While it’s still not entirely clear what contributed to the inability to warn Texans about the recent lethal flash floods, the larger context for those floods is that global warming is going to cause more severe weather more often, even if a particular event is difficult to directly tie to global warming. Unless, of course, you’re Jewish Space Laser Lady (aka ‘Republican Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene’; boldface mine):
In a Saturday morning post on X, the far-right Republican [Taylor Greene] announced that she was introducing a bill that prohibits “the injection, release, or dispersion of chemicals or substances into the atmosphere for the express purpose of altering weather, temperature, climate, or sunlight intensity.”
“It will be a felony offense,” she said.
“I have been researching weather modification and working with the legislative counsel for months writing this bill,” the legislator continued, adding that the legislation will be similar to Florida’s Senate Bill 56.
“We must end the dangerous and deadly practice of weather modification and geoengineering,” she concluded.
Though she didn’t mention the tragedy directly, the post seemed to be a response to the horrific flash floods which killed at least 66 people after sweeping through central Texas on Friday…
Conspiracy theorists have long claimed that government or other shadowy organizations have been manipulating the weather by releasing chemicals in the air, leaving white streaks in the sky which they call chemtrails.
Chemtrails might be too bugshit crazy, even for Republicans, but I think they’re definitely going to try it on for size. After all, they really didn’t pay a price in the long-term for QAnon, so why not chemtrails? It not only placates the conspiracist base, but it also provides an ‘answer’ for the problem of global warming.
mikethemadbiologist
A couple of decades ago, MIT’s Technology Review magazine had an article on geoengineering as a counter to global warming. The author’s view was that geoengineering should be thoroughly studied, but only used as one might use a tourniquet — when the choice is between a life and a limb.
The bill could be targeting this possibility as well.
A small country devastated by global warming — for example, the lack of snow melt from mountains to provide water — might blackmail the world into fighting global warming by threatening geoengineering.
Assumes fact not in evidence, i.e. MTG possessing enough brain cells to consider the possibility, unless you think someone else might have put her up to it.
You may be right.
Because the bill requires that they do it with “the express purpose of altering weather”?
Why not use this crazy act to go after co2 emissions as they certainly modify the ‘weather’?
Unfortunately, the phrase “express purpose” rules out CO2 emissions, at least from cars, airplanes, factories, etc.
Would target things like seeding clouds for rain which they do in California to a small degree, as results from it are not very impressive. But the rain may be desperately wanted.
MTG is a Nazi turd.
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