OMG Rick Perry Makes Texas Look Stupid, Again

Rick Perry criticizes UK initiative to influence US climate skeptics

The governor says the UK government was ‘misdirected’ to try to ‘educate’ policymakers and ‘move them from a state of denial’ – He actually “… criticised the UK’s Foreign Office for funding an environmental group which aimed to “educate” Texan policymakers about climate science and “move them from a state of denial and inaction to one of acceptance and effective action”.

In 2009, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) gave £13,673 to the US-based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to part-fund a project entitled “Influencing climate security policy and legislation in Texas”, the Guardian has learned. The money was used to fly two Texan state politicians, including the climate sceptic Republican Troy Fraser, to the UK to receive a briefing with climate scientists and government officials. A conference was also held at the Texas Capitol in Austin in which a video of Prince Charles personally addressing Texan politicians on the subject of climate change was shown.

Perry, a vocal climate sceptic, described the FCO’s spending on the project as “misdirected”. His spokeswoman told the Guardian: “In Texas, we base our policy decisions on sound science and what is ultimately best for our citizens. Man-made global warming remains but a theory and one where thousands of scientists remain skeptical. It would be irresponsible to put our entire economy at risk based on unproven science. Our state has one of the best success stories in cleaning our air, all while remaining the nation’s leading energy producer and job creator. Given these achievements, it would seem those UK tax dollars were misdirected.”

On top of all that, Perry refused to even attend the educational conference. Prince Charles personally addressed Texan politicians on the subject of climate change , shown in a video.

An FCO Spokesperson said, “The programe identified the US as a priority country because of its high carbon emissions. Texas was singled out as an influential state which could shift the US federal position on addressing carbon emissions, and because Texas also has higher emissions than the UK. Overall, the project was very successful in achieving its purpose which was to gain widespread acceptance among key Texan policymakers of the science of climate change and the need for urgent action.”

Jim Marston , the director of EDF’s regional office in Texas, said the FCO’s money was used to part-fund the environmental campaign group’s efforts to “educate Texas officials about the science and economics of global warming”. He said: “There are people in Texas, including Governor Perry, who are uneducated [on this subject].” This was the period leading up to the Copenhagen climate summit. We wanted to get it away from the theoretical and move it to a country where the Kyoto [protocol] had already been ratified. “We wanted them to hear it from the best scientists from the UK, a country that Texans tend to respect.”

He added: “I would love to have got Governor Perry to go, too. He would have learned a lot. Troy Fraser, a conservative Republican who was chair of the energy committee, did come on the trip to the UK. He came back very enthused. Sadly, his enthusiasm has decreased since, partly because the issue [of climate change] has become so politicised.”

Climate change skepticism

So, Texas brags about everything and dismisses facts to the contrary. But it actually discourages students from completing their education, according to The CSG Justice Center, in partnership with the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University, has released an unprecedented statewide study of nearly 1 million Texas public secondary school students, followed for at least six years. Among its startling findings are that the majority of students were suspended or expelled between seventh to twelfth grade.

The United States Department of State acknowledges Global Climate Change: The United States is taking a leading role in addressing climate change by advancing an ever-expanding suite of measures. We have initiated a number of polices and partnerships that span a wide range of initiatives from reducing our emissions at home to developing transformational low-carbon technologies to improving observations systems that will help us better understand and address the possible impacts of climate change. Our efforts emphasize the importance of results-driven action both internationally and domestically.

The international community recognizes the importance of moving forward collaboratively in addressing climate change.

But, Governor Perry knows better than the rest of the world.  Mr. ‘C’ Student with questionable intellectual credentials, gets confrontational when presented with facts and proof of climate events.  This icon of Texas Wheeler Dealers probably belongs to the ‘Flat Earth Society’, and wants Texas to be seen as an Empire with himself as Emperor.

Global Warming & Climate Change Myths.

Scorched Earth Strategy: Perry Wants to Bring All America the Texas Miracle, Firefighters Paying for Gear, Engine Fuel

Rick Perry  is living inside the proof.  With the recent fortunate changes of La Nina and El Nino, Texas has been given a temporary reprieve from the awful drought cycle. Rick Perry sees this reprieve as the answer to his prayers.  Climate Change is the message, Perry won’t listen.