MNN - Mother Nature Network

The anti-intellectualism currents strongly flowing through the platform of the Republican party is disgusting and downright anti-American. Issac Asimov said it best:

 

 

There may be no better example of the sad, muddled depths that the Grand Ol' Party has sunk to than this political ad out of South Dakota. It spends more than two and a half minutes ripping on Democratic congressional candidate Matt Varilek because he has two masters degrees in environmental science, worked on a United Nations project, and is well-traveled.

 

In contrast, his opponent Kristi Noem hasn't left South Dakota much and been a farmer since she graduated from high school.

 

 

Don't get me wrong—farmers are awesome and it's a noble and worthy occupation. Farmers feed the world and we owe them a great debt every time we eat. And South Dakota is a beautiful state.

 

But being a farmer from South Dakota does not automatically qualify one to be congresswoman and being a well-travelled and educated environmental scientist should not be something that's cast as a bad thing. If anything, South Dakota needs someone representing them in Washington who understands climate change and how the state might best mitigate damages caused by our warming climate.

 

That's not what the Republican party thinks though. They have been casting doubt and uncertainty on the very certain science of global warming for decades and if anything, are doubling down on their scientific ignorance in this election cycle. Republicans receive a lot of money from Big Energy to keep kicking the climate can down the road and they are dragging the rest of the world down with them.

 

You can strike a blow for science by donating to Matt Varilek's campaign here.

 

Don't let ignorance win this November.

 

Via Brian Merchant over at Treeehugger.

 

 

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