Diagnosing Fossil Fuel Delusion Syndrome

2014 was Earth's hottest year ever. 14 of the hottest 15 years on record have occurred in the 21st century. Virtually all scientific organizations, from NASA to the World Health Organization to the EPA, and at least 97 percent of qualified scientists agree that the world is heating up and human activity is to blame. And, an overwhelming majority of Americans are demanding Congress act to protect our communities and public health by curbing carbon pollution.

 

Yet, inside the walls of Congress, we are seeing signs that some elected officials are living in what seems to be an altered state of reality. In fact, there is ample evidence of some politicians discarding common-sense and scrambling in the opposite direction of where science, public opinion and logic are pointing. It’s left many experts scratching their heads, concerned that some strange condition may be afflicting these denizens of the beltway.

 

Yet preliminary research and investigation seem to indicate that what we are seeing amongst many Congressional Republicans may be evidence of a dangerous political condition known as fossil fuel delusion syndrome (FFDS).

 

It’s a serious condition. All the cases on record exhibit scary symptoms for the carrier: confusion, logic loss, delusions of grandeur, destructive behavior and worse. The results for the friends, families, and constituents of the afflicted are just as bad -- legislation crafted by those with FFDS has been shown to result in dirtier water, dirtier air, and dirtier politics.

 

So, what causes FFDS? There’s only one known factor: long-term exposure to fossil fuel cash. It appears that the prevalence of this condition among Republican members of Congress and their allies is a result of the fact that they have taken extraordinarily large sums of campaign money from the fossil fuel industry, potentially exposing them to extreme amounts of oily fumes that -- when inhaled -- cause this dreadful condition.

 

For those who feel they may be vulnerable to FFDS, its important to watch for the early warning signs. Please examine these test cases. But, be warned, some of these cases are disturbing to sensitive readers or those who care about healthy communities and a safe climate.

 

Jim Inhofe: Experts point to Senator Inhofe as one of the earliest examples of FFDS in Washington, given the extreme measures he has gone to in order to try and claim climate science is a “hoax.” Most recently, however, it seems Inhofe has suffered from a flare up of this condition. Last week, Inhofe took to the floor of the Senate with a snowball in hand and subsequently meekly threw it across the Senate floor -- inappropriate behavior for the World’s Greatest Deliberative Body and bizarre, to say the least.

 

Inhofe attempted to explain his behavior by suggesting that since it had snowed in February, his snowball was evidence that climate science is not real. Of course, that sort of scary lack of reasoning that’s common amongst those suffering from FFDS, and an examination of Inhofe’s political history shows all of the warning signs were there. In fact, the Senator has taken over one million dollars from the fossil fuel industry, long-term exposure that unfortunately has been shown to cause FFDS in other politicians as well.

 

Interestingly, Inhofe is a known associate of another FFDS case, also known to be extensively exposed to toxic fossil fuel cash, namely...

 

Willie Soon: Dr. Soon is one of the few scientists who’ve released academic studies denying climate science - a flag for anyone checking for the warning signs of FFDS. However, the extent of the danger for Soon wasn’t made clear until recently, when it was revealed that those paying for Soon’s work are none other than some of the biggest names in the fossil fuel industry. In fact, Soon reportedly took tens of thousands from the Koch Brothers, ExxonMobil, and a subsidiary of Southern Company -- and he then failed to disclose those facts to not just the academic journals publishing his “work,” but also to Congress. Its a lapse in judgement that’s often observed in those suffering from FFDS, while Soon’s resulting confused studies are also manifestations of the devastating effect of FFDS on logic. The fact that another FFDS sufferer -- Senator Inhofe -- regularly cites Soon’s work is even further evidence of the toll this condition is taking on both.  

 

Roger Wicker: Perhaps the most extreme flare up of FFDS in Congress came fromSenator Roger Wicker, of Mississippi. Wicker recently stood alone as the only member of the upper chamber to oppose legislation that simply stated “Climate Change is real and not a hoax” - a frightening sign that FFDS may have been affecting Wicker for a considerable amount of time. Even more disturbing, Wicker justified his actions by comparing himself to famous scientists, thinkers, and movie actors, exhibiting delusions of grandeur that experts warn are among the worst symptoms of FFDS.

 

"I include Galileo as pretty good company right now. Copernicus [too],” Wicker told the National Journal after the vote. Subsequently, Wicker pointed to a scene from the Hollywood film The King's Speech in which a speech therapist challenges a doctors' recommendation that King George keep smoking as evidence that "the smartest people of our time might be wrong and that some of the very learned and educated contrarians on the issue of climate change will turn out to be vindicated.”

 

Its a pattern of absurdist, surrealist behavior that shows just how devastating FFDS can be to our politicians. Indeed, fully manifested FFDS can be a frightening thing. Again, the warning signs were there: Wicker has taken over $700,000 in fossil fuel cash, which should serve as another warning sign to our younger politicians to avoid such toxic substances and choose alternatives like small-dollar donations and public matching funds where possible.

 

In conclusion, these examples of FFDS should serve as a warning to all those tempted by oil, gas, and coal money: quit before its too late. A world in which Willie Soon would win a Nobel Prize, Jim Inhofe would win a Cy Young award, and Roger Wicker would win an Oscar is the terrible conclusion if these habits are not halted early in a political career. If you or anyone you know exhibits the FFDS warning signs outlined above, you should stop taking dirty money right away, and see a real scientist immediately.

 

--Sierra Club Media Team