If you tuned into the two conventions, you witnessed only a brief mention of one of the most startling distinctions between the parties and candidates. It is also the issue that worries me most as a citizen of the US and world. Global warming is here, it is man-influenced and we better be planning to do something about it.
The title of this post references the first part of a quote issued by Governor Mitt Romney in his acceptance speech. After uttering the line “Obama is pledging to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet,” he noted “my promise is to help you and your family.” I will set that aside for now, as most of the GOP positions on issues will actually be more harmful to average families than good. Yet, if we at least believe he believes what he is saying, in the context of ignoring what everyone else on the planet is seeing about global warming, are Romney and the GOP really helping “you and your family?” And, when you add gutting the EPA, it makes the question asked even more important.
On the flip side, we did hear the President mention climate change in his speech and address the increased miles per gallon (mpg) standards on new cars and moving to alternative energy, natural gas, and clean (he did use that word rather than cleaner) coal. He also mentioned keeping the air cleaner while doing this, which I interpreted as a reference to keeping the EPA sound. But, I wish he had been more direct, as he is “on the side of the angels” on this argument. Gutting the EPA is about the most ludicrous course of action imaginable.
As a former Republican who left the party in 2006 in part due to their ostrich-head-in-the-sand stance on global warming, I have been troubled by how far behind we are on this issue. Germany is ten years ahead and China is ahead of them on eco-energy planning. Germany will be 80% alternative energy powered by 2030 and we will still be getting our act together, unless we develop and execute a bi-partisan plan. We have a lot of success stories, but we seem to hide them and not celebrate our local and regional eco-energy solutions. I was stunned to learn we have wind power in 38 states, e.g.
I also am amazed by the many hypocrisies in my former party which lead me to question the veracity of Romney’s quote. His quote was meant in an economic context and was an attempt to belittle the President for trying to do the right thing to combat global warming while taking his eye off the ball – again that is a subject for other posts. Yet, a sound eco-energy strategy in light of the global warming crisis is extremely critical and is most definitely looking out for you and your families.To do otherwise is poor stewardship and will harm the fiscal and physical health of those families.
In my mind, the GOP is more concerned about you before you are born than after you are born. After you are born, you are free to load up on automatic weapons and 5,000 rounds of ammunition, you need not worry about health care because you cannot afford it after they kill Obamacare and gut Medicaid and you need not trouble yourself with the EPA imposing air and water pollution standards on corporations because they are people, too. The fact that the Koch Brothers have about 100 pending violations imposed by the EPA and that the petro-chemical and oil/ gas Industries are the biggest polluters on the planet and have caused more illnesses and deaths than they would care to admit adds up on the side of the ledger that has “More Concerned with Profits than Your Family” as its title.
What it comes down to is the GOP cannot admit publicly what they know individually that global warming is happening and is man-influenced. The seas are rising, yet the state led GOP legislatures and its presidential candidates cannot admit that they are accelerating. In NC, the GOP led legislature would not accept an audited report that said the NC coast would see a 39 inches sea rise by the year 2100. They would only accept a report looking backwards (this is a metaphor for taking the country back) that projected only an 8 inches increase by 2100. Stephen Colbert lampooned them for literally holding back the tide with legal briefs.
There are many stark differences between the two parties and campaigns. To me this is a huge stewardship issue and the GOP is failing the test right now. I would argue by denouncing climate change, deferring eco-energy planning, accelerating fossil fuel development, and gutting the EPA is not a “promise to help you and your family.” I believe it is a promise to make money for the funders of the GOP effort. I guess I am naive to think we should look out for our people, but to hear a GOP convention crowd stand and applaud for comments like these is offensive and not in the best interests of our citizens.
I don’t want to leave people with the impression Obama is doing a huge amount in this regard. He is doing some good things, but he needs to lead us to doing more. He needs to make this a very visible issue. We need an eco-energy plan that will survive his term. But, even with his not doing enough, to vote in the R&R team would truly take us backwards and we would lose even more time on global warming planning and the EPA would lose its ability to govern the polluters. So, on this issue, it is a stark contrast between the move forward or backwards. And, we cannot afford to move backwards on this as we are late in the game already.
musingsofanoldfart 
Of course I’m in total agreement. Romneys visit to the coal fields promising more oil and gas exploration says it all. I took Romney’s comment as a slam at the generally loftier goals of Obama than the more specific global warming/rising of the oceans.
Great post.
Thanks Barney. I think you are right about the loftier goals sleight.
The really disturbing thing is not that the GOP says it will help families by ignoring global warming but that a great many people believe it will happen! Thanks for your usual good, solid blog!
Thanks Hugh. People believe what they are told by their chosen leaders. I was catching up on a few of your posts as you wrote this.
Yes, unfortunately we believe what we want to believe — and most people don’t want to believe that the planet is in serious jeopardy.
Good post. You are right on the mark.
From a pure economic prospect, protecting and preserving our natural resources is a conservative -Teddy Roosevelt level concept that smart men like Gov. Romney agree with. Only a moron would think it was a bad idea to harness the energy of wind, solar, tides, burning waste or refined algae , and Gov. Romney is no moron. If renewal energy use could reduce waste and potentially reduce consumption while generating a new job or two, a good businessman would be all over it. Add the fact that a profit could be made and you have a capitalist fantasy taking place on someone’s pants.
Gov. Romney knows what China and Germany have known for years – “In the world of energy, either you’re spending money or you’re investing money”. A smart nation never wastes it’s assets nor limits it’s asset base. A smart nation would never continue damaging their nation if it was confirmed that action catalyzed by man/woman-kind were contributing to the damage. Even if the damage was only 1%, an intelligent adult would take action to stop the damage and reverse the consequence. Gov. Romney is mature enough to know this.
Humans like all creature, have an impact on their environment. Comments from smart business people to the contrary should be dismissed as political hackery. America deserves a full airing of the best way to maximize our energy portfolio and reduce the negative impacts on the one-and-only planet we
Great comment. I agree he should know better. Yet, he may be doing what he is told by significant funders. I very much like your more detailed post on eco-energy. Thanks, BTG
I think we all need to bear in mind that both candidates are saying what they are told to say by their “significant funders.” They may not believe a word they say. But they remain beholden to those funders in the end. And that’s the problem!!
Agreed.
Great post. I missed all the fun of the Democratic convention! I notice that you mention Germany in your brilliant, data-driven fashion, so silly me for trying to inform you about their great work in my last comment. But it was quite striking to see it in action from the train in the tiny villages. Wind turbines and solar panels were everywhere!
I appreciate your comments. You know I think the wind turbines are elegant giants. Some people here speak of how unattractive they are. My answer is they are prettier than an oil derrick. And, my favorite Bill Maher line is “do you know what happens if a wind mill collapses in the ocean? – a splash.” Thanks for stopping by as always.