Climate change

Note: The following is an excerpt from Mr. Williams's column on page A-4 of today's Washington Times. — Ed.

For years, the left and environmental crusaders pilloried anyone who dared question the “science” behind their self-deemed irrefutable claims that global warming was real and pernicious. To anyone who publicly raised the notion, they were immediately dubbed a neanderthal, a flat-earth theorist who “still” believed in creationism. For its part, the media jumped all over the naysayers — using the “facts” to question the legitimacy of climate opponents’ arguments, ultimately undermining the otherwise strong standing of their skepticism writ large.

Yet both sides missed the point, and spent the better part of two years engaged in a debate that no one really cared about. To minivan moms, it doesn’t matter. All they care about is the quality of life of their children and families. Threaten to upset that equilibrium, and you have a fight on your hands. For the environmentalists, the greater danger was a warming planet. For the business community, the more prominent bogeyman was lost jobs and higher energy costs.

That’s where this debate has been waged and won since the House passed its measure earlier this summer, and that’s where the fight should remain. To revert back to amorphous, unprovable diatribes over greenhouse gases weakens the strong inroads the business community has made and dare not surrender now.


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