Pope France must be intensely frustrating for the Koch Brothers and their allies. He can't be bought. (presumably) He isn't beholden to them for his election. Near as I can tell he's still living in the same hostelry since his election. He's in office for life unless he pulls a Benedict. And he didn't ask their advice before he came out on the side of climate change.
In what has to be a prime example of American "exceptionalism" the Heartland Institute, a conservative/libertarian think tank is seeking an audience so some of their scientists can explain the facts of climate change and convince the Pope to shut up.
After all his realm is the spiritual. What does he know about science? I mean it's not like the Vatican doesn't have a scientist or two stashed in the store rooms. Heck, the church even has it's very own astronomer, A Jesuit with degrees up the pipe who probably spends more time in Arizona than Italy. Better telescopes and less pollution these days.
For me this is the kicker. If you believe that Creation is sacred, no matter how you arrived at that belief then protecting the only home we have is very much a spiritual calling.
If all else fails the bought and paid for shills for the fossil fuel industry are ready to play the poverty card. Cutting down on fossil fuel production with raise energy costs and the poor will suffer. I've noticed that the one percent only worry about the "suffering" of the poor when it's going to cost them money. II haven't noticed any worry about suffering of the poor when the IMF and World Monetary Fund insist that countries needing to refinance their debts are forced to shred their social safety nets and privatize everything in sight.
The former CEO of Nestle certainly didn't show any sympathy for the poor when he claimed that human beings have no right to access to clean water. That one made me so mad I could spit. If he and those like him had their way every drop of water that falls from the sky would belong to a corporation and we'd have to pay through the nose for access.
As usual I started out heading in one direction and the blog high jacked the process and here I am.
It will be fascinating to watch this play out. Fox News has already released the attack dogs earlier this year. How dare the Pope have opinions that conflict with the desires of the US one percent.
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