Climate Change, an Update (You're Lucky to Get This Post)

Due to a full dead week here at Iowa State and a more than overloaded Blogger named Moi (not actually my name), I wanted to dive into a topic that I really care about: Climate change.

As we all know, world leaders are lined up in Copenhagen today to make non-committal and probably weak agreements regarding the future of our planet and while I know this is slightly hyperbole, it really isn't.  Here's a video about the event.

While the fanfare is all well and good, I do have to address Alex K's fear: what if we reach the tipping point?  For those of you without nerd-like knowledge of the topic, the tipping point is the point where the climate has changed enough that the effects are irreversible.  According to a recent article on NPR, the public's concern for climate change is dwindling (though not by direct choice) and with industrialized nations hesitant to jump into concrete goals for carbon emissions reductions, it seems more and more every day like the tipping point is a real possibility.

So my question for you is this: what's next?  What is the best move politically and socially for you and I and the government to take in order to prevent this catastrophe?  Is it President Obama enforcing emissions reductions on his own now that the EPA has ruled that greenhouse gases are a danger to human life?  Is it coddling Congress into another slow and arduous "bipartisan agreement" on climate change?  Should we even leave the decision to the flawed logic, swiftboating, and PR funding of climate skeptics vs. science and reason showdown?  What is next for the administration and for you and I?

Feel free to leave your comments at the front desk.

That Do-Nothing President of Ours

I'll admit, may heart may not be completely happy with the way this year has gone, but my head certainly is.

First, the points where I disagree with President Obama and the reasons why my head is okay with it:

1. Escalating the Afghanistan Occupation - We went in there, we let a crazy man go, he's back for more.  We simply cannot turn a blind eye to that.
2. Compromising on HCR - Yeah, I'll say it.  I wanted socialized health care like France.  But, we're not gonna get it and what we're gonna get will certainly be better than what we have.
3. Delaying Climate Legislation - Though Alex K believes we'll reach the climate tipping point, I disagree.  I think that even though we delayed action, Obama will take it upon himself to act quickly and decisively and urge Congress to do the same when this one hits the table next year.
4. Forgoing the NBA Draft in lieu of another term - The man's good, but he needs to work on his D for sho.

At the same time that these are grievances, they all demonstrate the same thing: the man is taking action.  In fact, according to a recent Slate article (courtesy of John B), the man may be one of the most effective presidents in history.

I agree completely with the sarcasm brigade that Obama hasn't done anything yet.  In terms of tangible, signed policy, he hasn't done much of anything.  But kids, politics is about momentum, and the O has it.

The highlights:

• The most successful (already) run for Health Care Reform in the past 60 years
• Unprecedented transparency (check recovery.org in the links on the front page)
• Prevention of an almost certain economic depression
• Fledgling climate change legislation
• Rehabilitation of America's international image

Now get pessimistic.  HCR hasn't passed!  Jobs haven't turned around yet!  Muslims still burn American flags in effigy!  I know the arguments, I know the plot points and they all boil down to this: the man isn't perfect.

But this is where I get optimistic.  Yes, Jamaal Tinsley should have taken the lay-up instead of the finger roll.  Yes, Nathan Fillion and Joss Wheadon should have taken Firefly to another channel.  And yes, Sandra Lee should be kicked off of the Food Network.  But none of these things happened and yet Iowa State was a 2 seed for the only time in history, Firefly is a cult classic, and the Food Network still has Alton Brown.  People are imperfect, do the best they can, and things still can turn out for the better.

So go ahead, call me blind.  Call me unrealistic.  The point is this: we have a man in the White House who cares enough about this country to compromise to make it better.  He isn't a purist and he isn't an overnight success, but what he is is a man whose plans are working for us.

Feel free to leave comments at the front desk.

Obama's Failing? Afghanistan Edition

Thought of the day from John B:

There has been much breath-holding and nervous excitement as the Obama Administration considers General McChrystal’s request for 40,000 additional troops for Afghanistan.  Today word is leaking tout that instead of simply rubber stamping one of four options provided by the military the President wants a thorough analysis of what works and doesn’t about our current Afghan policy, possible scenarios for using our resources differently for better results, and a withdrawal strategy.  Considering the facts of steadily declining popularity for this war among Americans (under 50% now), high cost in money and lives, an extreme desire on the part of Afghans for us to leave, and results that have been almost nonexistent since removing the Taliban from Kabul almost 8 years ago and the wisdom of this approach is obvious.  The Washington press corps has naturally decided that this represents an extreme political risk for Obama.  That’s right, once again they’ve decided that one plus one equals the square root of two, or perhaps something else from this family http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irrational_number

.  Hey, David Frum said it, Fred Kagen said it, Rush said it, when have those guys ever been wrong?

Hit the nail on the head, as usual.  Once again Barack Obama's messed up but this time in Afghanistan despite the wisdom of such a thoughtful approach toward a high stakes war.

Thanks John!