How Do We Break The Climate Taboo In Presidential Debates?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 12.21.07
That producers and moderators of US Presidential debates have thus far largely excluded climate change as a suitable topic seems to be a growing source of irritation. Check out this video from What Are They Waiting For? Questioners in the sanctioned debates seem to just ape each other's easy-shot questions, avoiding Climate policy like it were a really nasty taboo. Here's the stat from What Are They Waiting For.
The climate crisis will be the biggest challenge facing the next president. But the top Sunday hosts don’t seem to think so.In 2007, they have asked: 2275 Questions; 3 mentioned global warming
Also, we heard today about an organized effort by the group Draft Gore NH to write Al Gore's name on the primary ballot, primarily because he would help break the climate change "taboo."
Via Encarta a Taboo is something:
1. socially or culturally prohibited: forbidden to be used, mentioned, or approached because of social or cultural rather than legal prohibitions
Via::What Are They Waiting For? Image credit::Monkeys As Critics, Gabriel von Max, Netslova
Because not everyone is a 'warmer'.
The really hard and pointed questions do not get asked of these people. They probably know the questions ahead of time or know the general ideas or are prepped or whatever.
Questions I'd like to see asked are -
What new sort of tax incentives would you be willing to bring about for those who wish to implement alternative energy solutions to power and heat their homes?
What sort of incentives would you be willing to bring about to spur innovation in alternative energy for transportation?
What sort of incentives are you willing to provide for utility companies who implement solar and wind to provide electric power?
Are you willing to help beef up rail infrastructure for freight and passenger transport?
How much do oil and coal lobbyists pay you? (OK no one will answer!).
Stuff like that. I think going towards more common ground will get things rolling.
The immigration hullaballoo sprung up out of almost no where. And now it's a big issue.
The same needs to be done to get ourselves away from fossil fuels and pumping noxious fumes into the air and bad chemicals into our waterways.
You say global warming and a lot of people still say , yeah yeah whatever.
But you say, hey buddy, wanna save a few (million) bucks here and there and you have a bigger potential audience. Like I've said over and over, the participants of this and like minded boards get it, ... Joe Sixpack out there does not and needs to have it put in terms he/she can understand or at least be willing to listen to.
Happy Friday!!
vsk