After the network showed a clip of a young conservative activist saying that climate change was the number one issue for young voters, Fox News moderator Martha MacCallum asked for a show of hands in response to her question, “Do you believe human behavior is causing climate change?”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis refused to participate, and then GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy declared, “I’m the only person on the stage who isn’t bought and paid for, so I can say this: The climate change agenda is a hoax.” A crowd full of Republicans started to boo.

Most of the Republicans on stage fell short of completely denying that climate change is caused by human activity. Ramaswamy, perhaps taking a page out of the Trump playbook of making the most outlandish comment possible, came right out and said it.

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie shot back, “I’ve had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT.” Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley went so far as to venture, “Climate change is real.”

But moderator Bret Baier seized not on Ramaswamy’s blatant denial of the scientific consensus on climate change, but on his claim that he was the only candidate on the stage who was “not bought and paid for.” Baier took turns asking candidates, “Are you bought and paid for?” In classic Fox News fashion, a moment that could have provided insight into how far Republicans are willing to go to please young voters concerned about the environment devolved into senseless crosstalk. Still, for a party that has spent years ignoring or denying the biggest threat to our planet’s future, tonight’s responses were actually, almost, a little bit refreshing.

    • @flyingjake
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      1210 months ago

      I grew up in the northeast and none of the schools had central air. It’s not hot enough before summer break to justify it. At least historically…

        • @flyingjake
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          210 months ago

          Yeah, the windows would open. But, honestly some days were gross. But US school would end by mid June and start in September so there’s only a few hot days to worry about, you might hit over 80F /27c a few times at most.

    • @Railing5132@lemmy.world
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      910 months ago

      Nope, most schools in the midwest, particularly rural schools with small tax bases, don’t have air. It was 85 F in my town’s high school today.

    • @Pickle_Jr@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      810 months ago

      I can’t see anywhere which would explain why the school closed. It’s possible that it doesn’t have central air. It could also be an efficiency thing; maybe the AC can’t vent out the heat fast enough to cool down the building when it’s that warm? My house is actually like that when it hits around 105° outside.

      The smart ass reply is they close down when it’s hot for the same reason Texas closes down when it’s only 30° and it barely snows 😅