While our immediate attention is rightfully focused on the mortal danger neo- fascist demagogue Donald "Rump" Trump poses to both the nation and the world, let's keep in mind a critical underlying issue for the planet that this election will impact:
Conditions that are melting Arctic permafrost there recently thawed the carcasses of deer felled by anthrax some 75 years ago, when World War II raged. Warmer temperatures then reactivated the infectious disease, which can survive in hibernation for decades. Dozens of people have been hospitalized, half of them children, with eight confirmed cases and one death. Making matters worse, a heatwave combined with the anthrax outbreak may have killed more than 2,300 deer—new ones.
As apocalyptic as this development may seem, it’s perhaps the least worrisome byproduct of warming near the top of the earth, which is heating up the fastest. Retreating ice and softening permafrost, both in the Arctic and elsewhere, have already begun to yield other curiosities and dangers, some of which can do a lot more damage than a pile of dead deer...In addition to seeing that Rump never sets foot in the Oval Office, it is just as important that the next President have a Senate (and dare we hope, House?) that is prepared to forcefully address global climate change here and in conjunction with other nations. Such an agenda would match with the wishes of the American people:
The general public is way ahead of Congress — a recent poll found that 76 percent of Americans said they believed global climate change is occurring, including 59 percent of Republicans. And 67 percent support President Obama’s plan to regulate power plants to cut carbon emissions. (our emphasis)Oh, yes, Congress:
Following the second straight year that earned the title of hottest year on record, 59 percent of the Republican House caucus and 70 percent of Republicans in the Senate deny the scientific consensus that climate change is happening and humans are the main cause. There are 182 climate deniers in the 114th Congress in 2016 — 144 in the House and 38 in the Senate. According to the U.S. Census, that means 202,803,591 people are represented by a climate denier in Congress. (our emphasis)Let's resolve to "retire" as many of these Republican shills for the fossil fuel industry as we can this November. Electing sane, progressive Democrats like those below can flip the Senate and foster the kind of policies on global climate change that are critically important to our future. Please consider supporting them in any way you can (and all your down ticket Democrats!):
Russ Feingold (WI)
Maggie Hassan (NH)
Tammy Duckworth (IL)
Ted Strickland (OH)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Jason Kander (MO)
Katie McGinty (PA)
Patty Judge (IA)
Catherine Cortez Mastro (NV)
Deborah Ross (NC)
(h/t friend and friend of the blog P.E.C.)
