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The Heartland Institute has an impressive association of scientists and supporters. Their annual March conference in New York will be hosting a fistful of scientists and guest speakers to discuss global climate change. But who is the Heartland? What are their views?
Heartland has views on almost all economic areas. Take their stand on cigarettes. . .
Cigarettes are the most heavily taxed commodity in the US. A pack-a-day smoker could be paying more tax on cigarettes than in state income tax. These taxes are “unfair. They are also an inefficient and unreliable way to raise funds for government. . .” Further, these taxes may incite “tax evasion, black-market transactions, counterfeiting, and even use of lethal violence. . .” (http://www.heartland.org/suites/tobacco/ )
Heartland evaluates the health risks of smoking and questions the statistics. The odds of dying from smoking “before the age of 75 are about 1 in 12” and second-hand smoke is equivalent to a mere 1 cigarette per day, which is small. “. . .The purported cause of almost all the deaths attributed to secondhand smoke – is highly implausible.” And the cost to the public is unacceptable. Smoking bans to limit secondhand smoke “have had negative effects on restaurants. . .” “Smoking bans can also move noisy and potentially dangerous crowds onto sidewalks. . .” (http://www.heartland.org/suites/tobacco/ )
Or consider their stand on hazardous substances: “Over the years, environmental groups have launched campaigns against asbestos, dioxin, lead, mercury, pesticides, PCBs, chlorine, and endocrine disrupters. In every case, later research found the threats had been vastly exaggerated, and that public policies were adopted that cost far more than any benefits they created.” (http://www.heartland.org/suites/environment/index.html)
Or how about the Heartland’s stand on meat? “Meat-based diets benefit the environment.” “ Grazing allows the land to remain productive while battling erosion, ivasive-species, and wildfires.” “Grazing cattle is an example of responsible land management” “The abundance of a wide variety of nutritious and delicious beef and other meat items in supermarkets across the US is a triumph of science and animal husbandry.” “They (beef) provide the nutrients for energy with a lower intake of calories than plants do, and they contribute a range of vitamins and minerals for a healthy lifestyle.” ( http://www.heartland.org/custom/semod_policybot/pdf/24749.pdf)
James Taylor, a managing editor for the Heartland Institute, doesn’t sing – at least commercially -- but he does talk and he tells us that “there’s no cause for alarm” concerning global climate change. Of course, when accessing the possible damage that drilling could do to the high deserts of Utah, Taylor wrote “The landscape was unremarkable. Hills, dirt, and vegetation all were in the same dull, muted shade of brown.. . .Far from despoiling the environment, I found it (natural gas production fields) to be quite unobstructive.”. (click here)
Anyone familiar with desert regions will recognize the fragility of the high desert and will also recognize the “browns” as a typical fall color, not to be confused with spring and summer.
Climate change? Read the comments by Dr. John Dunn, during his 2008 presentation: “Is warm good for the health? The answer is yes, and most people do what they can to mitigate the effects of stressful cold weather. People take the hot springs cure, people vacation in warm places to ease their ills and they move “down south” where the living is easy. As long as you stay in the warm 1st world you will live better and longer. . . People die more often during cold winter months. People of all ages get sick in the winter more than summer. . . Warm is good for circulation, arthritis, respiratory health, and well being. . . The public health community would have you believe that global warming is a killer? I say it’s good for the roses, the trees, the horses, the crocodiles, the snakes, even the polar bears. The issue for polar bears is food, not temperature. . . .” If only the ‘2nd and 3rd’’ world could be assured of living in “the warm 1st world.” . . (click here ) ( http://www.heartland.org/NewYork08/newyork2008-ppt.html )
Dennis Avery, of the Hudson Institute, offers my favorite calmings, though. We do not need to be concerned about global climate change because: “Crop yields have been rising strongly: Science, aided by increased CO2 in atmosphere. Cold (is) far more deadly to humans than warming, especially strokes, high blood pressure. ‘Tropical’ diseases (are) not a threat to affluent countries with medications, window screens, etc.” (click here ) ( http://www.heartland.org/NewYork08/newyork2008-ppt.html )
For the supports of the Heartland, the bottom line is that climate is not a crisis: “If global warming is indeed a crisis, billions of dollars taken from taxpayers will flow into the coffers of radical environmental groups, giving them the resources and stature to implement other parts of their anti-technology, anti-business agenda. None of that money will go to actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “ (www.globalwarmingheartland.org/about.html)
(www.heartland.org/events/NewYork09/background.html)
Support for Heartland and many of the conference presenters is partially provided by Atlas Liberty Forum (http://atlasnetwork.org/ ) and the George Marshall Institute (www.marshall.org/index.php )
If you apply now, as a journalist, you could receive free registration to attend the 2009 conference in NY next month! (http://www.heartland.org/events/NewYork09/registration.html)
