Republicans and climate change. Critics say it has become the “theology of the outrageous.”
From “Drill, baby, drill” to calling global warming a “hoax,” the conservative right has been turning up the heat on its anti-environment message in the race for the White House.
Back in June, current GOP front runner Rick Santorum told Fox News, “There is no such thing as global warming.”
During a Republican presidential debate in Florida on Jan. 27, Santorum accused his challengers Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney of “buying into the global-warming hoax.”
This week, Fox Business Network’s Lou Dobbs took the climate debate to a ridiculous new level.
Lou Dobbs, anchor and managing editor of CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight program, speaks 26 June, 2007 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
“Now the unmentionable: A story that you will not hear anywhere in the liberal national media,” Dobbs warned Tuesday night on his show. “Hollywood is once again trying to indoctrinate our children.”
He added, “The president’s liberal friends in Hollywood targeting a younger generation by using animated movies to sell their agenda to younger children.”
Dobbs’ big concern: A children’s book that is being made into a new feature film. Universal Studios is bringing the Dr. Seuss classic, “The Lorax,” to the big screen on March 2. The film, like the four-decade-old book, is about a creature who “speaks for the trees” and the consequences of not taking care of the environment.
Dobbs even suggested to his viewers that the film’s pro-environment message has ties to both Occupy Wall Street and President Obama’s recent battle over the payroll-tax cut in Congress.
“If you read too much politics into this, you are missing the point,” said actor Rob Riggle, who voices the villain O’Hare in the movie. “The film’s message ‘caring for your environment’ could apply to every child, regardless of their parents being left or right.”
The world premiere for “The Lorax” was held Sunday at Universal Studios Hollywood. “The Young Turks” on Current TV asked the cast about the film’s message.
Rob Riggle, Ed Helms, Danny Devito, Zac Efron, and Taylor Swift at the premiere of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax," February 19, 2012 in Universal City, California.
“As an individual, you have so much power,” said actor Zac Efron, who voices the character of Ted in the movie. “All it takes is one idea — one small thing to make a difference.”
What does the cast think about Santorum’s assertion that global warming is a hoax?
“To call it a hoax, it’s not responsible,” said Ed Helms, who also stars in “The Office” and “The Hangover.” “I would think that a position like that is born out of an abject ignoring of scientific data.”
Actor Danny Devito voices the title character, the Lorax, in the film. Devito, a well-known Democrat, had sharp criticism for the Republican presidential candidates.
“I just think it’s a great thing if Rick Santorum gets to be the nominee for the GOP party so we can listen to him and Barack Obama, our great president, debate,” Devito said. “I’m waiting for Mitt Romney to shoot himself in the other foot and then we can have a good debate between the very conservative Christian right and people who are more moderate.”
– Tara Wallis-Finestone
