I don’t exactly expect the Democrats to be much better, but I hope I’m wrong. Maybe we need some pitchforks!
A new study published in Nature suggests that climate change is even worse than scientists had previously anticipated, upgrading the forecast from “dangerous” to “catastrophic.” According to the study’s authors, temperatures are currently snared in an upward spiral: As earth gets hotter, the heat prevents sunlight-reflecting clouds from forming, trapping more heat and further exacerbating the problem. The result could be a temperature climb of 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.
The alarming report follows yet another confirmation, this time by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that humans are almost indubitably the drivers of climate change. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed concern, stating that “if this isn’t an alarm bell, then I don’t know what one is. If ever there were an issue that demanded greater cooperation, partnership, and committed diplomacy, this is it.”
But the unnerving escalaton in climate change is unlikely to be abated without significant U.S. support—and for the time being, the Republican Party insists on stonewalling any efforts to offset the human-caused warming process. Given that the U.S. is the second biggest contributor to climate change, its participation in any international resolution is absolutely vital. Yet with one major political party blocking such support, the odds seem increasingly likely that 2100 will, indeed, bring with it a “catastrophic” increase of global heat.
Republicans just want to see the world burn. Actually the 1% doesn’t give a shit if the world burns, because profit, and Rethugs (and the DLC) will give them anything they want. I guess they figure their billions will buy them all the air conditioning they need. Just like the claustrophobe trying to open the door of a plane in flight, they will kill us all if not stopped.
To blame our plight solely on the Republicans isn’t wise. There are more than a few elected Democrats who want us to keep burning fossil fuels and heating up our atmosphere. Let’s call them right wing, pro-corporate Democrats. Why just the other day on December 13th these Democrats, who support Hillary for president, attacked Senator Elizebeth Warren for being too liberal. They assailed her for pushing tax hikes on the rich and increasing Social Security benifits. These pro-corporate Democrats constantly muddy the waters on all sorts of issues. Like Bill Clinton did at the new mayor of New York’s inaguration yesterday. He spoke about “income inequality” when he knows damn well that the real problem is “wealth inequality.”
Give up on the federal government doing anything constructive regarding climate change. With the exception of maybe 15-20% of the Democratic representatives being truly progressive, all the rest of elected federal officials exist to serve Global Corporate Capitalism. To meet its fiduciary responsibility, Global Corporate Capitalism is more than willing to destroy the world and most life upon it, if this would lead to one more nice quarterly profit statement.
Your best individual actions to try to moderate the climate? Start composting and work the finished product back into the soil. That will get some carbon back into the ground. Grow some perennial plants, especially trees. Their growth helps take carbon dioxide out of the air, and the trees do their level best to try to keep the water cycle going.
The only way to attack the problem of climate change is to mentally secede from this failing empire of a “country”, to take actions in our own lives which are “life friendly”, to look for other people who are doing the same thing, and to develop associations with them.
That is more than you will ever see from our failed federal government, which is now nothing more than an order taker for whatever Corporations want.
To get a good sense of what +7F means, it helps to remember that the last Ice Age was minus 7-9F. Global averages like that smooth out the huge implications at any given latitude.
Way too many people, not just Rethugs, don’t want to understand it because doing something would cost them a few hundred dollars this year.
The Hippies were “right on” in 1962 and that hasn’t changed a thing in plutocratic circles. The “Death of the Hippie” funeral held in October 1967 signaled what the furure would bring. “We wanted to signal that this was the end of it, to stay where you are, bring the revolution to where you live and don’t come here (to San Francisco) because it’s over and done with. ” The 1% still felt so threatened in 1969 that in August of that year that sent Charlie Manson to kill off Hippie once and for all. Shortly thereafter Disco became the rage. Peace, but “bring the revolution to where you live.” Visit city hall early and often and raise your voice.