At his first public appearance following his coronation as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump emitted ominous vibes regarding environmental protection.
Speaking to a coal mining-oriented audience in Charleston, West Virginia, Trump promised to rollback regulations of their beleaguered industry to counter the rash of bankruptcies and staggering loss in jobs. It was a pledge that would do miners no favors. If existing constraints on mining pollution and workplace safety were relaxed, life would be tougher for coal mining communities than it is now, which would be no mean feat.
Even with current regulatory safeguards, miners are dying at relatively early ages from lung diseases contracted by extended exposure to coal dust. Moreover, Trump's promise to revive the coal industry is a cruel fiction for unemployed miners. The industry is shrinking not because of environmental regulation but because of competition from cheaper natural gas, depletion of major recoverable seams in Appalachia, and workplace automation.
Nor did Trump display any recognition of the need to wean ourselves off coal and transition to renewable energy to reduce the carbon emissions fueling global warming. In fact, he denounced his democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, for applauding the gradual phase out of coal mining jobs. Actually, she was celebrating the looming opportunities for miners to switch to a safe, clean, renewable energy industry. That industry, which is an important part of the climate change solution, already employs 10 times the number of workers in the coal fields.
Trump's environmental shortcomings evidenced in his Charleston speech did not end with coal. He ridiculed the importance of greenhouse gas emission reductions by criticizing President Obama's use of Airforce One and its substantial fossil fuel consumption.
He caustically chafed at restrictions on the stratospheric ozone shield-depleting chemical emissions in his hair spray, complaining that his apartment was totally sealed so no pollutants could escape.
Trump has displayed a tendency to adjust his position on policy issues to conform to the composition of his audience. For example, the current big-time champion of coal back in 1990 publicly stated that workers should quit the mines because of black lung disease.
Trump is thus likely to modify some of his extreme environmental views when he addresses what he perceives to be a more moderate audience. But in this day and age of the ubiquitous presence of electronic devices and social media, a candidate cannot get away for long repeatedly issuing contradictory statements. To persist leads to eventual alienation of both sides of the controversy.
In the general election, the media needs to pin down Trump on his fluctuations. Why not start by adamantly refusing to accept evasion as his answer to the following questions.
Mr. Trump, do you still believe climate change is a Chinese hoax, President Obama may not be an American citizen, and anything short of an Election Day victory is a waste of time?