Josh Marshall often has a similar take to me on issues and I see something Bernie said about regulating fossil fuels hit him sort of how it hit me.
"Sanders is wrong when he says that Republicans are climate deniers because they're "afraid to take on the fossil fuel industry." They're a lot of things. But if you think that, you fundamentally misjudge contemporary politics. They're not parroting fossil fuel industry talking points because they're afraid they won't get political money. They're doing that because they've completely embraced anti-environmental, anti-science politics and made it a central part of conservative political identity. Climate change isn't true because the liberals and the scientists say it is true and government action, especially government action that may impose any costs, is always wrong. Money is obviously a big, big part of it. But it buttresses something that is deeply embedded in conservative ideology and would remain there, even if in a weakened form, if there was no money from the fossil fuel industry at all."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dem-debate-blogging-3--2
I thought the same thing when he said this. Actually quoting Bernie here makes the point even stronger. He said the reason Donald Trump denies global warming is because of money from the fossil fuel industry.
Trump's positions have nothing to do with the fossil fuel industry. After all, his big pitch is that he's self-funding. As Marshall says, a big part of why the Right denies global warming is mood affiliation and ideology.
There is such a thing as false beliefs, not everything is just because someone is paying you to say something.
Indeed, what we've seen recently, is that the GOP politicians have ignored their donors on a major issue. the Koch Brothers actually support immigration reform but the Congressmen haven't bit because their constituents are violently opposed.
Or take Bernie's position on the NRA. Bernie bragged tonight-again-about not being beholden to any industry.
If so, how does he explain his weak record on gun control? Was it because someone paid him? Some bad positions are more about mood affiliation, race, and ideology. This is Bernie's blindspot.
"Sanders is wrong when he says that Republicans are climate deniers because they're "afraid to take on the fossil fuel industry." They're a lot of things. But if you think that, you fundamentally misjudge contemporary politics. They're not parroting fossil fuel industry talking points because they're afraid they won't get political money. They're doing that because they've completely embraced anti-environmental, anti-science politics and made it a central part of conservative political identity. Climate change isn't true because the liberals and the scientists say it is true and government action, especially government action that may impose any costs, is always wrong. Money is obviously a big, big part of it. But it buttresses something that is deeply embedded in conservative ideology and would remain there, even if in a weakened form, if there was no money from the fossil fuel industry at all."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dem-debate-blogging-3--2
I thought the same thing when he said this. Actually quoting Bernie here makes the point even stronger. He said the reason Donald Trump denies global warming is because of money from the fossil fuel industry.
Trump's positions have nothing to do with the fossil fuel industry. After all, his big pitch is that he's self-funding. As Marshall says, a big part of why the Right denies global warming is mood affiliation and ideology.
There is such a thing as false beliefs, not everything is just because someone is paying you to say something.
Indeed, what we've seen recently, is that the GOP politicians have ignored their donors on a major issue. the Koch Brothers actually support immigration reform but the Congressmen haven't bit because their constituents are violently opposed.
Or take Bernie's position on the NRA. Bernie bragged tonight-again-about not being beholden to any industry.
If so, how does he explain his weak record on gun control? Was it because someone paid him? Some bad positions are more about mood affiliation, race, and ideology. This is Bernie's blindspot.
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