CA Gov. Brown: Climate Change Challengers are "Troglodytes"

CA Governor Jerry Brown (Source: Neon Tommy)

California Governor Jerry Brown wrapped up another international tourney, talking up one of his pet agendas: climate change. Attending the Climate Change Summit of the Americas, California’s Governor met with government officials from the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Toronto.

In an article entitled, World is on a collision course with fossil fuels, Gov. Jerry Brown says, The Los Angeles Times reported:Jerry Brown

Darren Calabrese / Associated Pr

Gov. Jerry Brown speaks to reporters at the Climate Summit of the Americas in Toronto on JAfter two days of rubbing shoulders with an international collection of politicians, Gov. Jerry Brown emerged from a climate-change conference here with new partnerships in the fight against global warming.

Interesting how the Times’ reporter identified the progressive liberal agenda to reduce carbon emissions as “global warming” even though Brown and his elected Democratic peers have opted for the more general and vague “climate change”.

During a speech Wednesday, Brown took aim at opponents to his climate change agenda:

He criticized politicians, particularly Republicans in Congress, who refuse to take action.

“We have a lot of troglodytes south of the border,” he said.

For clarification, a “troglodyte” according to Merriam-Webster, is

1:  a member of any of various peoples (as in antiquity) who lived or were reputed to live chiefly in caves

2:  a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes.

In this context, it is not clear whether Brown was blasting politicians or Americans who in general do not see climate change as a serious threat.

Before his an ad hominem invective against climate change challengers, Brown explained what reforms would have to take place in order to prevent the proliferation of carbon emissions:

“We have to redesign our cities, our homes, our cars, our electrical generation, our grids — all those things,” Brown said. “And it can be done with intelligence. We can get more value from less material.”

Governor Brown offered little information or insight on how these massive, transformative changes would take place.

He also targeted the modern conveniences for change or removal – i.e. the innovations which have allowed civilized people to move out of caves and live in safety, prosperity, and luxury:

“Oil, gas, coal has created the wealth we enjoy,” he said. “What was the source of our wealth now becomes the challenge of our future.”

The article also cited the political conflicts from Sacramento lawmakers and lobbyists toward the governor’s climate change proposals:

Brown is fighting his own legislative battle to reduce gasoline use, increase energy efficiency and boost renewable energy. The bill is pending in the state Assembly, facing opposition from oil companies and skepticism from utilities.

Asked whether he thinks it will pass, Brown said, “I never want to predict, but there's some very strong legislative leadership in support of these climate goals.”

The Times described the conference as a pep rally for green-minded government”, but Brown offered that the Climate Change Summit would command more attention from national leaders to “build up the support level” for the Green Agenda.

Inquiries to Governor Brown’s office on the “troglodyte” remark were not answered at press time.