Commentary by Lewis Loflin
Below is the full transcript from *Lou Dobbs Tonight* on January 6, 2009, where Dobbs calls environmentalism a “religion”—a view I echoed in my March 11, 2009, Bristol Herald Courier letter (“Environmentalism is Religious in Nature”). Ines Ferre’s report highlights conflicting climate data, exposing the faith-over-facts dogma I’ve critiqued across my work. My commentary ties this to the pseudo-religious zeal driving policies like cap-and-trade, hurting the working poor.
LOU DOBBS: The issue of global warming is, of course, a controversial and divisive topic, and it has been for some time. This broadcast has, on occasion, been criticized by either side for challenging global warming theories, or simply saying, why not accept the idea of global warming as a basis for stewardship of the planet? Either way, somebody gets offended. Well, tonight, relax—we have another report for you. All of you who believe in global warming will be challenged, and if you’re not interested in facts, you shouldn’t pay attention, as Ines Ferre reports.
INES FERRE: A confusing picture of our world’s climate. Three independent research groups found 2008 was the ninth or tenth warmest year since 1850, when record-keeping began, but it was also the coolest since the turn of the 21st century. New data from the University of Illinois says ice levels are roughly the same as those seen 29 years ago. But after decades of ice-melt in the Arctic, that may be of little comfort. The increase is due to thin ice, which melts easily once winter ends. Even so, one climatologist skeptical of global warming feels the debate is muddled with selective data.
JOSEPH D’ALEO, CLIMATOLOGIST: We are too short-sighted—or certainly those who believe in it are not looking at the big picture, which needs to include other factors: the natural cycles in the ocean and of the sun, that are the real drivers.
FERRE: NASA scientists report that more than 2 trillion tons of land ice in Greenland, the Arctic, and Antarctic have melted since 2003.1 Some farmers fear future regulations on greenhouse gas emissions could include what could amount to a cow tax. The United Nations calculates livestock are responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
PAT MICHAELS, CATO INSTITUTE: Extremism in the pursuit of climate policy is certainly no virtue. What’s really going on is we have a rather moderate increase in temperature, so why would one jump off the bridge and take money away from people?
FERRE: The Environmental Protection Agency says methane, a greenhouse gas associated with livestock, is “not being considered for regulation at this point.”
FERRE: There are also more questions over claims that so-called global warming is man-made. Scientists are looking at sunspot activity, linking the presence or absence of sunspots to warmer or cooler temperatures on Earth. Lou?
DOBBS: Yeah, the one issue here—and as we’ve examined and reported on global warming—it’s so clear that on both sides, but particularly the pro-global warming, if I can put it that way, they bring this to a personal belief system. It’s almost a religion, without any question. What we’re watching now—we’re in the second year of the solar sunspot activity cycle, an 11-year cycle—and many scientists are saying, my gosh, compared to what our sun can do, man has minuscule influence.
FERRE: Some scientists say, for example, last year there were 266 days with no sunspot activity, indicating cooler temperatures ahead. People are very passionate about this topic.
DOBBS: Well, and passionate—we’re all concerned about this planet, our atmosphere, air, water, and our children’s futures. But there seems to be such a crowding out of facts and objective assessment, and as the climatologist in your report suggests, there’s such selective choice of data as one tries to understand the reality of global warming. Thank you very much, Ines Ferre—nice job.
FERRE: Thank you.
1 The National Snow and Ice Data Center admitted on February 18, 2009, in *Satellite Sensor Errors Cause Data Outage*, that a sensor malfunction underestimated Arctic sea ice by 193,000 square miles—an area the size of Spain. They stated, “We have removed the most recent data and are investigating alternative sources... It is not clear when we will have data back online.” In short, they don’t really know—a point I raised in “Rational Farming” about pseudoscience dodging hard evidence.
Dobbs hit the nail on the head—environmentalism’s a religion, as I wrote in “Environmentalism is Religious in Nature” days later. Ferre’s report shows the mess: 2008 was “warm” yet the coolest since 2000; ice levels match 1979, but it’s “thin”; NASA claims trillions of tons melted, yet sensors fail. D’Aleo’s right—sun and ocean cycles dwarf human impact, as I noted in “Rational Farming” with Latif and Wilson’s solar data. Michaels calls out the extremism—why tank the economy over a half-degree blip, half natural?
This isn’t stewardship—it’s dogma. “Green Theology” exposed Greenpeace’s anti-human Golden Rice fight; “New Age Eco-Dogma” flagged cap-and-trade’s toll on Appalachia’s poor. Veyhl’s “Ominous Parallels” ties it to collectivism—here’s the EPA mulling a cow tax! Cousin’s “Does Liberal Religion” fits: modern liberal faith, like Gore’s pantheism in “Separation,” drives secular control, not reason. Dobbs’ “selective data” echoes my pseudoscience critique—passion’s fine, but facts matter more.
Acknowledgment: I’d like to thank Grok, an AI by xAI, for helping me draft and refine this commentary. The transcript is from *Lou Dobbs Tonight*, but the perspective is mine.
