Category Archives: politics

The “fiscal cliff” and the climate cliff: Tom Toles

A month ago the environmental Time reporter Bryan Walsh, commenting on Paul Krugman and the fiscal cliff, laid out the basic equivalence between these two crises, one manufactured, the other real:  The fiscal crisis and global warming are both, to put it bluntly, problems for tomorrow. Even if Congress can’t come to an agreement toContinue reading “The “fiscal cliff” and the climate cliff: Tom Toles”

An emerging environmental/minority climate coalition?

In the Nation, Mark Hertsgaard outlines the possibility of an emerging majority coalition composed of minority and environmental voters: "Just as Latinos overwhelmingly supported Obama over Romney, they also—along with African-Americans, Asian-Americans and youth of all races—demonstrate the highest levels of support for action against climate change and air pollution, according to extensive polling data.  InContinue reading “An emerging environmental/minority climate coalition?”

How to start a conversation: David Brooks

David Brooks, the conservative columnist for The New York Times, can be irritating to a Californian:  During his first term, President Obama faced a wicked problem: How do you govern in a highly polarized, evenly divided country with House Republicans who seem unwilling to compromise?  The GOP did not "seem" to be unwilling to compromise.Continue reading “How to start a conversation: David Brooks”

McKibben stands up for the climate against Obama admin

Bill McKibben vs. Obama administrators: In March, 2009, the White House invited leaders of environmental organizations to a meeting. The invitees thought they were going to hear about the president’s strategy on climate change, in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in December. And they did — aides to theContinue reading “McKibben stands up for the climate against Obama admin”

The one-liners of election night 2012 (mostly comedy)

Seems like we've been hearing a lot of pissing and moaning about the horribleness of the election season; well, now that it's over and the President and a lot of other decent people have carried the day, may I confess that I've rather enjoyed it?  Here are just some of the lines of election nightContinue reading “The one-liners of election night 2012 (mostly comedy)”

Why Romney deserved to lose: Daniel Larison

Daniel Larison writes a fitting political epitaph for Mitt:  Romney represented almost everything that was wrong, misguided, and self-destructive in the Republican Party and the conservative movement. His defeat is a good outcome for the cause of peace and liberty in the country as a whole and within the Republican Party. The public rejected aContinue reading “Why Romney deserved to lose: Daniel Larison”

Cutting government in a time of “natural” disasters

Krugman has some words for it (Sandy vs. Katrina):  Consider, in particular, the history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Under President George H. W. Bush, FEMA became a dumping ground for unqualified political hacks. Faced with a major test in the form of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the agency failed completely. Then Bill ClintonContinue reading “Cutting government in a time of “natural” disasters”

Will Ventura County’s Prez-picking streak continue?

Ventura County is one of just eight counties around the country that has picked every winner of the Presidential contest since Warren Harding successfully (with one exception — l976). Timm Herdt, the reigning political writer in this parts, hints that the streak may continue:  In early 2008, Democrats overtook Republicans to gain a plurality amongContinue reading “Will Ventura County’s Prez-picking streak continue?”

Climate change is like leprosy to the GOP: Untouchable

When Timothy Egan is good, he is great:  Climate change is to the Republican base what leprosy once was to healthy humans — untouchable and unmentionable. Their party is financed by people whose fortunes are dependent upon denying that humans have caused the earth’s weather patterns to change for the worse. From, of course, TheContinue reading “Climate change is like leprosy to the GOP: Untouchable”