[DISCUSSION] The Politics Thread

The IPCC advise on how to tackle climate change - which is a political issue. They don't even make the strawberry floating policies, they just tell those who make policies what the facts are.

Climate change being a result of human activity isn't a political issue. It's a scientific fact.

Everything is politics. At least that was what I was taught in Political Science at Uni. I understand that you want to distinguish in order to keep the issue clean and clear, but it never can be.

[iup=3521605]Cal[/iup] wrote:

[iup=3521478]tweep[/iup] wrote:I know this is an issue that is brought up a lot, but climate change is completely independent of political views.

I could not disagree with you more. CAGW is all about politics - it's even written into the name of the world's foremost 'authority' on the subject - The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The clue really is in the name! The main job of the IPCC is to produce 'summaries for policy makers'. Again, they're kinda giving the game away there, don't you think?

How else would you suggest various countries coordinate their efforts to combat climate change other than through their governments? How do you expect them to coordinate their implementation of agreed policies without drawing up guides for putting such policy in place? Would you prefer they all pursued completely independent policies with no clear direction? Well, I suppose you might if you believed in a fantasy about the world's climate scientists somehow pulling off the mother of all conspiracies.

Gas.

[iup=3521770]TimeGhost[/iup] wrote:Everything is politics. At least that was what I was taught in Political Science at Uni.

Funny that.

The principles of physical science would hold true whether there were politicians around to misunderstand them or not.

[iup=3522801]Kawaii[/iup] wrote:

[iup=3521770]TimeGhost[/iup] wrote:Everything is politics. At least that was what I was taught in Political Science at Uni.

Funny that.

The principles of physical science would hold true whether there were politicians around to misunderstand them or not.

Sounds just like something a liberal would say.

Things are only actually political if they effect policy, funnily enough. In that regard climate change is political because it results in policy change. The actual science of it is not.

[iup=3522801]Kawaii[/iup] wrote:

[iup=3521770]TimeGhost[/iup] wrote:Everything is politics. At least that was what I was taught in Political Science at Uni.

Funny that.

The principles of physical science would hold true whether there were politicians around to misunderstand them or not.

I didn't say they wouldn't hold true. Pointless comment.

[iup=3517508]Tineash[/iup] wrote:

[iup=3517503]Eighthours[/iup] wrote:

[iup=3516030]Hexx[/iup] wrote:So - Ed Milliband on leadership.


Thoughts ?

You couldn't make the timing up - Ed delivering that speech in the same week as he jetted across the Atlantic while Gaza was in flames, just so he could get a 30 minute 'brush-by' photo-op with Obama. The man is not on the same planet as everyone else if he genuinely can't see the juxtaposition. Not even the most basic level of self-awareness!

Well, we already know that the whole Syria conflict is Ed's fault, he probably didn't want to get blamed for this one too.

- 6 days later -

Ed Miliband has undermined the Middle East peace effort by being “ultra-critical” of Israel, Chris Grayling has suggested.

Wouldn't want to be too critical of war crimes.

Chris Grayling really ought to be concentrating on the current appalling state of the prison service.

Good move by Clegg to call for what is essentially drug decriminalisation.

I'm encouraged by the support the move's received as well, haven't seen the Mail/Express/Telegraph's take on it but otherwise as far as I can see it's gotten a positive response. 77% of Mirror visitors online have come out in favour of the change.

Wouldn't it be great if the Lib Dems could get into government? That Nick Clegg has such great ideas, I'm sure it would all go swimmingly!

[iup=3528898]Tineash[/iup] wrote:Wouldn't it be great if the Lib Dems could get into government? That Nick Clegg has such great ideas, I'm sure it would all go swimmingly!

He seems an honest sort of bloke. I'm sure he wouldn't turn his back on any pledges or promises.

Just an interesting BBC-related story I picked up on in The Times (unfortunately the link is paywalled):

The BBC is sending out almost 100,000 enforcement letters each day demanding payment of the licence fee.

MPs and campaigners rounded on the corporation last night as it emerged that more than 46 million letters have been sent out by TV Licensing in the past two years. This is despite the BBC admitting that evasion remains low, at a rate of between 5 and 6 per cent of households with a television.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/medi ... 174711.ece

Wow. 46 million letters in just 2 years. I wonder how those Charter renewal negotiations are going for Auntie?

I wonder if The Times or its owners have any sort of vested interest in discrediting or campaigning for the removal of funding from the BBC.

Am I missing something? How does 100,000 letters a day make 46 million over 2 years?

[iup=3532700]Moggy[/iup] wrote:Am I missing something? How does 100,000 letters a day make 46 million over 2 years?

"Almost" in hack-speak can mean "I rounded up seven to ten", or in this case "70,000 to 100,000".

You're right! It should be 73 million letters.

[iup=3532745]TigaSefi[/iup] wrote:You're right! It should be 73 million letters.

Aw bless.