In case anyone hasn’t been paying attention, the worst threat Palin poses on a White House ticket is the threat she poses to the environment.
Palin doesn’t believe humans are responsible for global warming, even though her state has a front row seat as the Artic melts away.
Palin wants to drill through Alaskan wilderness for oil even though scientists have long concluded that the presumed oil there is negligible and wouldn’t become available at least ten years after discovery.
Palin has fought successfully against imposing stricter regulations on mining operations which pollute Alaskan streams and destroy the state’s most important international export: salmon. … If you like “wild caught Alaskan Salmon” you had better eat up now before Palin’s policies have you munching on iron ore and smelt.
And oh yeah, Palin is on record refusing to believe the polar bear is endangered.
Palin personifies the forces behind global warming and pollution: beaurocrats with their heads in the sand and pockets full of oil money.
Russia, being the maverick she is, is refusing to cap its greenhouse gas emissions. Isn’t that the most glorious news? But, seriously, Russia is really refusing to cap its greenhouse gas emissions. Ummm …
I mean, the world puts up with a lot of ridiculous bs when it comes to Russia. We allow her to think she is part of the G-8. We try to treat her like any other First World “Democracy”. We console her as she cries watching her old “allies” defect from the East and realign themselves with Europe, NATO and the US. We try to treat Russia as if it were on an equal playing field with the rest of the industrialized world. And everyone knows its a load of bull.
But the world cannot continue to play into Russia’s distorted self-image and allow the country to blow off initiatives to combat global warming.
We stand back as the country curbs free speech and intimidates and kills its journalists.
We look away as their leader consolidates power through thuggery and manipulation, as the government gobbles up industry and media - silencing any opposition through violence and imprisonment.
We remain neutral as the Kremlin conducts assassination attempts on its whistle blowing defectors in London.
We watch on casually as she threatens her neighbors (allies of the US) with war and expels foreign diplomats and makes trade deals with our enemies.
And we raise no flags when Russia bullies Europe by threatening to cut off its oil supply.
This can be tolerated no longer. Russia needs to be brought in line. As one of the most polluted places on earth, with 100+ acre “dead zones” due to industrial waste and mismanagement, Russia’s environmental policy effects us all.
The carbon and other greenhouse gases which Russia spews with abandon is breathed by everyone all over the planet - especially in the northern hemisphere. Their air is our air and vice versa. Get it?
Russia needs to fall in step with the rest of the civilized world and take steps to reduce her carbon emissions
Otherwise, we need to stop pretending that Russia is a friend, an ally, a legitimate power or a dominate player on the world stage. We need to stop pretending that Putin’s Russia is nothing more than an authoritarian state in capitalist drag. Bad capitalist drag.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Badawi, wants to put his country on the road to self-sufficiency by increasing domestic agriculture production. This is welcome news in the face of the food shortages sweeping the globe. All props to Badawi.
Global Warming - to - changing environments and landscapes - to - changing human behavior - to - emerging tribal and regional conflicts - to - shrinking energy and food supplies. Haiti feels the pain today. Who tomorrow?