Climate Denial Crock of the Week

Unsatisfied with Biden’s debate answers on climate solutions. He obviously left himself open to misinterpretation and bogus attacks. Not necessary.

Anybody out there that might have campaign connections?
Dems have to up their game talking about climate solutions. See my piece about What Kamala Should have Said.

A lot of that applies here.

Washington Post:

Before the debate, President Trump said his advisers urged him to interrupt less and let Joe Biden talk more, the better to let the Democratic nominee slip up.

Toward the end of the debate, Trump may have gotten what he wanted — a Biden comment about closing down the oil industry that probably won’t play well in states up for grabs this November, such as Texas and Pennsylvania. But there’s also evidence that Trump is the candidate on the defensive when it comes to public opinion and climate change.

Here’s what happened:
Trump: “Would you close down the oil industry?” 
Biden: “Yes. I would transition.”
Trump: “That is a big statement.”
Biden: “That is a big statement.”
Trump: “Why would you do that?”
Biden: “Because the oil industry pollutes, significantly. … Because it has to be replaced by renewable energy over time, over time. And I’d stop giving to the oil industry, I’d stop giving them federal subsidies.”
Trump: “Basically, what he is saying is he’s going to destroy the oil industry. Will you remember that, Texas? Will you remember that, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma?”
Biden: “He takes everything out of context. But the point is, we have to move toward a net zero emissions. The first place to do that by the year 2035 is in energy production. By 2050: Totally.”

Biden’s “yes” answer to closing down the oil industry was potentially serious enough for him to try to clarify his remarks to reporters later at the airport. He said he would stop giving money to the oil industry, rather than close it down entirely: “We’re not going to get rid of fossil fuels. We’re going to get rid of subsidies for fossil fuels.”

—-

First of all, you don’t say that “I will close down he oil industry” – Joe, I think you know that.
That is basically quoting a Fox News talking point verbatim.

What you say is,

“We are already seeing massive unemployment in the oil and gas sector, in part because of the virus, but in large part because your friends, Mr Trump, in Saudi Arabia and Russia, have decided to under cut the price of oil and drive American competitors out of business.”

“That is likely to continue, as the fact is, Electric vehicles are coming. GM just launched an all electric, 1000 horsepower Hummer. They are as unstoppable as iPhones.
Exxon has dropped off the Dow Industrial Average, and is no longer in the S&P 500 top ten.

“Big investors are backing away from Big oil, and will back away from gas just as they have been fleeing coal.“

“The most important industrial transition of this century is the move from fossil to renewable energy, solar and wind – and the United States needs to lead it.
Importantly, we need to provide for those folks who are going to be displaced by this gigantic transition.”

“For example the Fracking industry in the US has been massively hurt by the Covid-19 crisis,  tens of thousands skilled jobs are gone with uncertain prospects of returning. But we can immediately put their skills to work plugging orphaned frack wells ( there are millions leaking toxic waste and greenhouse gases).”

“Idled offshore drilling companies have the skills and tools to transition to building offshore wind power, and many are moving in that direction.  Drillers will also be needed to ramp up geothermal energy, which can be much larger than it currently is.”

“The future is bright if we pro-actively grasp it. Our competitors in Europe and Asia get this, and are moving ahead smartly. We would be wise to take the chance to lead, while we still have it.”