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Lance Groth

Apple Valley, MN
Commenter for
4 years 15 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 11/01/11 at 01:20 pm in response to Melting the Arctic: Causes and victims

Interesting that you should use the imagery of attending a dying friend. Ecologically speaking, I have felt that way for many years. The worst part is that, like everyone else, I have a part in what is killing the patient.

In the words of Aldo Leopold:
"One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen. An ecologist must either harden his shell and make believe that...

Posted on 10/26/11 at 03:43 pm in response to What the heck is economics?

I am not an economist and don't pretend to be one. I never even took an econ course. However I'll try to pay attention to this column and hopefully learn something.

Regarding Mr. Tester's comment on the Reagan tax cut, he seems to have omitted (inadvertently, I am sure) that Reagan raised taxes in 7 out of his 8 years as president, for a total of 11 tax increases. And, as governor, instituted the largest tax increase in California history (up to that time). He also doubled...

Posted on 10/26/11 at 03:17 pm in response to Robert Reich is having way too much fun...

Re comment #1: "Obama's destruction of the economy"

Really? Here are just a few of the highlights of the economic/financial/housing crash, which I have not forgotten, even if Mr. Tester has:

Housing Crisis:
- Start, 2006/2007
- Oct 2007, U.S. Sec. of Treasury said bursting housing bubble was greatest risk to economy
- 08/2008 - Foreclosures kick off crisis in the subprime, Alt-A, collateralized debt obligation (CDO), mortgage, credit, hedge fund, and foreign...

Posted on 10/25/11 at 01:00 pm in response to Climate skeptic admits he was wrong

It's worth noting, in light of the denialist posts on this page, that Shawn Lawrence Otto's new book, "Fool Me Twice: Fighting the Assault on Science in America," is out.

If I may quote from Lori Sturdevant's writeup, "Author Otto points out that science is inherently anti-authoritarian. The new knowledge it generates shakes up the status quo and disrupts defenders of old ideas."

Indeed. Denialists such as Mr. Swift are defenders of old ideas. I suppose one could say that...

Posted on 10/25/11 at 03:39 pm in response to Climate skeptic admits he was wrong

Steve (#15) - in condemning hypocrisy on the right, I do not exempt the left. My two greatest frustrations with Obama are:

1) Stocking his cabinet with banksters who should instead be prosecuted, and

2) Doing nothing substantive about AGW and/or development of green, renewable energy sources.

On the latter, piddling around the edges with a billion here or there doesn't count. The problem requires a Marshall Plan. Both Dubya and Obama had the opportunity to lead on the...

Posted on 10/26/11 at 12:44 pm in response to Climate skeptic admits he was wrong

Re #32 - Not to mention that it doesn't matter what miscellaneous "scientists" or "ph.d.'s" think about climate change, unless they are bona fide climatologists. A geologist may be a scientist, but I don't give a rip what he thinks about AGW. Similarly, a Ph.D. in philosophy has nothing useful to offer in this context. Or, for that matter, most meteorologists, who are not climatologists, and often not even scientists. The petition rant (#31) is old, nonsensical, and just a case of...

Posted on 10/24/11 at 03:33 pm in response to Biden for prez in 2016?

Biden for president? No. He has been a good #2 to Obama, despite his tendency to run off at the mouth sometimes. He has enthusiastically supported whatever Obama wants to do, and has done much of the heavy lifting behind the scenes. But he's not going to run, and he's not going to be president.

As for Sec. Clinton, "it depends". If she's purely self-interested, then Mr. Brandon would be correct. But, if she's a good soldier - if she cares more about advancing the Dem agenda and...

Posted on 10/20/11 at 05:24 pm in response to Herman Cain: Is he in over his head?

Well, it didn't take long for the righties to show up claiming Obama is inexperienced.

Even if there was a case to be made for that in 2008, it no longer applies. There is no training like OJT, and whatever experience Obama once lacked, he now has in spades. If the GOP nominate Cain, they forfeit any claim to talk about experience.

Especially so if they attempt to claim that running a pizza chain that makes bad pizza is anything like running the United States government....

Posted on 10/19/11 at 05:17 pm in response to Reflections on Herman Cain

If Mr. Cain did somehow become the nominee, you can expect Dem commercials endlessly replaying his statement: "If you don't have a job, blame yourself." Which will go over like a lead balloon with all the folks struggling to survive in this miserable economy.

That and his plan to totally privatize Social Security (without a transition plan to pay for it) would be enough to sink his candidacy.

The man has no chance.

Posted on 10/18/11 at 12:18 pm in response to Texas politicians censor climate-change research

"Meet the new boss/Same as the old boss"

As noted, Dubya did it. Perry is just continuing the tradition. Altering and lying about scientific findings, that is.

They can get away with it for the short term, please the base, win a few elections. But, in time, the piper must be paid, and it will be amusing to see the denialist politicians make the case for raising taxes to pay for mitigation efforts as the seas rise and climate change plays havoc with agriculture and other...