Storm Tracker is a regular feature of the Arizona Summer Wildcat, in which perspectives editor Storm Byrd analyzes a few topics of the times and at the end gauges how upset you should be.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican presidential nominee, is feeling tensions between himself and his party rise faster than sea levels after he expressed his belief in man-made climate change.
Naturally, conservatives rejected Romney’s claim. Rush Limbaugh, a conservative radio talk show host, said, “”The last year has established that the whole premise of man-made global warming is a hoax, and we still have presidential candidates that want to buy into it.”” Limbaugh even went as far as to say that Romney could kiss his nomination goodbye.
In the past, Romney has felt man-made heat waves from his conservative counterparts for his universal health care system in Massachusetts. Now, he seems to have tipped the scales beyond repair.
How dare Romney try to think critically? There’s no way all that gunk spewing out of our cars and factories could be bad or have any side effects.
It’s one thing to disagree with someone, but it’s another to be ignorant and reject the truth. Romney is the best legitimate shot the Republicans have right now and they’re torching him. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is vapid at best and Newt Gingrich can’t seem to keep people believing in him for more than a few weeks.
It’s surprising enough that there is even debate about climate change. But now, a man is simply cast off for making logical conclusions on a serious and evident problem?
What Romney did was present himself as an individual capable of independent thought. He had the courage to stay firm in his convictions, although he knew the stubborn and closed-minded people would ignore and denounce him.
This is mildly upsetting but the Republican Party never ceases to amaze with how childish they can be. With that said, this should cause scattered showers of frustration. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Ignorant people will continue to be ignorant.
Forecast: Scattered showers of frustration.
— Storm Byrd is the Summer Wildcat perspectives editor. He can be contacted at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.
