this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2023
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The graph from OPs link shows a significant drop off under Obama, a steep rise under trump, and then another drop off under Biden. Kind of follows the Dem-Rep seesaw I've been experience for decades. It's depressing that the Dems can't do more, but the reality is they are also funded by the deep pockets of the fossil fuel industry, Dems can barely hold onto majorities as it is, and voters vote for these morally weak candidates over and over. I'm really at a fuck-this-place, and fuck-all-these-people stage. The only thing I really regret is bringing a kid into this world. Just very selfish and narcissistic on my behalf.
Can't say I've ever related to a statement this hard for a while. It's all just a shitshow and we seem to be at the "fuck it, let's ramp this up to 11" stage of self-extermination.
meanwhile a third of the people are saying "oh we've got time, we just have to convince the people to come together and unify"
and another third that's saying "FUCK YOU I HAVE FIREARMS AND WILL ROLL COAL AS MUCH AS I WANT I WILL LITERALLY SPEW OIL! I AM ANGRY ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OF THE PAINT CHIPS AND LEADED FUEL EXPOSURE OF MY YOUTH AND ZERO HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE AND WILL PUNISH EACH AND EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING WITH MY EFFLUENCE."
We're stuck between kumbaya unity types and petrofascists meanwhile the world is COOKING.
Meanwhile the Shell, Exxon & BP execs are just happy no one's coming after them yet.
We already have critical mass in the US. We are the elephant leashed with a string:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32412-y
We just need to start acting and ensuring our decision makers know that the majority want them to act too if they value getting relected.
no we don't. we have half the population supporting a party that literally doesn't see a climate crisis and wants to keep pumping more oil.
Tell me how to get sane legislation passed in a two party system when half literally don't see any problem at all.
In the US, climate policy has more support than people believe:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32412-y
not enough to pass meaningful legislation.
From the article:
"While 66–80% Americans support these policies, Americans estimate the prevalence to only be between 37–43% on average."
I'd say 2/3 is more than enough. It doesn't all have to be at the national level. City govs could rezone to reduce car usage. State govs could give tax breaks for employees that telework.
the vast majority of americans support sane gun regulation but that's not happening either. I guess I have to explain how the GOP runs the house, and set the legislation to be passed up to the senate, and are on the take of the gun and petroleum lobbies?
really?
Again, it doesn't all have to be at the federal level. State and local governments can take action that would be impactful.
What these numbers mean are some of the GOP is going to have to flip or they will lose in the primaries.
What is the alternative other than complain about the state of politics?
The way I see it, we should take the wins that we get, and celebrate them loudly in the hopes that it will drive more wins.
this is already happening; see CA. But it's not going to be enough to stop the idiots from driving the bus over the cliff (odds are very good that the wheels on the bus are already going round-and-round in midair).
I'm glad you're optimistic, and not trying to bring anyone down, but from my perspective, we're gonna be arguing with the chuds and luddites until they literally cook.
I love the driving off the cliff comparison! My goal is to try to crash into the side of the mountain at a survivable speed.
I'm optimistic because I have to be. I'm a parent, so I feel it is my responsibility to do what I can so that my kids can have a future. They were born pre-trump. In today's environment, I would probably be child free.
Here is some good news. Chick-fil-A. Chicken production emits about 1/3 of the GHG than beef. I am well aware of their politics. They could have those politics AND serve mostly beef.
finally a metaphor that realistically responds to the crisis.
I want to find optimism. I have a teenager. I want them to have a better quality of life, but everything I'm reading and seeing points in the opposite direction and on a very short timeline. I hope I'm wrong. Genuinely.
We do?
Here in the United States the amount of electricity generated by coal burning has dropped by 50% in the last 20 years and in that same time frame renewable energy has more than doubled. Greenhouse Gas emissions per capita were lower in 2020 than they were in 2000 and we now generate more energy from renewables than we do from coal.
https://usafacts.org/topics/energy/
We can argue that the changeover to renewables isn't happening fast enough but "fuck it, let’s ramp this up to 11" isn't happening at all, it's actually quite the opposite.
one part of the population is trying desperately to change the course, the other is rolling coal, opening new wells, spewing gigatons of methane from their fracking operations and standing around with their thumbs up their asses wondering why it's so damned hot now that a dem is in office.
the people trying to change the course won't make a difference once the bus has gone off the cliffside mate.