Peer reviewed journals are harder to access than free studies produced by political slanted "think tanks." Citizens in democratic-republics are making globally significant decisions based incomplete information.
The world is faced with an escalating crises fueled by growth. We all live on a single planet, and what we do has an incremental effect on our fellow inhabitants. Of all the nations of the world, it is Americans who leave the largest footprint on this planet. Per capita we consume more resources than any other peoples on earth. If we as a species are to enjoy a prosperous future, we must alter our behavior in order to make civilization sustainable. For consumption addicted Americans a shift to sustainability is challenging.
Massive wealth has been made by individuals and corporations as a result of America's consumer appetite. Many peoples' short-term self interest stand in conflict with long term-self interest of the species.
A Conspiracy of Convenience
"Some people are so ideologically locked to their beliefs that they simply cannot (more likely will not) see contradictory evidence. They simply deny or explain away any anomalies." -- Steven Dutch, Why is there Anti-Intellectualism?
The conservative movement in the United States during the Bush Administration became heavily entangled with oil and gas interests. Their opposition in both the 2000 and 2004 Presidential races, Al Gore and John Kerry, envisioned themselves as ecological leaders.
The evidence of interlocking self interests
In March 2009 the Cato Institute produced ads dismissing concerns about climate change.
Both the Cato Institute and the Reason Foundation are often cited by talk radio commentators when advocating for deregulation or against mass transit and environmental laws.
It is worth while to look at the sources for funding for these and other conservative think tanks.
Source Watch provides an easy way to explore these relationships.
Examples:
Cato
Reason
Another interesting site is Muckety, where you can explore relationships between corporations, people and foundations.
Example:
Reason and Cato
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