
Trump Picks Top Climate Skeptic to Lead EPA Transition - fmihaila
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trump-picks-top-climate-skeptic-to-lead-epa-transition/?wt.mc=SA_Twitter-Share
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sctb
Previously:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12914828](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12914828)

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vmasto
As a European I can't help but think that this is an immediate demonstration
of how the leader of the United States can have actual impact on my life.

I was being mocked today by my (also European) peers when I expressed my
disappointment in the election's outcome with the argument that I'm overly
"Americanized".

I believe many people fail to realize how big of a player America truly is
when it comes to global policies (environment, nuclear, wars even).

~~~
Swizec
I get similarly laughed at for suggesting that America has such a big global
impact that maybe everyone should get to vote.

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s_q_b
Well, if you want to join the Union, we're always accepting new territories.

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gizmo686
If your lucky, we'll even give your territory a seat in Congress. Not a voting
seat, but a seat. Good luck getting a vote for president though (although
Puerto Rico does get to vote in the primaries).

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Commissioner_of_Puert...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_Commissioner_of_Puerto_Rico)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_pri...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_primaries_in_Puerto_Rico,_2016)

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danso
One of the several things that has bothered me about commentators on Trump is
that they've concocted this fantasy in which they imagine lazy-never-worked-a-
day-in-his-life Trump finding that being president is more work than he
realized so he, being Trump, says "fuck this" and is the chillest president
ever while the GOP freaks out.

The reality is, of course, Trump is going to have delegates. And these
delegates are _not_ laid back about their political ambitions. Voting in Obama
twice didn't end war or Guantanamo. If Trump is as dumb and evil as you
imagine, the hope that he'll do something dumb enough to learn his lesson is
the laziest, most self-destructive kind of thinking.

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bostonpete
I don't understand what this comment has to do with the linked story. Can you
connect the dots a bit more...?

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danso
I think there is still hope that fun-straight-talking-entertainer Trump will
surprise us all. Yeah, he can still be that guy, but who he picks can still be
destructive. Case in point, this EPA chief. But we haven't yet heard who's
going to be Homeland Security.

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brohoolio
As an employee as one of the top flight research university I can't help but
wonder what is going to happen to research in the states. My employer kicks
out tons of research and tons of startups every year. We are the largest
employer in the state. I'm wondering what kind of funding cuts we will
experience because our research shows that vaccines work and that the globe is
warming and our student base is overall pretty liberal. Seems like a perfect
target for political extremists who might be appointed. Really it's the
perfect institution to support if you want to bring around the next generation
to your cause.

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moyta
Liberal areas are going to lose federal transit funding entirely, and research
funding will be heavily curtailed. Don't expect any major public works to be
federally funded, historically GWB and his father both eliminated most of this
type of funding.

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icanhackit
This decision could have a silver lining: inland areas that are conservative
strongholds are more likely to suffer as a result of it than coastal states
which are predominantly liberal. It could be a move that contributes to Trump
lasting only a single term. If you poison the well in a serious enough way it
might be enough to make climate change denial or lackadaisical attitudes
towards the environment politically untenable in the future.

It's just too bad that the American public has to learn the hard way.

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sid-kap
Aren't coastal areas more prone to flooding?

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icanhackit
True but I was thinking in terms of relaxing rules on drilling, mining,
emissions etc. I didn't spell that out though so my bad.

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Florin_Andrei
So the bad news starts on day 1.

How unsurprising.

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justifier
> By Robin Bravender, ClimateWire on September 26, 2016

..a little sooner than that

climate actions was a part of the campaign

in the debate his vp repeatedly referenced a 'war on coal'

it's how he won some important states(o)

(o) [http://fortune.com/2016/07/20/why-donald-trump-wont-bring-
co...](http://fortune.com/2016/07/20/why-donald-trump-wont-bring-coal-jobs-
back-to-west-virginia/)

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finid
_Choosing Myron Ebell means Trump plans to drastically reshape climate
policies_

That's actually part of his plan -
assets.donaldjtrump.com/_landings/contract/O-TRU-102316-Contractv02.pdf, so no
news there.

The guy has started doing what he promised to do.

By the time he's done, I pray God takes some pity on us. We're going to need
it.

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superbaconman
Disappointing but not unexpected. I'm not deep into the science, but it seems
as though humanity will survive. If that's the case I can understand skeptics
rational, but I can't help but feel sadness for the less fortunate (animals
and poor alike).

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honkhonkpants
Trump administration will be a disaster for science and an end to the idea
that government can help solve our climate problems. Installing this guy at
the EPA will be like having your Great Library sacked by barbarians in
Civilization. You don't come back from that.

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k__
Didn't Neil deGrasse Tyson say republicans love wealth and every civilization
thay took their efforts away from science lost all their wealth, so they will
keep funding it?

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smitty1110
It's not that they love wealth, it's that they hate the government telling
them what to do. They'll like this guy because he'll loosen regulations, scale
back enforcement, etc. It's going to be a rough 2 years until midterms.

