Professor Jagadish Shukla of George Mason University recently sent a letter to President Obama asking him to use RICO laws to prosecute climate skeptics. One of the main targets of that letter was Paul Driessen, climate skeptic, free market environmentalism expert and Senior Policy Adviser at CFACT.
Committed to continuing our nation’s tradition of free speech and scientific integrity, Driessen spoke to University of Virginia collegians and contrasted the benefits of free market based climate and environmental policies with the corruption and fallacy of big government green initiatives.
“Interacting with these UVA students was fantastic,” Driessen remarked. “We covered a lot of ground, and their questions made it clear many of them knew these issues but often heard only one side of the story.”
While the left repeatedly calls for action to protect the planet for future generations, radical green policies will continue to add to our nation’s debt of $20 trillion, all of which will have to be dealt with by millennials and young Americans. $10 trillion of this debt has been added under President Obama.
While many liberty loving and conservative students are skeptical of big government, the issue becomes more confusing when it comes to environmental areas. Green activists often have a monopoly on environmentalism, especially on our nation’s college campuses, and make it difficult for students with a different perspective to present their ideas.
“The principles of liberty don’t take a break when it comes to climate and the environment,” student Grace Charlton said. “Paul’s talk reinforced my belief that it’s just as important in these areas to ensure people’s rights are protected and that we are pursuing sound science. I think it definitely resonated with many in attendance.”
Unlike some lecturers, Driessen frequently pulls students into the discourse, leaving more than half of his allotted time for questions and discussion. “The students definitely had open minds and deep concerns about how big government environmental policies hurt America, poor and middle classes, and impoverished developing nations,” Driessen added. “I’m confident that they will use the information I presented to start turning the tide on radical green policies that are so harmful to our employment prospects, living standards, health and liberties.”
The talk was part of CFACT’s “Keep Calm Climate Changes” and “Stop Playing Games with Hunger” initiatives, which aim to raise awareness of the facts behind climate change and the impact radical green policies have on hunger and energy poverty around the globe, respectively.