[Update: 8-31-12: ‘Sea level rise did indeed slow, right after Obama’s election’ ]
President Barack Obama can take a bow. As Obama struggles with poor polling numbers, persistent high unemployment, the possibly of a primary challenge within his own party and a stagnant economy saddled with massive deficits and debts, one area where he can claim success is his prediction that he would slow sea level rise.
Obama — in similar fashion to baseball legend Babe Ruth calling his home run during the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series — called it successfully on sea level rise.
Obama declared in a June 8, 2008 speech, that his presidency will be “the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.” Obama’s prognostication occurred during his victory speech in St. Paul for the Democratic Party nomination.
Climate Depot can now announce it is official. Earlier this month, the European Space Agency’s Envisat monitoring, global sea level revealed a “two year long decline [in sea level] was continuing, at a rate of 5mm per year.”
In August 2011, NASA announced that global sea level was dropping and was “a quarter of an inch lower than last summer.” See: NASA: ‘Global sea level this summer is a quarter of an inch lower than last summer’
The global drop in sea level followed NASA’s announcement that sea level around the U.S. was declining in February 2011.
Most surprising, despite the fact that Obama said he would only “slow” the rise of the oceans, his presidency has presided over what some scientists are terming an “historic decline” in global sea levels. Obama appears to have underestimated his own powers to alter sea level.
Even more impressive for President Obama is the fact that just six months into his presidency, sea level started its historic reversal. In July 2009, sea level was already showing a “slowdown and was “still flattening.” See: Sea Level Rise: An Update Shows a Slowdown & See: Global Sea Level Updated at UC – still flattening’
President Obama’s success in lowering sea level has not gone unnoticed. The skeptical website Real Science, made sarcastic note of Obama’s “healing of the climate” and his sea level accomplishment on June 3, 2011.
“No hurricanes have struck the US since Obama became president, temperatures and sea level have dropped, and we have had record snow,” Real Science noted. “Reservoirs are filling up – and all of the damage [President George W.] Bush did to the climate has been healed. Obama should declare ‘mission accomplished’ and take credit!” Real Science concluded.
[The August 2011 Hurricane Irene ruined Obama’s perfect record when it comes to U.S. land falling hurricanes. Many scientists question whether Irene should have been categorized as a hurricane. See: The Chosen One? Obama Presides Over A Hurricane Free Presidency: ‘First president to have not had a hurricane make landfall on US soil’ ]
Can Obama control the Earth’s Thermostat Next?
It remains to be seen whether President Obama will enjoy the same sea level and hurricane success when it comes to future global temperatures. In 2009, Obama was part of a UN effort to limit the Earth’s future temperature rise to no more than 2°Celcius. See: We’re Saved?! Politicians at UN Announce They Will Control Earth’s Thermostat! Climate Deal ‘sets a cap on worldwide temp increases at no more than 2°C
In July 2009, Obama was also part of the G8 leaders “historic breakthrough” where they agreed to the “goal of keeping the world’s temperatures from rising more than 2C.” See: Controlling Nature? Obama backs ‘historic breakthrough’ in G8 climate talks – ‘Agree to goal of keeping the world’s temps from rising more than 2C’ – July 9, 2009 & Climate Depot’s Morano: G8 Leaders embrace ‘climate astrology’ – Trying to control Earth’s thermostat is ‘madness of our age’ – July 10, 2009
President Obama has also claimed he can “block the Sun’s rays to end global warming.” In addition, Obama made the completely scientifically indefensible claim that the Waxman-Markey climate bill in 2009 would stop global temperature increases of up to five degrees! Obama said on June 25, “A long-term benefit is we’re leaving a planet to our children that isn’t four or five degrees hotter.”
Politicians efforts to control global temperatures have been met with ire from Award-winning Princeton physicist Dr. Will Happer. See: Princeton Physicist: ‘The idea that Congress can stop climate change is just hilarious’ – Warns of ‘climate change cult’ – July 8, 2009
Other analyses have compared Obama’s efforts to dictate the Earth’s temperature akin to primitive cultures attempts to control the weather. See: Which is more plausible? Ugandans blame drought and disease on the ‘angry gods’ or More ‘Educated’ Western Leaders blame SUVs and ‘cell phone chargers?!’
Obama’s Commerce Secretary Ray LaHood has warned Americans that they better “pay” up or face extreme storms. See: La Cosa Climate: Commerce Sec. Warns: Americans Need ‘To Pay’ Or Face Mother Nature’s Wrath — Pay up or face ‘floods, droughts and rising sea levels’ – July 17, 2009
Related Links:
Watch 2008 Video of Obama announcing he will ‘slow’ sea level rise
NASA: Sea Level Declining Around The US
NASA: ‘Global sea level this summer is a quarter of an inch lower than last summer’
