Obama Goes Hawkish: Failure To Respond To Threat Of Climate Change, ‘Would Betray Our Children...

[ProSense]

Obama Goes Hawkish: Failure To Respond To Threat Of Climate Change, ‘Would Betray Our Children And Future Generations’

By Joe Romm

Obama went all climate hawk on America in his second inaugural address (full text here). These are, I believe, his longest and strongest remarks on the subject in any major national speech, let alone one of this import:

We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.

The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/01/21/1475231/obama-goes-hawkish-failure-to-respond-to-threat-of-climate-change-would-betray-our-children-and-future-generations/

[kestrel91316]

1. It remains to be seen whether this will translate into actual action

that is not blocked by the nutters.

[randome]

2. His three priorities are guns, immigration and climate change.

If he keeps his focus on just those three, and manages to make headway on them, it will be a successful 2nd term.

I think the GOP, falling by the wayside the way they are, will have no choice but to acquiesce.

[raouldukelives]

3. So awesome!

Hopefully we can start doing small things soon to deal with it. Maybe putting a limit on the amount of events that can be held at stadiums, airline flights, adding a 60% tax to Capital Gains to make the people who got us here start paying to fix what they have broken and of course, create a million new jobs adding solar panels and growing organic food at the golf courses converted into sustainable farmland.
After that, we can start thinking about doing something big.