Reflections, Observations, and Analyses Pertaining to the Canadian Political Scene
Saturday, August 5, 2017
The Fast-Approaching Abyss
While North American politicians give us either sunny platitudes or outright denials, the reality of the climate-change abyss we are quickly approaching should now be becoming apparent to even the most benighted among us:
The early onset impacts are already here and they're worsening. Right now fires from the mainland are blanketing the island with a smokey sky. There's a high pressure associated with those fires that's preventing clean Pacific air from clearing our skies. We're all hoping for a return to the prevailing westerlies - tomorrow, maybe.
Meanwhile Cap'n Cognitive Dissonance wants to speed up the extraction and export of the world's filthiest ersatz oil to Asian markets. He sends his condolences about the fires. Nice touch.
This is the time the world needs great leadership to address what is already happening. We need to protect our current citizens and ready the Canada we'll bequeath to those who follow us. Instead Junior tells us that the way forward is to go from a two pack a day habit to three. And his trained seals clap their flippers and squeeze the horn.
I begin to despair, Mound, over the failure of political leadership both here and in the United States. Both heads of state seem to know that the path of least resistance is what the majority of people want. They know that they are not real leaders, but as long as they have the majority onside with their 'do-nothing' approach to climate change, they are politically safe.
As for the average person, well, maybe I'm in a bit of a mood, but I doubt very many of them would be willing to make even small changes in their lifestyles, even with full knowledge of what is at stake. Eat one less meal of beef per week? Not on your life. Give up bottled water? No sir. Drive a little less? Uh, uh.
It's distressing how readily climate change is disassociated from government policy making whenever it becomes inconvenient, i.e. when the government might actually have to respond to it. We can't tank our illusory petro-economy so climate change will be shelved, that sort of thing. And you'll run afoul of the LPT* if you dare point out the hypocrisy and thereby make the Dauphin look bad in the eyes of his devotees.
It is those devotees who will have a hard time ever accepting a few inconvenient truths about young Justin, Mound. You can bet he's counting on their ongoing infatuation with him.
The signs are everywhere, Lorne. Those who deny climate change would also claim the world is flat.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to live in a time when ignorance is considered a virtue by some, Owen.
DeleteThe early onset impacts are already here and they're worsening. Right now fires from the mainland are blanketing the island with a smokey sky. There's a high pressure associated with those fires that's preventing clean Pacific air from clearing our skies. We're all hoping for a return to the prevailing westerlies - tomorrow, maybe.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile Cap'n Cognitive Dissonance wants to speed up the extraction and export of the world's filthiest ersatz oil to Asian markets. He sends his condolences about the fires. Nice touch.
This is the time the world needs great leadership to address what is already happening. We need to protect our current citizens and ready the Canada we'll bequeath to those who follow us. Instead Junior tells us that the way forward is to go from a two pack a day habit to three. And his trained seals clap their flippers and squeeze the horn.
I begin to despair, Mound, over the failure of political leadership both here and in the United States. Both heads of state seem to know that the path of least resistance is what the majority of people want. They know that they are not real leaders, but as long as they have the majority onside with their 'do-nothing' approach to climate change, they are politically safe.
DeleteAs for the average person, well, maybe I'm in a bit of a mood, but I doubt very many of them would be willing to make even small changes in their lifestyles, even with full knowledge of what is at stake. Eat one less meal of beef per week? Not on your life. Give up bottled water? No sir. Drive a little less? Uh, uh.
It's distressing how readily climate change is disassociated from government policy making whenever it becomes inconvenient, i.e. when the government might actually have to respond to it. We can't tank our illusory petro-economy so climate change will be shelved, that sort of thing. And you'll run afoul of the LPT* if you dare point out the hypocrisy and thereby make the Dauphin look bad in the eyes of his devotees.
ReplyDelete*LPT - Liberal Purity Test.
It is those devotees who will have a hard time ever accepting a few inconvenient truths about young Justin, Mound. You can bet he's counting on their ongoing infatuation with him.
Delete