--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was ambushed by global warming…" description: "\"When I was ambushed by global warming advocates recently - no, they haven't given up - they asked me the same questions they always ask: \"What if you'r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/james-inhofe-25511_american-history_when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-ad_1272143.jpg" --- # When I was ambushed by global warming advocates recently… ![“When I was ambushed by global warming advocates recently - no, they haven't given up - they asked me the same questions they always ask: "What if you're wrong?" and "If you're wrong will you apologize to future generations?" I always answer, "What if you're wrong? Will you apologize to my twenty…” quote by James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/james-inhofe-25511_american-history_when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-ad_1272143.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/james-inhofe-25511_american-history_when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-ad_1272143.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/james-inhofe-25511_american-history_when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-ad_1272143.jpg) > “When I was ambushed by global warming advocates recently - no, they haven't given up - they asked me the same questions they always ask: "What if you're wrong?" and "If you're wrong will you apologize to future generations?" I always answer, "What if you're wrong? Will you apologize to my twenty kids and grandkids for the largest tax increase in American history?" They usually don't have anything to say after that.” [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker uses a rhetorical reversal to challenge climate activists, arguing that personal financial impacts outweigh abstract future apologies. **In simple terms:** He flips the blame onto activists by highlighting tax concerns. Key Takeaway Consider both present costs and future responsibilities. Themes politics climate change economics Mood critical defensive skeptical Type debate political argumentative When to use this quote - budget discussions - environmental advocacy - public debates Key Concepts intergenerational ethics policy trade‑offs Questions to Reflect On - What is the balance between immediate economic impact and long‑term climate risk? - How can policy address both concerns? A Different Perspective The argument dismisses the moral weight of future harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Future generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-generation/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Global warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/global-warming/) [Grandkids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandkids/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Tax increases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tax-increases/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/) [Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/) > [Sometimes people ask us the wrong questions so we cannot give them the right answers but the worst part is when we become those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-people-ask-us-the-wrong-questions-so-we-cannot-give-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never ask me what's wrong. my answer will always be nothing because you have already proven to me that everything important to me means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-ask-me-what-s-wrong-my-answer-will-always-be-nothing-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My computer must be broken: whenever I ask a wrong question, it gives a wrong answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/my-computer-must-be-broken-whenever-i-ask-a-wrong-question-it-gives-a/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [One day you're gonna ask that to the wrong girl who is really struggling and it's gonna be hurtful to them. And I hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissy-teigen/one-day-you-re-gonna-ask-that-to-the-wrong-girl-who-is-really/) [Chrissy Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissy-teigen/) > [They really dont care about your answers if they ask you wrong questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/they-really-dont-care-about-your-answers-if-they-ask-you-wrong/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [That're humans! First they cut you inside, then ask what's wrong..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-re-humans-first-they-cut-you-inside-then-ask-what-s-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If it takes a lot of courage to admit you don't know all the answers, just imagine how hard it is to admit you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-d-levitt/if-it-takes-a-lot-of-courage-to-admit-you-don-t-know-all-the-answers/) [Steven D. Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-d-levitt/) > [When I'm sad, please don't ask me what's wrong. Just hug me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali/when-i-m-sad-please-don-t-ask-me-what-s-wrong-just-hug-me/) [Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali/) > [We should not ask, ‘What is wrong with the world?’ for that diagnosis has already been given. Rather we should ask, “What has happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/we-should-not-ask-what-is-wrong-with-the-world-for-that-diagnosis-has/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [We are trained to ask "What's wrong and how we fix it?" Instead, start by asking - "What works, what have we got, what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kenyon/we-are-trained-to-ask-what-s-wrong-and-how-we-fix-it-instead-start-by/) [Peter Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kenyon/) > [If people disobey, don't ask what is wrong with them, ask what's wrong with their leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/if-people-disobey-don-t-ask-what-is-wrong-with-them-ask-what-s-wrong/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“It’s funny how the devout pretend like they want people to ask questions, but really they only want you to ask the questions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-m-klein/it-s-funny-how-the-devout-pretend-like-they-want-people-to-ask/) [Tal M. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-m-klein/) > [When you see someone as a human being, you begin to understand most people are doing what they believe is right. I ask myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/when-you-see-someone-as-a-human-being-you-begin-to-understand-most/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [You ask me what's wrong. I reply with care hoping you'll understand. You laugh, get an attitude, and walk away. You think I asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lexi-marie/you-ask-me-what-s-wrong-i-reply-with-care-hoping-you-ll-understand/) Lexi Marie ## More by James Inhofe > [I am a product of the draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/i-am-a-product-of-the-draft/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [A country's adhering to the rule of law does not mean that its citizens will not do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/a-country-s-adhering-to-the-rule-of-law-does-not-mean-that-its/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [Those individuals from the far left, and I'm talking about the Hollywood elitists and the United Nations and those individuals want us to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/those-individuals-from-the-far-left-and-i-m-talking-about-the/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [I have to say when we talk about the treatment of these prisoners that I would guess that these prisoners wake up every morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/i-have-to-say-when-we-talk-about-the-treatment-of-these-prisoners/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [If they're in cell block 1A or 1B, these prisoners - they're murderers, they're terrorists, they're insurgents. Many of them probably have American blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/if-they-re-in-cell-block-1a-or-1b-these-prisoners-they-re-murderers/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [If the choice is go to war or end up with an American city hit by weapon of mass destruction, then the choice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/if-the-choice-is-go-to-war-or-end-up-with-an-american-city-hit-by/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [What would happen to the Weather Channel's ratings if all the sudden people weren't scared anymore?