The climate bill blame game has begun. When I first started writing this post about the so-called death of the climate bill, I literally pointed the finger at just about everyone, including myself. The anger poured out, and I was frank in my assessment as well as unforgiving in the motives behind this latest setback.
After I was done with my self-loathing tantrum, the kids ran in the door from camp and I was swept up in the lovely reality of my family's banter. It is summer, so the pace in our home is a bit more relaxed in the evening. We aren't quite as quick to rush through dinner, toss the kids in a bath, and then march them off to bed. Ice cream and extra cuddles are relished, and I am reminded each year at this time why I do this job.
Later, after progeny were tucked in, I went back to my draft blog post to spruce it up. I reread my rage, disappointment, and irrational ramblings and was embarrassed. And I asked myself "What good is all this blame going to do?"
At the end of the day, it is my kids -- and your kids -- who lose when we implode. If you think kids have a lot to say about their parents now on Dr. Phil, can you imagine what our children will say in 50 years should we fail to get our act together?
The country should be ready for this. The facts are on our side. As we witness the worst industry-caused environmental catastrophe in our history, the worst coal mining disaster in 40 years, and sweat through the hottest first 6 months of any year on record, it is clear that there's never been a more urgent time to move forward with a smart clean energy and climate plan.
Unfortunately, the politicians just aren't there. At every juncture during this debate, a minority, led by the Republican leadership and supported by a few impressionable (I might say pathetic) Democrats, has obstructed the opportunity to solve America's energy problems, preferring to leave the worst polluters and the big petro-dictators in control of our energy policy, while tax-payers are forced to pay for their messes.
Oopsy ... there goes that blame again. Let's focus on what we can do next.
Hope is not lost. Of course, the closer we get to the midterm elections, the more challenging passing a bill becomes. Still, it's not impossible. In fact, the Senate has passed almost every single bedrock environmental law in the fall of an election year or in the "lame duck" session following an election. Here are just a few examples:
o Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) - 1996 Amendments: 8/6/96
o Food Quality Protection Act: 8/3/96
o Energy Policy Act of 1992: 10/24/92
o Clean Air Act of 1990: 11/15/90
o SDWA - 1986 Amendments: 6/19/86
o CERCLA (Superfund): House 9/23/80, Senate 11/24/80, POTUS 12/11/80
o Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA): 10/21/76
o Toxic Substances & Control Act (TSCA): 10/11/76
o SDWA: 12/16/74
o Clean Water Act: 10/18/72
o Establishment of the EPA: first proposed 7/9/70, established 12/2/70
o National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): 1/1/70
o The Wilderness Act: 9/3/64
As this list demonstrates, the Senate and the environmental movement are no strangers to passing major legislation right before -- or just after -- an election.
I don't want to overpromise success. This is an uphill battle. But if you and I show up to every town hall, rally, spaghetti dinner, and other rituals of election year and fight for our kids ... fight for our country ... fight for our America ... we can turn the tide. Without that kind of passion, we will all lose. That's an outcome we must try hard to avoid, on behalf of people, communities, large and small businesses -- oh, and our kids, sleeping peacefully or playing happily around the country.
In the meantime, we must also protect what we already have, like a plethora of state laws and the federal Clean Air Act. I recommend reading David Doniger's blog on Switchboard today that really outlines how we can make progress with the tools we have right now.
In coming weeks and months, we must continue to push forward for a strong, clean energy and climate bill, just like we have done countless times in the past. I am done with blame. History is on our side. Are you?
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My hesitation is that by capping carbon emissions in the US or California only, this will really make a difference without addressing global climate at all.
I totally understand the principle but without the entire world sacrificing for twenty or more years now, right now this second, for the possibility of changing a 200 year human industrial stretch on a 4.5 billion year old planet and fix it within 50 years just does not plausable.
The world is going to use economical fossil fuels until the price makes it more economical to use other forms of energy making. By making fossil fuels artificially expensive only in the US now only punishes we the middle and lower class Americans for a goal uncertain.
And what do you recommend? do more of the same. Instead of this guilt trip how about some real solutions, local solutions, creative solutions. But please leave your personal guilt trip at home and spare the rest of us.
Once the Dems get squashed in Nov. there is NO FREAKING WAY they'd DARE attempt to pass ANYTHING of substance.
If you don't know that you're delusional in the extreme.
400 parts per million of carbon has recently been found to be the Arctic Tipping Point, which could conceivably endanger everyone. We are approaching 390 ppm and adding 2 ppm each year. The safe limit is 350 ppm. If we are truly about 5 years from a life threatening cataclysm leadership needs to emerge - fast!
According to one scientist, a very thin oil film on the surface of the Atlantic and Arctic oceans that could spread from the Gulf, threatens to raise temperatures toward the catastrophic Tipping Point.
It seems possible to effectively attack the problems we face only with a monumental effort on a wartime scale.
If the threat is real, renewable energy systems that can be deployed in time should rapidly be produced on a 24/7 basis. Congress should check the facts without delay - and if confirmed, provide whatever incentives are necessary to make that possible.
See What to Do! at http://www.aesopinstitute.org The subtitle is: A 5 Step Program to Improve the Odds We Will Survive the Oil Disaster!
Little known and hard to fathom breakthroughs involving radically new energy technologies can help to supersede petroleum much more rapidly than might be readily understood or believed.
See Moving Beyond Oil on the same Aesop Institute website.
If the threat is confirmed, each of us might initiate whatever action we can to prevent catastrophe!
Consider that the life you save may be your own!
The What to Do! article at http://www.aesopinstitute.org was just updated and I try to keep that piece current.
As time permits I write new comments. Will try and do that more often.