Even those who have at last gotten some glimmer of comprehension about natural systems cling to their old ways. Their analyses have been demolished, but they have not yet abandoned unworkable prescriptions.

Mr. Bush . . . set a target for halting the growth in carbon dioxide emissions by 2025, without specific mandates to achieve that, and in the meantime he blasted proposed Senate legislation for tougher measures as unnecessary.

Unnecessary? When scientists detect accelerating melting in the Arctic and confidently predict centuries of coastal retreats and climate shifts, endangering the only planet we have? . . .

Unnecessary since they would be insufficient, ineffective, just feel good wanking for the twittering set.

imagine that we instituted a brutally high gas tax that reduced emissions from American vehicles by 25 percent. That would be a stunning achievement — and in just nine months, China’s increased emissions would have more than made up the difference. . .

“If we approach this from reducing emissions we get nowhere. Driving Priuses may be good, but it’s not going to accomplish what we need.” . . .

Obviously. That's what thoughtful analysts have said all along. It's amazing that this seems to be news, that there are people who can read that are not fully aware that all the Kyoto style mumbo-jumbo was just a jobs program for bureaucrats.

Mr. Bush has used modest investments in hydrogen as a substitute for immediate action, while what we need is vast investments on top of a drive to curb emissions through a carbon tax and a cap-and-trade system. In the best of worlds, it will be enormously difficult to persuade China and India to rely less on coal-fired power plants, and it will be utterly impossible unless we take serious steps ourselves.

Does anybody, anywhere, fall for this crap? All we have to do is set our tails on fire and run in circles, and that will convince the governments of billions of impoverished but aspiring people to suck it up and abandon their hopes?

So the next president should start a $20 billion-a-year program (financed by a pullout from Iraq) to develop new energy technologies, backed by a carbon tax and cap-and-trade system. Each of the presidential candidates favors some form of a cap-and-trade and would mark a step forward from President Bush’s passivity — although John McCain’s recent proposal for a summer holiday from the gas tax would be a deplorable step in exactly the wrong direction, unless he hopes to turn his land in Arizona into coastal property.

The bottom line is that none of the candidates focus adequately on climate change, for this will be one of humanity’s great tests in the coming decades — and so far we’re failing.

Amazing. This fellow gets paid to say this stuff and there are probably droids who nod and agree with this illogical crap. It's magic! All the gov has to do is wish hard enough, an extra $20 billion-a-year worth, and solutions will surely appear. And while we're at it, cripple the productive parts of the economy, set up a jobs program for bureaucrats, hold unannounced short arm inspections randomly, and talk, talk, talk. Baffle them with bull shit.

Still, this is progress. At least they see that the old politics of limits won't do diddly about the climate and that it's just ritual self flagellation. It isn't impossible that they will come to better understanding in some years time.