Is Global Climate change a bipartisan issue?

Question

I seriously don't think that Global Climate is a Bipartisan issue. This is a human issue that we cannot ignore. I know libertarians and radical democrats who can sit around the table and agree on Global Climate change. Can you convince me otherwise?

Answer 1

I think you mean to say that it IS a "bipartisan" and not a "partisan" issue, don' t you?

You mean to say that people in both major political parties can agree on how important it is?   That makes it "bipartisan," and issue that can appeal to BOTH of the big parties.

Personally, I think you're more hopeful than I am.  I think most conservative Republicans have been ignoring this or denying this for a long time, mostly because of the influence of the oil and coal companies on the Republican Party.

OTOH, Senator John McCain has been talking about global climate change for several years now.  And now such GOP politicians as Gov. Arnold Schwarznegger of California, Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City all have taken up the cause as well.

I think the Democrats on the whole have been better on this issue than Republicans have -- but not all Democrats, unfortunately.  

Senator Robert Byrd, from coal-rich West Virginia, is one Democrat who played a key role in keeping the US from signing the Kyoto Treaty in the 1990s.   With his state's economy heavily dependent on coal, it's not clear whether Senator Byrd is now going to work for progress on tackling the climate issue - or whether he'll try to block it.

Representative John Dingell of Michigan, who has long been a power in the key House Commerce Committee, is another Democrat with ties to an industry that has a bad record on climate change.  

Rep. Dingell basically represents the Detroit area, and over the years he's helped to keep the Detroit auto companies from having to face higher mileage standards for their cars, SUVS and light trucks.

Senator Barrack Obama, whom I favor for President, unfortunately comes from coal-rich Illinois.  In the past, he's supported "coal liquefaction" as a way of turning coal into a replacement for oil and gasoline -- an idea that most scientists believe would make GW much, much worse.

So I hope Senator Obama, on this one issue, will hurry to change his mind.

I agree with your main point, though.  

With the Arctic sea ice melting in the summers, with the Greenland glaciers starting to speed up on their paths to the ocean, and with "extreme weather events" such as big hurricanes, big droughts, unusually severe floods and big wildfires threatening many important agricultural areas worldwide -- this really has become an "human issue," and not one that should be ruled by partisan politics.

Republicans and Democrats, libertarians and believers in government regulation, people of all religions and political philosophies -- let's take action on this global threat before it's too late.

We can always find plenty of other things to fight about - but on this one, let's unite and solve the problem, soon.

Answer 2

Well, the problem is that we humans are divided along just such lines.  The socially responsible sector say we should all pull together, whereas the "me first" sector say we should all pull in their direction.

There is too much at stake for the selfish to rely on their goodwill.  We need left wing, pro-environment governments to be voted in NOW or we are up the creek without a paddle.

Let's get campaigning.