You know how we laugh at those silly historical quotes of someone saying something so wrong? Like on the eve of World War I, some wag saying Europe is too smart and too interconnected to ever go to war. Or 1930s newsreels of travelers reporting that Hitler is a man of peace. Or some opinionator pooh-poohing the automobile or telephone.

Well, I had a similar eerie feeling watching Mitt's Romney's acceptance speech. His put-down of climate change science will be a future what-in-the world-were-they-thinking blooper.

When Manhattan's subways are flooded and giant hurricanes regularly pulverize the Gulf Coast and droughts plague America's bread basket and the ocean is void of coral and fish and millions of families are environmental refugees, Romney's lone scientific statement in Tampa will haunt us. He is a leader without vision: "President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet. My promise ... is to help you and your family."

Instead of pandering to their party's anti-science bent, Republicans leaders need to help the faithful return to the Enlightenment philosophy of the Founding Fathers they so revere. Or we will be consigned to the dustbowl of history.

Phil Fuller

Salt Lake City