New study finds that the political solution to climate change has everything to do with whether Republicans believe in it or not.

Courtesy of Duke Today:

There may be a scientific answer for why conservatives and liberals disagree so vehemently over the existence of issues like climate change and specific types of crime. 

A new study from Duke University finds that people will evaluate scientific evidence based on whether they view its policy implications as politically desirable. If they don't, then they tend to deny the problem even exists. 

“Logically, the proposed solution to a problem, such as an increase in government regulation or an extension of the free market, should not influence one’s belief in the problem. However, we find it does,” said co-author Troy Campbell, a Ph.D. candidate at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. “The cure can be more immediately threatening than the problem.” 

The researchers conducted three experiments (with samples ranging from 120 to 188 participants) on three different issues -- climate change, air pollution that harms lungs, and crime. 

“The goal was to test, in a scientifically controlled manner, the question: Does the desirability of a solution affect beliefs in the existence of the associated problem? In other words, does what we call 'solution aversion' exist?" Campbell said. 

"We found the answer is yes. And we found it occurs in response to some of the most common solutions for popularly discussed problems." 

Participants in the experiment, including both self-identified Republicans and Democrats, read a statement asserting that global temperatures will rise 3.2 degrees in the 21st century. They were then asked to evaluate a proposed policy solution to address the warming. 

When the policy solution emphasized a tax on carbon emissions or some other form of government regulation, which is generally opposed by Republican ideology, only 22 percent of Republicans said they believed the temperatures would rise at least as much as indicated by the scientific statement they read. 

But when the proposed policy solution emphasized the free market, such as with innovative green technology, 55 percent of Republicans agreed with the scientific statement. 

For Democrats, the same experiment recorded no difference in their belief, regardless of the proposed solution to climate change.

So to be clear we cannot do anything about protecting future generations from the ravages of man made climate change on this planet, because the Republicans don't like big government.

What a great thing to have etched onto the headstones of all of the people who will die of famine, disease, or drought in the years to come.

We could have saved you but we did not like the politics of those offering solutions.

And again, who is it that votes for these people? And what in the hell is wrong with them?