The famous author Jonathan Swift (think Gulliver's Travels) wrote an essay in 1729 entitled A Modest Proposal. In this piece of pure satire, Mr. Swift addressed the issue of the Irish Potato Famine in a way that was brilliant and audacious at the same time. Mr. Swift, being Irish himself, had grown tired of the rich English and Irish dismissing the plight of the poor masses that were starving and dying, and doing absolutely nothing to solve the problem. Jonathan Swift uses satire, in the form of telling the Irish poor to sell the children to the rich so they can be eaten, as a way to draw attention to the fact that nothing was being done to help these fellow humans.
It is in that light and with that influence that I wrote yesterday's letter to the Republican Party. Of course, I want them to do none of the things I wrote in the letter, but rather the exact opposite. I thought that by using satire (or trying to think as they do) I might be able get them to see how ridiculous their continued opposition to a climate change policy and environmental protections really is. I remain baffled that in the face of so much evidence and growing threats, that those Republicans in elected office - and their subsequent private followers - cling to the teats of the major corporations of the country, especially the oil and gas companies. I cannot fathom their lack of interest in common sense when it comes to being stewards of the Earth, and their continued use of the tired and baseless argument that all this hurts jobs.
It infuriates me that Jon Huntsman, Jr. is the only Republican presidential candidate that believes that we need to accept climate change science and do something about global warming. Even more outrageous is the fact that the moderate portion (how small it may be irregardless) has allowed the conservative base of the Republican party push a candidate like Huntsman to the sidelines, so that only the most vehement deniers of man-made global warming are welcome at the front of the race. It is like reality doesn't matter to them at all.
I think we do need to have a debate about the proper way to deal with climate change and human interference with the environment, as I believe that helps generate ideas that work, but instead of joining in that discussion, the Republicans insist that there is no such thing and that the science is dubious and run by the "liberals". Instead of trying to help our generation and even more future generations, they are only concerned about the immediate impact to the pockets of their donors. Of course, Democrats are not immune from this practice either, but that issue will be addressed in the next post.
I would like to see the Republican Party come to the table with a desire to help, with a desire to think of others (born or yet to be born), and with a desire to actually get something done. I want to see them back off organizations like the EPA and stop using them as political footballs to get more points with their ever growing uber-conservative base. If they want to see this country move forward and remain number one, like they say in all their speeches, they need to stop pandering to these people who view life in some sort of alternate reality. The threat that we pose to the environment and the climate is real and we must legislate our actions to make sure that our children's children's children actually have a habitable, enjoyable, natural Earth to enjoy when their time comes. We can't keep passing the buck to the next generation. We must own our actions now!
If you agree with what I've wrote about here, please contact a Republican that represents your state in the House or Senate and tell them that they need to have a change of heart. Let them know that if they continue on their current course of inaction, they won't have a job at the end of the next election cycle. That might scare them enough to actually consider reality.
It is in that light and with that influence that I wrote yesterday's letter to the Republican Party. Of course, I want them to do none of the things I wrote in the letter, but rather the exact opposite. I thought that by using satire (or trying to think as they do) I might be able get them to see how ridiculous their continued opposition to a climate change policy and environmental protections really is. I remain baffled that in the face of so much evidence and growing threats, that those Republicans in elected office - and their subsequent private followers - cling to the teats of the major corporations of the country, especially the oil and gas companies. I cannot fathom their lack of interest in common sense when it comes to being stewards of the Earth, and their continued use of the tired and baseless argument that all this hurts jobs.
It infuriates me that Jon Huntsman, Jr. is the only Republican presidential candidate that believes that we need to accept climate change science and do something about global warming. Even more outrageous is the fact that the moderate portion (how small it may be irregardless) has allowed the conservative base of the Republican party push a candidate like Huntsman to the sidelines, so that only the most vehement deniers of man-made global warming are welcome at the front of the race. It is like reality doesn't matter to them at all.
I think we do need to have a debate about the proper way to deal with climate change and human interference with the environment, as I believe that helps generate ideas that work, but instead of joining in that discussion, the Republicans insist that there is no such thing and that the science is dubious and run by the "liberals". Instead of trying to help our generation and even more future generations, they are only concerned about the immediate impact to the pockets of their donors. Of course, Democrats are not immune from this practice either, but that issue will be addressed in the next post.
I would like to see the Republican Party come to the table with a desire to help, with a desire to think of others (born or yet to be born), and with a desire to actually get something done. I want to see them back off organizations like the EPA and stop using them as political footballs to get more points with their ever growing uber-conservative base. If they want to see this country move forward and remain number one, like they say in all their speeches, they need to stop pandering to these people who view life in some sort of alternate reality. The threat that we pose to the environment and the climate is real and we must legislate our actions to make sure that our children's children's children actually have a habitable, enjoyable, natural Earth to enjoy when their time comes. We can't keep passing the buck to the next generation. We must own our actions now!
If you agree with what I've wrote about here, please contact a Republican that represents your state in the House or Senate and tell them that they need to have a change of heart. Let them know that if they continue on their current course of inaction, they won't have a job at the end of the next election cycle. That might scare them enough to actually consider reality.
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