Rex Tillerson of #Exxon plays Chris Mooney, others for suckers

Rex Tillerson

Science journalist ("and on YouTube, I play the role of an actual scientist") Chris Mooney recently touted a book by another author (name escapes me) about how much “better" eXXXon Mobil was on global warming under current CEO Rex Tillerson than under his predecessor, Lee Raymond.

Well, with the latest Tillerson salvo, it looks like “better” is the difference between being hit by an H-bomb vs. by an A-bomb.

Yes, Tillerson is still acknowledging global warming is real. As for actions? No change.

How bad is Rex? Well, he calls the Council on Foreign Relations an “advocacy group.”

He appears to be speaking to a mix of Christian rightists, who believe God will always deliver the divinely chosen U.S. (unless gays and socialists provoke his wrath) and “salvific technologists” who believe that technology is always the cavalry coming over the hill:

In a speech Wednesday, Tillerson acknowledged that burning of fossil fuels is warming the planet, but said society will be able to adapt. The risks of oil and gas drilling are well understood and can be mitigated, he said. And dependence on other nations for oil is not a concern as long as access to supply is certain, he said.

That’s only the half of it.

Here’s the second barrel:

Tillerson blamed a public that is "illiterate" in science and math, a "lazy" press, and advocacy groups that "manufacture fear" for energy misconceptions in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Yes, the public is science illiterate. That’s why many tea partiers believe global warming doesn’t exist, that claims about it are a socialist plot, etc.

And, the CFR as advocacy group? What a laugh.

Then, there’s the third barrel.

While acknowledging climate change, he thinks predictability of its exact effects is overblown.

And, all of this in the context of “drill, baby, drill.”

Exxon ain’t greening up, no way, no how, and Chris Mooney and others who got suckered by Tillerson are fucking idiots.

Even worse is the talk of adaptation while ignoring control of climate change’s worst effects.

That’s because Rex wants to stick you and me, not eXXXon, with the bill.

But, that's usually the way of socially irresponsible American big biz. It's not so much denying they're contributing to a problem as it is the greed in refusing to pay to help fix it. Just like Big Tobacco. Maybe a seaside village of Native Alaskans needs to sue.