Wednesday, June 01, 2016

TEMPERATURES RISING IN CALIFORNIA

Temperature is climbing here in Southern California in more ways than one as we near the June 7th 2016 presidential primary voting day.

Daily News reports some citizens have already cast their ballots in selected early voting -- "a relative tsunami" -- almost five times the number in 2012 -- as the Los Angeles Country Registrar's Office announces a total of 57 people voting on the first day of early voting.   11 Kiosks are expected to be scattered about the county for early voters.   Ballots for voting-by-mail continue to be distributed, completed and mailed-in. 
This is just my county (population estimate July 2015 --10,170,292) and there are 58 counties in California.


Still no rain in our area.   We're greatly relieved though ... news accounts on Huff Post Green report The Donald has acquired a full grasp of our drought situation and is quoted as saying, "There is no drought!"   Climate change likely doesn't exist either.   Now my dilemma -- what do I believe?    My lying senses, perceptions and real life experience, science, or what my wanna-be esteemed leader tells me?  His outlined energy policy plan depends heavily on reducing environmental regulations and expanding U.S. fossil fuel exploration.  All of that does little to increase the amount of rain falling from the sky, but what do I know -- I hear his voice now:  "Let there be water!"   His followers echo:  "Amen!"

"Hillary Clinton says she has been following California's water issues from "afar" and as president would be open to having the federal government involved in long term solutions to benefit cities and agriculture."  She "... declined to specifically address ... water deliveries to the southern part of the state"...."I  am going to support, as strongly as I can, a process of Californians to reach the kind of conclusions and there is a role for the federal government to expedite that, to support that, I certainly will be open to it," Clinton said.  There is little doubt she recognizes climate change.  This was an interview by  Conan Nolan, NBC News.

Bernie Sanders is quoted in The Tribune as saying, "...the federal government could help Californians manage the drought by pushing for “sensible water conservation practices” and helping in any way possible. Drought is a byproduct of global warming, Sanders said, so the most important way the federal government can address the problem is by being “aggressive” in phasing out fossil fuels and pushing for alternative energy sources.

"We have got to acknowledge that climate change is already doing devastating problems in this country and around the world,” he said. “You’re already on the cutting edge of that. Some parts of this country don’t perceive that.”

This is just one issue of special interest to Californians and other states affected by drought.  Of course, the whole nation is affected by our drought as described in this Climate Progress article "California's Drought Could Upend America's Entire Food System" by Natasha Geiling.

There are no easy answers.   I want my next President to be a person who understands that and is best able to facilitate a sane, sensible, environmentally sound resolution.  



 





10 comments:

  1. Good luck with getting that kind of President lol. What a time we live in is all I can say about any of it!

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    1. After a couple of centuries or twenty-four decades our way of government continues to be an experiment in progress it seems.

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  2. Interesting post. I was happy to see Governor Brown as well as a lead environmental group endorse Hillary. Weather matters to us all as does the climate. Bernie should stay out of CA politics. The last thing CA needs is Washington.

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    1. I hope any national environmental standards that might be established will not water-down what we have as has sometimes been proposed.

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  3. I think it is quite clear which party's candidate is most likely to meet your criteria.

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    1. I agree, but often people do see things differently.

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  4. I just can't imagine anyone in this day and age questioning climate change, and in particular the drought in CA! I lived briefly in Fresno (about 3 years while going to school) in the early 70's. Beautiful state. But you certainly have your share of environmental concerns, with drought and fires being major issues.

    Wish we had national standards allowing early voting. Some are threatened by it, although I don't understand how you can go wrong giving folks every opportunity to cast a ballot.

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    1. Global warming, climate change denial is, indeed, hard for me to comprehend, too. Another example of curious beliefs -- I understand the Flat Earth Society has rejuvenated a bit in recent years though membership numbers are few -- so far!

      The mishmash of voting requirements from state to state certainly can be confusing, even discouraging some individuals from voting, I expect.

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  5. You address some very serious issues. How long can our country continue to ignore the effects of climate change, and fail to update our infrastructure? I don't see help on the way. The country is paralyzed by fear, hate, and anger. I don't see a leader I think can bring about much change. How about we wipe the slate clean and ask for a new group of candidates and see if they're any better.

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    1. You make an important point that our infrastructure is in dire need of updating. I think expecting a leader to bring our nation's people together may be unrealistic -- this is a task each of us must do with one another. We can fantasize that wiping the slate clean would resolve our problems, but only in Wonderland!

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