It's the Environment, Stupid

Aping the predictability of my pet Puggle Bailey, who jumps when she hears me go to the refrigerator, Republicans and their surrogates are quick to remind us that a devastating hurricane is not about global warming and shootings in movie theatres are not about gun laws. Do not be surprised if Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey is exiled by his party for doing the unthinkable, thanking President Obama for the federal government’s quick response to his flood devastated state.

The other side is not immune to its political biases and trumped up malarkey either. Maureen Dowd in her NY Times column on Wednesday actually hypothesized that Governor Christie, a Romney supporter, praised Obama so that he can run for president in 2016, rather than wait for a President Romney to retire in 2020, his appreciation being calculated rather than genuine. It is impossible to Dowd that Christie might have something more important than his career on his mind, like governing his state during an emergency.

If pundits and politicians politicizing everything turn you off, you are not alone. Christie, ever the straight talker, is quoted as saying about the upcoming election that it is the farthest thing from his mind; he’s got bigger fish to fry. Kudos to you Chris.

Whether you are one who believes that it’s the hand of God or simply nature that brought on this weeks Super-storm Sandy, well, like chest pains before a heart attack, you have been warned. Granted, I can foresee the lunatic fringe saying that it indeed is a warning from God, but for us to end abortions and gay marriage. Meanwhile, the godless, infidel, scientists will tell you it has something more to do with greenhouse gasses, melting of the polar ice cap, a thinning ozone layer and pollution, in other words; science. 

The only thing I am advocating for right now is sanity. From my earliest recollections until say my fortieth birthday I remember seeing the occasional hurricane, tropical storm and extreme weather on the news. Perhaps they were more common than I recall from back then, but one thing is for sure; it is only in the last fifteen to twenty years that we have had to deal with el-Niño, tsunamis, tidal waves and hurricanes that go further inland and causing this much destruction. Maybe climate change is not as devastating as Al Gore tells us it is, but I think we owe it to ourselves to at least try and find out. I just want to tell all the loonies that think climate change is a hoax, to stay away from doctors and hospitals too, what they practice there is science as well. Yeah, I flush my toilet too much, I don’t unplug my appliances when they are not in use and I drive a big car, in other words I am guilty along with everyone else. While we all have to do our little bit we need leadership. It is said that George W. Bush missed an opportunity after the events of September 11^th, 2001 to radically change the way we treat the environment and our reliance on foreign oil. It remains to be seen if President Obama can use this devastating Super Storm to move us forward on climate change. Here’s to hoping he does.