Do you believe global warming will cause 180,000 more rapes by 2099? Would you even pay attention to that prediction, or any others that emanate on a continual basis from the ranks of global warming alarmists? If you consistently answered no, Charles C.W. Cooke of National Review Online might know why.

Americans, who are apparently tired of everything being blamed on climate change, are beginning to tune out. A quick look at Gallup and you’ll see that the environment doesn’t register as an issue that voters especially care about, and, too, that the number of people who say they are convinced by the endless claims of Science! has diminished dramatically in the last few years. And so, instead of toning down the eschatological predictions, we’re starting to see even more ridiculousness. Have we really reached, ”Hey, pay us some attention or your car will be stolen!”?

This is somewhat reminiscent of last year’s gun control debate, during which the advocates of stricter regulations became increasingly manic as they lost the public’s interest and trust. It’s classic and predictable stuff: When your campaign is based upon scaring people into acquiescence, the temptation when losing is always to throw out more monsters and more special effects. Or, as the NOAA’s Martin Hoerling put it, to recruit to the cause “some spell conjured upon us by great external forces,” like “the monster flicks of Universal Studios fame!”