[Vision2020] Mayoral candidates talk climate, roles of office

Wed Oct 20 20:12:19 PDT 2021

Rathbun prefaced her reply by saying she was “going to get the hate from
everybody.”

“I think the science is still out there on climate change, and before I go
forcing anybody to do anything we need to get some settled science,” she
said. “There is just too much out there on this side and that side.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Rathbun is certainly wrong when she stated she was "going to get the hate
from everybody" due to her comments as quoted above.  A significant number
of individuals within the city limits of Moscow do not take human induced
global warming seriously, from a number of different perspectives, even
among some who will spout lip-service to the climate science indicating
there is a major problem, while they engage in a lifestyle which, when
analyzed broadly, is the problem.  Suggest to some of these oh so
enlightened "progressives" that they must dramatically lower their
consumption of energy and resources to mitigate global warming, and cover
your ears when they start to howl!  How unrealistic and impractical!

Also, consider that the law of gravity is not "settled science" either,
given the ongoing explorations by modern physicists of Einstein's
Relativity Theory, as it relates to gravity.  But as with the climate
science that has been ongoing since the 1800s indicating human sourced
greenhouse gas emissions are dramatically warming the Earth's climate, only
a few "scientists" on the fringes, who have professional competence in the
appropriate scientific field, will insist we should dismiss as woefully
uncertain the force of gravity, or the problem of anthropogenic global
warming.

>From the National Center for Science Education website, the following
satirical offering titled "Gravity: It's Only a Theory," though presented
to address pseudo-scientific arguments to undermine the theory of
evolution, can apply to the pseudo-scientific analysis behind the human
induced global warming is not "settled science" approach to dismissing the
need for the urgent action humanity should be undertaking to address
anthropogenic global warming.

https://ncse.ngo/gravity-its-only-theory
---------------------------------------------------
Also relevant, the following 2020 analysis from a doctoral thesis by
Shelly A. Galliah is worth reading, as quoted below:
https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2105&context=etdr

  2.2 The Manufactured Scientific Controversy of Climate Change
 "A key strategy in climate change disinformation campaigns, one
appropriated by the Fox News Channel and the other doubt-manufacturers
mentioned in sections 2.3-2.6, is creating a manufactured scientific
controversy or manufactroversy. According to Ceccarelli (2011), a
scientific controversy is “manufactured” in the public sphere when an
“arguer announces that there is an ongoing scientific debate in the
technical sphere about a matter for which there is actually an overwhelming
scientific consensus on the corresponding issue” (p. 269)"

---------------------------------------Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett

On Wed, Oct 20, 2021 at 5:02 AM Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:

Courtesy of the *Moscow-Pullman Daily News* at:
>
>
> https://dnews.com/local/mayoral-candidates-talk-climate-roles-of-office/article_e19c98b0-5ff6-52c2-bea1-f742905abacf.html
>
> —————————————————
>
> Mayoral candidates talk climate, roles of officeMoscow mayor hopefuls
> join League of Women Voters forum to discuss local issues
>
> One candidate for Moscow mayor said she believes the “science is still out
> there” on climate change in response to a question during a Tuesday forum
> hosted by the League of Women Voters of Moscow.
>
> Held virtually on Zoom, the forum featured all four candidates for Moscow
> mayor: Art Bettge, Jim Gray, Olivia Moses and Barb Rathbun. The moderator
> was University of Idaho College of Law professor Richard Seamon.
>
> At one point Seamon asked the candidates how they would work to reduce the
> community’s carbon emissions.
>
> Rathbun prefaced her reply by saying she was “going to get the hate from
> everybody.”
>
> “I think the science is still out there on climate change, and before I go
> forcing anybody to do anything we need to get some settled science,” she
> said. “There is just too much out there on this side and that side.”
>
> She also expressed concern for green energy.
>
> “If everybody’s going to drive a Tesla, that’s going to overload our power
> grid,” she said.
>
> Bettge said the city can take the lead on addressing carbon emissions by
> managing its own resources. For example, he said it can replace city
> vehicles at the end of their life with hybrid or electric vehicles.
>
> Moscow can also work with the state to get resources to support
> alternative energy and energy saving devices, he said. Planting trees and
> offering information about energy saving tips are also methods of
> addressing the issue.
>
> Bettge said all the city can do is lead by example.
>
> “The city can lead in those aspects, but we can’t make the residents give
> up their F-150s for the sake of an electric Prius or something like that,”
> he said.
>
> Moses said this is a politicized issue, but everyone knows when their
> energy using appliances need to be replaced.
>
> “Regardless of if they have a Trump flag or a ‘Respect Everybody’ sign in
> their yard, my experience is people know when their appliances are taking
> too much electricity, because they can feel it and they’re aware. It costs
> money,” she said.
>
> She said the city can try to depoliticize the issue and inform people
> about rebate programs to replace appliances.
>
> Gray said he would want to evaluate the energy use of the city’s older
> buildings to “see if it was feasible to bring down the idea of global
> warming in the city.”
>
> However, later he said that the mayor, for the most part, cannot get too
> involved in climate change issues.
>
> “I don’t think that’s part of the duties of the mayor,” he said.
>
> Another issue they addressed is whether the mayor has a role in ensuring a
> welcoming environment for underrepresented groups in the city, and if this
> plays a role in the health and prosperity of Moscow.
>
> Moses said the mayor serves as the face of the city and must interact with
> the public to find those underrepresented people.
>
> “I think that everyone who’s an elected leader has a responsibility to get
> to know what people are not currently part of the conversation who needs to
> be added,” she said.
>
> Moses also advocated for the city to partner with nonprofits who work with
> the underserved groups in Moscow.
>
> Gray said the community, in addition to the mayor, needs to interact with
> each other to address problems that people may face.
>
> “Smaller towns have less of a problem, in my experience, with minority
> issues,” he said. “There are a few, but a lot of them are because the
> person or persons have a chip on their shoulder and the mayor can’t do
> anything about that.”
>
> Bettge said the mayor should project optimism, confidence and let the
> community know that disctrimination is not tolerated. He said the mayor
> should work with city staff, like the police, to make sure this is carried
> out.
>
> He said the mayor needs to foster communication with the public so
> community members can feel comfortable enough to express their concerns to
> the mayor and City Council.
>
> With a reputation of tolerance, Bettge said, Moscow can see the added
> benefit of attracting capable employees to town.
>
> “If we want to grow economically, we need to bring in the best employees
> possible,” he said. “That includes a wide diversity of people who need to
> be free of discrimination in order to best thrive and complement the nature
> of the city.”
>
> Rathbun said she would be talking to community members and find out what
> problems are out there.
>
> “If there was an actionable issue going on, then we should definitely be
> getting involved in that in a more aggressive way,” she said.
>
> The League of Women Voters will host a forum for the Moscow City Council 7
> p.m. tonight on Zoom. The link can be found at *my.lwv.org/idaho/moscow*
> <http://my.lwv.org/idaho/moscow>.
> ————————————————--
>
> Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .
>
> "Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
> http://www.MoscowCares.net
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> “A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”
> - Roy E. Stolworthy
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