by Debra Jacobson
Several weeks ago, a friend of mine, who lives in South Florida, told me that she was considering voting for Mitt Romney in the Presidential Election – the first time that she had considered voting for a Republican for President. Her stated reason was that she thought that “change” was needed. Although I understood the economic challenges experienced by my friend immediately following the 2008 economic collapse, I responded that the changes embodied in Romney’s economic and budget policies were not in her best interests. In fact, I strongly believe that Governor Romney’s policies on a wide variety of issues — ranging from health care and Medicare to financial regulation and women’s issues – are adverse to my friend’s best interests.
As an adjunct professor who teaches energy law and policy, however, I am most knowledgeable about the adverse impacts of candidate Romney’s proposed policies on energy and environmental matters, particularly his dangerous views on climate change. Although Romney was a strong supporter of incentives for renewable energy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when he was Governor of Massachusetts, he has flip-flopped on these issues in his effort to win the Republican Presidential nomination.
As I watched the TV footage showing the devastating impacts of Hurricane Isaac battering the Gulf Coast, my anger about Romney’s proposed policies has intensified. Even if a single storm can’t be definitely connected to climate change, the leading scientists of the world agree that climate change increases the risk of extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall.
My message to my friend is now clear – one type of change you can count on with Mitt Romney is UNRESTRAINED CLIMATE CHANGE! And the effects of unrestrained climate change will be disastrous to South Florida. This is a particularly serious issue for my friend, whose major equity is her ownership of a condo on the South Florida coastline.
At a climate change conference sponsored by Florida Atlantic University in June 2012, scientists emphasized that South Florida has more people and property at risk from rising sea levels than any state in the country. And even before such change, scientists have warned that Florida coastal residents could expect increasing damage from hurricane storm surge and flooding, rising insurance rates, and shrinking freshwater supplies as sea water rise taints coastal wells. And Florida taxpayers will bear the costs of modifying local infrastructure to address these problems. For example, the City of Hallandale Beach, Florida is considering a plant to drill new wells several miles inland at a cost of three million dollars – a very large investment for a city with a $100 million dollar budget.
And, of course, I would ask my friend to think about the debt that Mitt Romney wants to leave to our children and grandchildren – not only the debt of a budget plan that does not add up – but also the debt of squandering our planet (including our beautiful beaches) and leaving the exorbitant bills to pay for hundreds of billions of dollars on more seawall barriers and other costly infrastructure improvements that may not even provide protection from the eventual storms.
When Governor Romney denigrated President Obama’s efforts to protect the planet from sea level rise in his acceptance speech at the Republican Convention and stressed that he would protect families instead, his comments were both wrong-headed and immoral. Only someone who had spent his week immersed in the bubble of the Republican convention would issue remarks so insensitive to families who had been forced to escape through rooftops because of rising waters from extreme weather. Only someone who ignored the tenets of the major religions of the world (including his own Mormon faith) requiring us to be “stewards of the earth” would reject that precept that is intended to protect our families and future generations.
Debra Jacobson is a Professorial Lecturer in Energy Law at The George Washington University Law School. She also is President of DJ Consulting LLC.
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the climate has been changing some 10000 years already ..
why think we can reverse it with politicians, who, like obama, cannot even close a goddamn prison?
The reason that President Obama has been unable to close Guantanamo is that the Republican majority in the House refuses to fund the closing which will cost millions of dollars to relocate the prisoners and shut the facility down. It does have far fewer people in it- many of them probably innocent and waiting for trial for many years. Afghan drug lords turned many of these people over to the US for huge rewards.
Oh no, Luke, it’s because Obama intends keeping the entire apparatus of state ‘ánti-terrorist’ terror alive and growing. He’s the true heir of GW Bush and the neo-cons, as is Romney. Once again, ‘no choice democracy’, although Obama is by far the more effective dissembler.
Romney doesn’t care about the future. He believes that he and his family will be singing hymns up in Mormon heaven by the time things get rough. In the meantime, he’s fine with some of the rabble getting culled.
They think that they are ‘entitled’ to food.
Actually, “moxy,” I do think that – though it’s hard to argue with your logic of drawing a parallel between Guantanamo and climate change. Oh wait, it’s not hard to argue with that at all, because it makes zero sense.
“Stewards of the earth” has become
“Stewards of their worth”.
I don’t think that this change was caused by reading dyslexia. I blame Ayn Rand who said it was OK.
Not so fast moxy; Politicians are suppose to represent “WE the PEOPLE” and they do not. Case in point: ~75% of the population is in favor of stronger green energy options yet many of those politicians are beholden to ecocide fossil interests. Those interests are looking at their bottom line not Earth’s Life Support Systems that humanity, (i.e. you), is beholden to.
As for climate changing, true, but not appreciably for the last 1000, 10 k or even longer for modern man. No major ones that were conducive to humans. Please support assertions with data.
One of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court’s favourite aphorisms was, apparently, ‘Those people who own this country are going to run this country’, and nothing has ever changed. Indeed the dictatorship of the insane and venal rich has never been more firmly entrenched.
The Charter of the Forest comes to mind; the stewardship of the commons as opposed to individual ownership; the fundamental human right to graze my swine wherever acorns and truffles are plentiful; to harvest wood for my fire wherever wood is to be found. John Jay’s aphorism is an obvious reference to the voterShip = landOwnerShip that existed in his time. My class continues with our struggle for the former – losing, at the moment.
Moxy, you can go back to your usual denier websit now we don’t play your games here
@Leif – Case in point: ~75% of the population is in favor of stronger green energy options yet many of those politicians are beholden to ecocide fossil interests.
What are your sources?
Climate Progress has done posts. Look around.
The only figures I found were for Latinos and African Americans – and the numbers are a majority (just above 50% to 60%). I don’t seem to be able to find the 75% report you claim. When you find it, please post a source.
Unrestrained climate change? Isn’t that going to happen even if Obama is re-elected?
Although comprehensive legislation to address climate change was not approved by the U.S. Senate (following passage by the House of Representatives) in 2009 and 2010, the Obama Administration has implemented numerous energy efficiency and renewable energy policies that will reduce greenhouse gases substantially. Among the most significant policy is the recent final regulations that increase the fuel economy standards to 54.5 miles per gallon. Other aggressive policies include the U.S. Defense Department’s initiatives to increase renewable energy, substantial research, development, and demonstration funding for clean energy, and various financial incentives to promote renewable energy.
Barring a miracle. Let us pray…
Thats a good photo of the earth….