My father always argued U.S. elections take too long, distorting discussion of real issues. I think he was mostly right. Every day, more than 10 months before the elections, we hear too much the latest poll numbers from the media. But I have given up arguing that case and am just going to pile on the issue that concerns me most as well as relate it to the 2024 election.
Despite poor poll numbers, President Biden, I believe, or hope, will win, but even more importantly, that Congress will radically change with legislators who are serious about governance gaining a meaningful majority. In fact, without having to worry about another election, President Biden in a second term might become more and more focused on the climate emergency.
I do believe the issue of preserving democracy will continue, in fact, be an increasingly potent issue. I believe most rational people deep down value democracy and the lengthy period of elections may help bring out that vote and most will realize the current favorite for the Republican nomination is strongly anti-democratic. I also believe the pro-women movement supporting their right with the help of a doctor to decide whether they should bear a child, will help President Biden.
There is a third reason why I hope a rational decision to elect more serious candidates for the president and Congress will occur. I haven’t heard this following source of hope articulated well, if at all. The election of the current frontrunner for the Republican nomination and his MAGA supporters will be a disaster for the worldwide fight to save life on Earth and reduce carbon emissions.
Think about this reason, the IPPC, Paris Accords and the general U.N. consensus set two target dates by which to reduce emissions sufficiently to save the world from disasters, 2030 and 2050. Even with real, relative carbon reductions recently, the world is behind schedule for meeting the 2030 goal. If the current favorite for the Republican nominee for president is elected, his term of office runs from January 2025 to January of 2029. In that case, the prospects for the U.S. tradition of world leadership in dealing with this world emergency, are dismal at best. The former president bowed out of the Paris Accords, shut down 125 government sub agencies dealing with climate, and gutted by executive order, many regulations limiting emissions, etc.
Recently, I spent an afternoon ‘googling’ the former president’s words and actions. Try it. From a ‘Chinese hoax’ through ‘dig baby dig,’ this self-proclaimed greatest environmentalist who values clean air and water, lowered regulations on fossil fuels, etc., and argued climate change did not increase forest fires, raise sea levels, make hurricanes more powerful, etc.
My hope for defeating the former president comes from a coalition of Earth lovers, youth from primary school through graduate school, young and older parents and grandparents, especially those who experienced World War Two. This coalition will vote for those who sense there is a climate emergency, which requires politicians and governments to take it as seriously and effectively as we did the challenge of fascism. This commentary is dedicated to Seth Klein’s “A Good War, Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency” based on how Canada and eventually, America, responded to the fascist challenge.
Harris Webster is a retired teacher, member of Vermont Interfaith Power and Light board of directors and lives in Montpelier.
