Climate scientist won't attribute a given weather disturbance to global warming, but the consensus is that rising temperatures will lead to bigger and stronger storms. Tornados in Joplin, Missouri; flooding in Minot, North Dakota; drought in Texas, wildfires in the Southwest and, now, Irene all raise the question of whether global warming is creating "weird weather." Most Republican Presidential candidates are skeptical of global warming, especially the idea that it's caused by human activity. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, is short of money, and House Republican leaders say any new federal assistance will have to be paid for with cuts elsewhere in the budget. With President Obama promising help to all those affected, will disaster protection and climate change be issues in next year's campaign?
Disaster Relief and the Politics of Global Warming
Credits
Guests:
- Lisa Mascaro - Chief Congressional Correspondent, AP - @LisaMascaro
- John Broder - New York Times
- David Jenkins - Republicans for Environmental Protection
- Myron Ebell - Competitive Enterprise Institute
- Anthony Leiserowitz - Yale University - @ecotone2