I believe the science of climate change and global warming is pretty solid. But I've been called a liberal or democrat/progressive on that alone.
Now, I never said I think Al Gore's carbon trading scam or whatever was the best solution, just that I believe the science....
So why is this belief treated as if reflects on my political leanings one way or another by so many others?
I think the problem there is that once you accept that Anthrogenic Global Warming is real, then you really have to accept huge government controls on many aspect of your life. It becomes the kind of crisis that liberals frequently long for.
For instance, during the Great Depression, FDR desperately wanted to get control of a lot of aspects of the economy, and was frustrated by the courts and Republicans in Congress at every oppurtunity. Then WWII broke out, and pretty soon, he got to do Keynesian spending and government regulation of business on a level that European dictators envied.
I don't think it's the science that is in disputes, so much as the implications. If it is real, then ultimately, privilages we take for granted like car ownership, will be subject to government mandate.