The White House just put out a video about why President Obama is going to Alaska next week. I tried to watch it. I made it exactly 3 seconds into it before I had to turn it off.
I had to turn it off because when the title card comes up, it says, "President Obama's trip to Alaska: the front lines of our fight against climate change."
I had to turn it off because I know that President Obama approved Shell's permit to drill for oil in the Arctic seas north of Alaska, and the title of this video shows that he just doesn't get it.
Talking about the "front lines" of climate change, like there's a war happening in some place like Afghanistan from which Americans need him to bring us video so we can see the effects, shows that he's completely out of touch with the disaster he's bringing to our doorstep every day he refuses to confront and contain companies like Shell.
The front lines are in Alaska, sure. But, they are also right in our faces, everywhere else.
The front lines are all up and down the West Coast, where wildfires are burning out of control, and where, if you include Canada, 11 million acres have burned or are burning, and "wildfire season" doesn't start until next month.
The front lines are the Pacific waters, where a toxic algae bloom, possibly driven by warm waters or ocean acidification, is causing sea lions to have seizures, and possibly killing whales through domoic acid poisoning.
The front lines are California, choked with drought.
They are the Gulf Coast, where a dead zone is smothering the life out of the seas.
In Siberia, where it looks like doomsday.
In Iran, where they had a 176-degrees-Fahrenheit heat index last month.
On Greenland, where the ice is melting.
At the North Pole, where the ice is melting.
On Antarctica, where the ice is melting.
On the whole planet, that's hotter than its ever been.
And in your White House, Mr. President, where you were the top recipient of Shell's campaign contributions.
And yes, Mr. President, in the American Arctic north of Alaska, where you gave Shell permission to drill.
Mr. President, every climate scientist worth the name has told us that 80 percent of the carbon that fossil fuel companies have in reserve has to stay in the ground, including 100 percent of the carbon in the Arctic--where you gave Shell permission to drill. That oil you gave them permission to pump out of the ocean and into the air will kill our future.
We don't need you to fly over the pristine landscapes where your lack of action is about to destroy everything that's beautiful, like George Bush flying over New Orleans after Katrina.
We don't need you standing in front of a calving glacier promoting your timid climate policies that stay off your campaign contributors' toes.
We need you to lead. And if you're not going to Alaska to revoke Shell's permit, then please, Mr. President, just stay home.