Heartland Institute Erects Monument To Teh Stupid Arguing Against Warming As Security Threat

[hatrack]

EDIT

While real national security experts are adamant that this new alternative-facts climate advisory panel would itself be a threat to national security, industry propagandists, like those at Heartland, have other ideas. This week, the Koch and Mercer-funded organization put out a press release for a new policy brief arguing that climate action is the real threat to national security.

The brief doesn’t seem to have gotten any actually media pickup, but since we know polluters have a direct line into this White House, it’s probably worth taking a look at the report’s main arguments. After all, it’s likely only a matter of time before someone slaps the White House seal on it…

Heartland argues in the report that because fossil fuels are cheap, and “energy prices closely correlate” with the unemployment rate and economy broadly, anything that reduces fossil fuel use will raise prices. The economy suffering from higher energy prices, in turn, means we can’t spend as much money on the military. But even if that whole “correlation isn’t causation” thing didn’t apply, this argument falls apart when renewables become cheaper than fossil fuels--which is already happening.

Other points in the report are similarly silly. The brief argues that by exporting fossil fuels, the US can undercut Russia’s influence. But exporting renewables would do the same thing, without also aiding Russia by contributing to the warming. Just this week, two acting military officials told the Senate how Russia is now able to move weapons systems around the rapidly melting North Sea due to climate change.

EDIT

Ed. - Actually, it's the Northern Sea Route rather than the North Sea.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/8/1840508/-Heartland-s-National-Security-Argument-Predictably-Dumb-So-Obviously-Trump-Will-Love-It#comment_73203302

[Canoe52]

1. All that hot air by the Heartland Institute is also adding to global warming...