Poliotical Science Ain't What You Think It Is.

       Did you know that in North Carolina, the legislature voted that there would be no appreciable sea level rise over the next 100 years, regardless of whether the ice packs in Antarctica or Greenland melted? Here's what happened, the state commissioned a study that found there would be a sea level rise of about 39 inches over the rest of this century. Sound research and sensible predictions, right?
       Well, the folks at the North Carolina sea shore hit the ceiling. They decided, probably rightly so, that their real estate values would drop through the floor. We're talking lost money here. Right out of these poor folks pockets. There was a near assault of the state capital. So the state legislature created a new study that states there will be about an eight inch sea rise. The good coastal folks decided they could live with this science.
       So from now on science should be a matter of political expediency and financial security for people who are effected by it. Elected politicians will forever more be the heads of all scientific conclusions. And their decisions will be made based on line items issues on the ballet.
       As I see it, if science locates a comet barreling toward earth, big enough to destroy all life on earth, a special election will be held to determine whether or not the comet actually exists. Depending on how the vote turns out, the response to the news of the comet will be either a holiday declared for watching the near earth passage of this phenomenon, or plans to send some space cowboys up to destroy this thing. My guess would be the holiday scenario, because instead of tremendous costs, there would be enormous opportunities to profit from the celebrations.
       Getting back to those melting ice caps, while most Americans may know climate scientists predict that, because of humans causing global warming sea levels will rise dramatically, never the less half of all Americans don't believe it. Or at least half of all politicians claim not to believe it, and that's what matters when it comes to doing anything about the problem. Even if there's lots of money to be made solving the problem.