Simply put, I wish that I could say yes ... that the 2010 election does not have the potential for undermining our already horribly weak fiscal system, for deepening the incredible gap between haves and have-nots, for worsening our blind rush into the looming crash of Peak Oil, for cementing our spiraling descent into catastrophic chaos, for ...
Let me be clear, despite some tremendous appointments and some great actions, the Administration has fallen short on too many issues. In the face of the devastating situation when he entered office and the Republican "Just Say No" to everything style, the actual achievements are not to be discounted.
If, come next Wednesday, the Republicans take the House (and, even worse, the Senate) the progress since the 2008 election will screech to a halt in Washington -- on issue, after issue, after issue.
FOR ACTION: Act Blue for Climate Heroes
What might we expect?
- Climate Zombies in powerful positions -- able to slash budgets, call hearings, force investigations ...
- Federal employees -- political appointees and career appointees -- under direct and implicit threat of investigation.
- A gutting of the Federal government, with serious budget cutbacks in valuable program after valuable program, with potential government shutdowns.
- A House (a Congress) dominated by fossil foolish dirty energy advocates, enraptured by a "Drill, Baby, Drill" wet-dream fantasy fetish.
- Time for continuing (if not increasing) the Bush Tax Cuts on the Unborn with seeking paths for working Americans to subsidize the most garishly wealthy.
- Open doors for lobbyists, who have the chance to put ink to paper for Congressional legislation.
- Two more -- if not even more -- years lost for Congressional action to foster a prosperous, climate-friendly society.
And ...
What is sadly impressive is how broadly the Republican 2010 candidate class is anti-science (Climate Zombies, doubting evolution). How captured they are in a delusion that Obama is "socialist". How they condone (if not encourage) violence in the political process that is too reminiscent of Brown Shirts in 1920s Germany. How enthusiastic they are in embracing separatist movements (or at least their sympathizers). How they are so hateful. How they are ...
Most fundamentally, how divorced they are from the very real problems that threaten the possibility that my children will have a viable shot at a healthy and prosperous future.
Blindness to the real potential from clean energy, energy efficiency, the Steel Interstate (railroads) ...
Rejection of Peak Oil's threats ...
Climate Zombie Anti-Science Syndrome Hatred Of a Livable Economic System ...
Very simply anti-science syndrome sufferers threaten lives ... including my (and your) children's lives.
Sadly, when I think of the question "could the stakes be higher?", the only logical response is NO.
GOTV and
FOR ACTION: Act Blue for Climate Heroes
Do you want U.S. to be stomped?
PS: Yes, I could the potential of nuclear war annihilating us quickly ... or the entry into the White House of a Sarah Palin ... life will continue when the polls close Tuesday night, but a few percent one way or another in the poll results could let us know whether another nail has been pounded into the coffin of America's future or whether paths will be open to actually confronting our challenges and seizing the opportunities those challenges create.