by Jerry Agar

Patrick Michaels was professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia for 27 years.  Within the global warming debate he is what Al Gore calls a "denier."

In "How to Manufacture a Climate Consensus," in the Wall Street Journal, Michaels writes about what he sees as the real story revealed by "Climategate."  A lot has been made of the fudging of data and of efforts to keep the public in the dark by avoiding freedom of information requests.  Michaels says all of that is true.

But what he sees as the darkest practice revealed by the emails is the "silencing of climate scientists, akin to filtering what goes in the bible, that will have consequences for public policy."  The bible he refers to is the scientific literature.

Much effort was made to silence anyone who disagreed with the position of the warming side of the debate.  By eliminating one side from public view, a public claim can be made of a consensus.  That is politics - it is not science.

It is much like a mob boss advancing a position with  group of uncooperative wise guys.  "Anybody disagree?"  One not-so-wise guy raises his hand.  Bang!  He's dead.  "Anybody else?" 

That's one way to achieve a consensus.

Is that any way to advance cap and trade, carbon taxes and global fear?