[Updated and Bumped] After Climate Change, Then What?

In the last day or so, a couple of several national voices have proclaimed the end of the global warming industry.  Syndicated columnist Michael Barone weighs in with his take, "Cult of global warming is loving influence."

The Wall Street Journal editorial page contributes a lead editorial on Tuesday, "The Post-Global Warming World: Moving on from climate virtue" (subscription required).  The Journal concludes,

"The question today is whether it makes sense to combat a potential climate threat by imposing economically destructive regulations and sinking billions into failure-prone technologies that have their own environmental costs."

Update:   Columnist Victor Davis Hanson has added his take to the obituary of the global warming movement on the National Review homepage, "Global Warming--RIP?".

I hope that the Journal, and Barone, and Hanson are correct, that the world is "wearier and wiser" and the global warmists are losing influence.  But the climate change industry is so vast and the funding streams so generous the charade may must continue for years more.

I would remind everyone that California and Australia have, just this month, started "cap and trade" programs in their respective jurisdictions.

Never underestimate the perseverance of even the most useless ideas, when jobs and careers are at stake.  Just in Minnesota, we have a thriving global warming industry that supports hundreds of jobs in the non-profit, academic, utility, and government sectors.  Millions of dollars in foundation and government grants support a network of media outlets, conferences and publications, and political candidates.  Funders will continue to want results for their dollars.