I could point out that Mr. Perry is buying into a truly crazy conspiracy theory, which asserts that thousands of scientists all around the world are on the take, with not one willing to break the code of silence.

The only scientists (if that is not too kind a description for them) on the take are the hired guns in Perry's home state, Texas, who have sold their souls to Big Oil, who demand a President who will continue to let them do what the fuck they like, just like Dubya used to.

It is beyond baffling that people can't see through this (utterly transparent) veneer. But then the same people believe the Discovery Institute has something "scientific" to say about Intelligent Design too.

There should be an international court for scientists, where they can get stripped of the title for cynically abusing it. Any real scientist would have the right to bring "charges" and force them to justify their position. If they cannot, and the court finds against them, any news report, interview or (heaven forfend) published academic paper would be legally required to describe them in full as "former scientist (disgraced)".

This should be a life sentence with no rights of appeal. Because I'm moderate like that.

At least the public would then know what they were reading.