The voting issue of our time
[I began my journey into herbal teas as a way of addressing concerns for my person wellbeing. Loving-kindness begins with oneself but eventually emanates to the world at large. This post is me emanating to the world at large]
As I sit here staring at my mail in election ballot my mind harkens back to an evening a little more than eight years ago when I felt as much despair as I’ve ever felt. For many years leading up to that night I had put all my energies into working for a livable world, for sound climate policies that would move the world towards post fossil fuel future. That night an individual who promised a drive toward a future totally antithetical to the planet’s wellbeing was elected President of the United States. Instead of decreasing carbon emissions into our atmosphere we would get “drill, baby, drill”. Instead of a livable planet, we would get greater reliance on dirty energy strategies. It felt very close to game over. I’m still not convinced that it wasn’t or isn’t so.
It wasn’t long after that agonizing night that I saw evidence of my worst fears. As I recall, the first brick to fall was our backing out on our commitment to the Paris Climate Accords. Soon, references to climate change began disappearing from the EPA’s website, emission standards for oil and gas companies began to loosen, research on climate friendly agricultural was emphasized , and auto fuel efficiency were loosened. All efforts that would gladden the hearts of oil and gas executives the world over.
The 2020 election felt like a reprieve. A new, more climate friendly administration was voted in. One of Biden’s first moves as President was to get us back on track with the Paris Climate Accords. That was a nice and expected opening move but even so, my fear was that we didn’t have the political climate that we would need to make up for the lost four years of the prior administration. Then came the Infrastructure Act and the Inflation Reduction Act and its investment mechanisms to move us closer to a fossil fuel free future. They were moves in the right direction but it’s only a down payment. We have a long way to go if we are going to avoid the worst of it.
So now a new election is upon us and echos of 2016 are pounding in my ears. Our wannabe dictator is again singing the “drill, baby, drill” refrain. The “braintrust” behind him are threatening to reverse any progress that has been made. We can’t go back. We must move forward with ever increasing speed and resolve. As much as this coming election is a fight for democracy it is more importantly a fight for fight for the well being of civilization on this one and only planet we have. There is no other issue in front of us that is as important.