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/what-would-happen-to-the-weather-channel-s-ratings-if-all-the-sudden/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [We don't stop and realize that we are dealing with people - the far-left doesn't think we need a military to start with, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/we-don-t-stop-and-realize-that-we-are-dealing-with-people-the-far/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [One of the reasons I believe the spiritual door was opened for an attack against the United States of America is that the policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/one-of-the-reasons-i-believe-the-spiritual-door-was-opened-for-an/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [America has maintained a prohibition on negotiating with terrorists for good reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/america-has-maintained-a-prohibition-on-negotiating-with-terrorists/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [Much of the debate over global warming is predicated on fear, rather than science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/much-of-the-debate-over-global-warming-is-predicated-on-fear-rather/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [I do not think our priorities are misplaced when we are looking at creating a whole new class of children from these gay marriages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/i-do-not-think-our-priorities-are-misplaced-when-we-are-looking-at/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [Iran is the greatest threat to stability in the Middle East. Iran remains the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, continues its efforts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/iran-is-the-greatest-threat-to-stability-in-the-middle-east-iran/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [If you sit around and wring your hands as they're all doing now until something happens to a major American city, then it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/if-you-sit-around-and-wring-your-hands-as-they-re-all-doing-now-until/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [We must never forget that many around the globe are denied the basic rights we enjoy as Americans. If we are to continue enjoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/we-must-never-forget-that-many-around-the-globe-are-denied-the-basic/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) [Explore all 23 James Inhofe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) ## More American history quotes > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [“In December of 2007 human bones including skulls, which have been radiocarbon dated back to between 1304 and 1424, were found in a museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/in-december-of-2007-human-bones-including-skulls-which-have-been/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One > [John Lane has long been recognized as one of the South's finest poets and memoirists. This debut establishes him as one of our finest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rash/john-lane-has-long-been-recognized-as-one-of-the-south-s-finest-poets/) [Ron Rash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rash/) > [No man-made structure in all of American history has been hated so much, by so many, for so long, with such good reason, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/no-man-made-structure-in-all-of-american-history-has-been-hated-so/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We must not falsely teach American history in our schools. We have a law requiring state textbook oversight to guard against frauds like Zinn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/we-must-not-falsely-teach-american-history-in-our-schools-we-have-a/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [“Thanks in part to the rapid mechanization of cotton production in the early 1940s, which ultimately threw millions of farm laborers out of work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/thanks-in-part-to-the-rapid-mechanization-of-cotton-production-in-the/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“dark say: berthenia belle never forget the tongue hid name”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathleen-margaret/dark-say-berthenia-belle-never-forget-the-tongue-hid-name/) [Cathleen Margaret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathleen-margaret/) > [Throughout American history many of our social gains and much of our progress toward democracy were made possible by the active intervention of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-washington/throughout-american-history-many-of-our-social-gains-and-much-of-our/) [Harold Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-washington/) > [Modern Democrats aren't the first political party to abuse power - far from it. Obama isn'€™t the first president to abuse executive power -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/modern-democrats-aren-t-the-first-political-party-to-abuse-power-far/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Medicare and Social Security have created the healthiest and most financially secure generation of senior citizens in American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-walsh/medicare-and-social-security-have-created-the-healthiest-and-most/) [Jim Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-walsh/) > [The school curriculum today, particularly American history, is a shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-school-curriculum-today-particularly-american-history-is-a-shame/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“I used to walk out, at night, to the breakwater which divides the end of the harbor form the broad moor of the salt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-doty/i-used-to-walk-out-at-night-to-the-breakwater-which-divides-the-end/) [Mark Doty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-doty/) [Browse all 685 American history quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was ambushed by global warming advocates recently - no, they haven't given up - they asked me the same questions they always ask: \"What if you're wrong?\" and \"If you're wrong will you apologize to future generations?\" I always answer, \"What if you're wrong? Will you apologize to my twenty kids and grandkids for the largest tax increase in American history?\" They usually don't have anything to say after that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Inhofe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-advocates-recently-no-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American history" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-advocates-recently-no-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/james-inhofe-25511_american-history_when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-ad_1272143.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/james-inhofe-25511_american-history_when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-ad_1272143.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/james-inhofe-25511_american-history_when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-ad_1272143.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was ambushed by global warming advocates recently - no, they haven't given up - they asked me the…” — James Inhofe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Inhofe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was ambushed by global...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-advocates-recently-no-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/when-i-was-ambushed-by-global-warming-advocates-recently-no-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```