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Another problem - sport hunting. I am not sure when it was last legal in the U.S., but when I was in Barrow some 20 years ago, our guide pointed out that any polar bear skins we saw had been taken by native Alaskans.

But sport hunting is still allowed in Canada, and apparently though now illegal in Russia, apparently happens a lot (it is Russia, after all). Canada though is the more problematic for us though, since they are next door to Alaska, and the bears are apparently being over-hunted at least in parts of Canada. This would be fine if they bears didn't migrate, but they are capable of migrating huge distances.

So, to some extent, the situation is like that of CO2. If we protect our bears, they will just migrate into Canada and Russia, where they are being heavily sport hunted. Let me also point out that those two countries have, by far, the most polar bear habitat.

And, one of the things that is humorous about this ruling about how endangered the bears are, is that it apparently includes other subpopulations of bears, including those in Canada, where sports hunting appears to be a much bigger threat than AGW.; 12/23/10, 6:17 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Well, considering the globe is not warming, yeah.

But cooling also counts as global warming now. And, I suspect when the climate doesn't change. All the fault of out of control CO2 growth due to our dependence on evil fossil fuels.; 12/23/10, 6:20 PM
Penny said...: Are our symbols are getting too life like?

Contrast THIS bear, to THIS bear.; 12/23/10, 6:29 PM
Lincolntf said...: The minute Al Gore starts taking the bus to work and/or Althouse's kid is wearing a U.S. Military uniform, I'll take Lib causes seriously.
Until then, I have no reason to treat either of them as anything other than the sympathy/power whoring political scumbags that they appear to be.
Prove me wrong.; 12/23/10, 6:30 PM
Geoff Matthews said...: The number of polar bears in Canada is far higher than it was 40 years ago. They are not in danger of going extinct.; 12/23/10, 6:31 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: There might be a few polar bears left if more people wanted one for breakfast.; 12/23/10, 6:32 PM
Jason (the commenter) said...: Althouse: ...the Obama...

Are you joking or did that come out by accident?; 12/23/10, 6:34 PM
Anonymous said...: And, I suspect when the climate doesn't change.

Yeah, remember when they asserted right after Katrina that AGW caused hurricanes?

Another silly assertion down the memory hole...; 12/23/10, 6:51 PM
Mike Smith said...: What global warming? Temperatures are the same as they were on the first Christmas. http://meteorologicalmusings.blogspot.com/2010/12/scrooge-err-senator-bob-menendez-says.html; 12/23/10, 7:05 PM
Toad Trend said...: @garbage mall

"It's no wonder they haven't been able to win the day on the AGW debate.

There is no debating with complete fucking retards like you. But that's the point right? You don't want actual debate."

Right. Patently accepting your sludge and ad hominems in the liberal 'way' is now 'debate'.

Now go back and gaze at your Al Gore poster, Garbage.; 12/23/10, 7:22 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Polar bears are simply grizzlies that wandered too far north. It's the same animal.

That's what I've always said. If they were smarter than the average bear they would be eating pick-i-nik baskets with Yogi in Yellowstone.

AGW modeling predicts harsher climate swings like the ones we are currently experiencing. Harsh winters and overly warm winters in other areas.

You mean swings in climate like always? The ones that have been happening since the beginning of Earth? Wow.; 12/23/10, 7:25 PM
traditionalguy said...: When first the Warming Hoaxers start to deceive, what a tangled web they weave. Yes it is all lies. Even their test results are manufactured to meet the needs of scaring the world opinion into self destructive acts like stopping the use of our energy resources by calling it "dirty". Applying the endangered species act to hoards of overpopulated polar bears is too clearly a total hoax that it might make everyone wake up.That is why Obama is not using that lie, because it would start everyone laughing.; 12/23/10, 7:38 PM
Penny said...: Lincoln, remember when you told your kids they had to do their homework while you watched TV?

Or had them take out the garbage while you finally kicked your feet up?

You aren't "wrong" in making either request. Merely Goreish!; 12/23/10, 7:56 PM
AllenS said...: Some days it's warmer, some days it's cooler. Some days it rains, some days it doesn't. Which proves absolutely nothing. The experts couldn't tell you what will happen next week, let alone for the next 10, 20 years.; 12/23/10, 8:12 PM
Tim said...: No one should take "global warming" or "climate change" seriously until Al Gore starts living like he says we all should.

Until then, consider yourself willfully duped.; 12/23/10, 9:17 PM
Paul said...: Global warming? You mean that snow falling in the Orient? You mean that freeze going on in the U.S.? You mean even the massive blizzards in Russia? Or the unusual cold in Cancun where the Global Warming Wizards met? Oh, THAT Global warming!

And how were they going to use the EPA and Polar Bears to combat Global Warming? Why force EVERYONE to go without (except Al Gore and his rich buddies.)
And now if Polar Bears aren’t endangered then what little critter will they try to use? Snail Darter?

And you guys thought Bush was Hitler.... Well the far far left are closer to Stalin than Bush ever was to Hitler.; 12/23/10, 9:23 PM
MikeR said...: Loved the two "I'm guessing" posts, back to back. Superb!; 12/23/10, 9:39 PM
Abdul Abulbul Amir said...: -Garage

Wonder why only 6% of scientists self identify as Republicans.

About 94% get their funding from government.; 12/23/10, 10:24 PM
JAL said...: Wow.

Presenting two bad ideas in a row.; 12/23/10, 11:22 PM
Anonymous said...: But that's the point right? You don't want actual debate."

We are debating.

The only problem you have is that you're losing the debate.

There is no such thing as "global warming" (as defined by Democrats).

And even if there was, it's a natural process caused by the Earth's position relative to our Sun and has been going on in the Earth's history for millennia.

Ice Age, warming period. Ice age, warming period.

No respectable scientist would argue against these basic easily provable facts.; 12/24/10, 5:25 AM
Methadras said...: Garage, why the fuck do you bother to post anymore? You've been reduced to single sentence pap that has about as much meaning as the booger you picked out of your shovel nose.; 12/24/10, 3:42 PM
Methadras said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 12/24/10, 3:55 PM
DADvocate said...: Seems the loonies of every stripe expected Obama to follow their demands. I'm at least a little surprised he hasn't followed them more but I am pleased.; 12/25/10, 6:06 PM