A strikingly higher percentage of Americans believe that the threat posed by global warming is exaggerated, a new Gallup survey found.

Nearly half of the public (48 percent) think that the seriousness of global warming is generally exaggerated, up from 41 percent in 2009 and 31 percent in 1997, when Gallup first asked the question. Gallup noted that the percentage of Americans who believe global warming is generally overblown is the highest on its record.

“The last two years have marked a general reversal in the trend of Americans’ attitudes about global warming,” reported Gallup. “[T]he public opinion tide turned in 2009, when several Gallup measures showed a slight retreat in public concern about global warming. This year, the downturn is even more pronounced.” more >>

“I’m like Punxsutawney Phil, but do you know what it means when I see my shadow? It means the earth is dying. Have you been outside today? It’s 60 degrees in late November. I mean there’s a Christmas tree in front of this building and guys are wearing flip-flops. You can’t say this isn’t real.” - Al Gore on Saturday Night Live, November 2009

It was all laughs for Al Gore last November when he hit the media circuit to promote his new book and educate the ignorant masses about the imminent threat of catastrophic climate change. He had the rapt attention of the politicians and the pundits and the celebrities. He’d won an Academy Award! The former Vice-President and presidential hopeful had built a new career as the voice of the Green Movement, and business was booming. What a difference three months makes.

In the face of the embarrassing Climategate scandal and an unprecedented winter season that has for the first time ever delivered measurable snowfall to all 50 states, Al Gore’s absence from the public stage has been conspicuous. Perhaps he’s taken a page from Punxsutawney Phil’s playbook and is hibernating in hopes of a sunnier forecast come April. more >>

Despite President Obama’s urgent tone and expressed commitment to reach a climate deal in his Copenhagen speech on Friday, the United States is still not doing enough, said a Christian relief agency.

“Unfortunately he (Obama) completely contradicted himself – the U.S.’ actions in terms of figures for action on mitigation and finance, even after yesterday’s announcement, just don’t stack up or equal survival for people and the planet,” said Paul Cook, director of advocacy at U.K.-based Tearfund.

“There were no new pledges on targets and a complete failure to acknowledge the fact that the richest and most powerful nations must take responsibility for the climate crisis that they have caused,” he said. more >>

Last week, the worldwide summit on climate change in Denmark encouraged some and terrified others. During the past few years, the debate among many informed people has just not been about whether the globe is getting warmer or not, but about how our nation should respond to the “perceived” international threat.

A few years ago Tony Perkins, president of The Family Research Council, and I decided to tackle the question of climate change and evaluate popular proposals based on two things: 1.) a measurable return on investment and 2.) the value of human life. Our thoughts are catalogued in the book Personal Faith, Public Policy. Based on our study, we are very concerned about the direction that our current administration may be seduced into following in the name of saving the planet. Unfortunately for the US, there are always wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing – supposed “saviors” that may lead us astray.

What was most alarming to Perkins and I was the resurgence of the call for population control as part of the international prescription to prevent global warming. We are concerned that human life will be devalued in order to “protect the ecosystem.” As believers, all of us must make sure that “population control” is not chosen as a major way of balancing out the CO2 equation. Population control is a loaded term that includes not only abortion, contraception, and sterilization, but infanticide and in some cases the promotion of same-sex relations. In an almost Orwellian manner, women from China have testified before the US Congress of forced abortions, as late as nine months into the pregnancy. “Big brother” in China also forced sterilizations because of the nation’s population control measures. more >>

WASHINGTON – A diverse group of religious people unveiled a giant ark on the National Mall Saturday to press world leaders in Copenhagen to create a strong, binding proposal to tackle climate change.

Organizers say the 19-foot-high ark is a warning that if world leaders do not come up with a strong plan to deal with the climate change problem, then the ark might very well be how individuals will have to live in the future.

“While a ‘Real Deal’ is ‘Climate Plan A,’ the ark depicts ‘Climate Plan B’ and the lack of current options for a fair, ambitious, and binding deal coming out of Copenhagen,” reported Avaaz.org and Faithful America, the two groups that organized Saturday’s vigil. more >>

"There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos." -Jim Hightower, Texas commentator and humorist

As the political seas continue to churn over issues such as abortion, healthcare, cap-and-trade, bailouts, the war, and Climategate, the ideological divisions between the two major parties appear to run deeper than ever before. On top of this, it's become clear that both the Democrat and the Republican parties are experiencing an internal identity crisis―a problem that makes it difficult for either group to articulate a clear and unified agenda.

Desperate to find a way forward, politicians and pundits are stressing the need for Americans everywhere to set aside the "hot button" issues in favor of working together to find common ground. Focusing on what unites, rather than divides, us―so the thinking goes―would enable "productive dialog," which would lay the groundwork for unity, understanding, and healing. more >>