It really matters what our representatives think about science, that they doubt, deny and refuse to act on science, that they can’t reckon with facts or add them up. Natural forces will come for us regardless of what they think; they’ll come for our bodies, our relatives, our country, our civilization. Corporate greed and government inaction are heading us for disaster. Racial pride and vanity will collapse before the forces of nature.
Scientists tell us the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets are collapsing faster than expected. That reveals the existing damage, but, since ice reflects much of the sun’s rays, it also means there is less ice to reflect the sun, more and faster global warming, and changes in the ocean currents that drive both droughts and storms. We are headed for disasters that are Biblical in proportion but too many of our so-called leaders can do no more than mouth bromides about God helping us. I thought God helps those who help themselves but those self-important fools think that only applies to the poor.
I voted for Biden and would prefer him to any likely opponent but he has decided that the people would not tolerate his saying no to the Willow project in Alaska which will pump still more gas and oil for burning and put the carbon they create into the air to speed up the warming of our planet that doesn’t need any more warming. Heaven forbid we get serious about protecting ourselves from global warming and deal with all the various sources of the problem.
I’m happy to see some cities and municipalities bringing lawsuits to have energy companies compensate taxpayers for the increased cost of maintaining roads and fighting forest fires because of the effects of climate change. The Supreme Court even agreed to leave those cases in state courts where they’ll do better than in the federal system.
Roads and forest fires are a small fraction of the costs of protecting ourselves against global warming. I’d also sue the energy companies for the cost of rebuilding levees, relocating homes and offices, retrofitting heating, cooling and kitchen equipment and the electrical grid. I’d love to see them prosecuted for murder, but it makes sense to start with a smaller, more winnable case. Enough. It’s time we get serious like we did on cigarettes except this is more urgent and more important. It’s time to save our families, parents, siblings, children, grandchildren and their friends too.
It will take multiple tries until we get the formula that works in front of the right judges and juries. But I’m tired of waiting, watching and praying.
A preacher I debated quoted Pogo that we have met the enemy and he is us to conclude it’s not fair to go after the big shots. But it’s not fair to let babies, children and each other starve, choke, burn and die because we won’t solve the problem while they’re still alive. Big shots are the ones with their hands on the controls. They have the power and the tools. It’s our job to make sure those tools get used to turn off the fossil-fuel-to-global-warming pipeline – pronto. The politicians job is to cushion the burden on labor, the poor and the vulnerable.