Speaking as a social studies educator with some 20 years experience now, it seems to me that the purveyors of climate change/global warming have been hysterically screaming "societal change before it's too late" in order to get by subterfuge what they can't from the electorate on a voluntary basis. This of course being the Utopian society that is envisaged by all socialists.
My question: How close have we come to stepping off that cliff and are we teetering so far now that even a quick reverse may not be enough to forestall the destruction of our sovereignty?
Your assessment is absolutely right in that they use the 'hysteria/fear' in order to sell the scheme, (much like Paulson, Bernacke, Bush and now Geithner and Obama did for selling bailouts, I might add), but I disagree that 'they can't (get) from the electorate on a voluntary basis' part. It seems they can, and have in this last election. Sure it wasn't all about 'being Green' but that is a big part of their support.
To answer your question 'how close to stepping off that cliff?', I think we're in free fall, "base jumping" without a parachute right now. IMO, we've achieved the 'critical mass' voting block of the number of Americans who are dependent upon Gov't either by working for it at the Fed, state, local level, contracting with it in business and universities, or are getting direct entitlements, that there is no turning back.