Over the past week, we have all seen the climate-related disasters in Texas and Oklahoma, which have been repeatedly struck with floods and tornadoes. Television news reports have shown the devastation to the state's cities and towns and relayed the suffering of the victims to our living rooms.
Although our first instinct may be to send federal aid, I think liberals-and President Obama-should at least temporarily hold out on that. A real argument can be made that the state of Texas has brought its problems on itself and should be made to enact reforms before receiving federal assistance. In particular, Texas officials should have to acknowledge the existence of climate change and start implementing measures to combat it, including curbs on the fossil fuel industry.
My Gut Reaction: You wouldn't give money to a crack head on the street. Why would you send money to a state suffering a climate related disaster if they refuse to acknowledge climate change?
Analysis below the fold...
Given that mountains of scientific evidence have failed to persuade Texas and other red states to acknowledge climate change and move toward reducing reliance on fossil fuels, I believe some tough love is in order. If the politicians and people of Texas and other red states are going to continue pursuing environmentally unsustainable policies and pushing those policies on the rest of the country. As Michael Shank of Climate Nexus has pointed out, even though Texas has made strides towards sustainable energy, the State Senate, led by fossil fuel industry funded Sen. Troy Fraser, is eliminating subsidies for sustainable energy.
Nor is Sen. Fraser alone in his wrong headed attitudes toward climate change, which seem to be systemically held throughout the Texas government. Governor Greg Abbott, for instance, has not only denied the existence of climate change, but also kowtowed to the fossil fuel industry by signing a law prohibiting fracking bans only a few days before the flooding started.
This stupidity is only going to change when it is made clear to Texas and other red states that if their governments continue to pursue policies that damage the environment, the rest of the country will not subsidize them in dealing with the damage.
Some will object that we shouldn't make a disaster political in any way. Like it or not, climate-related disasters already are political. Political decisions regarding fossil fuels have contributed to environmental degradation. Texan politicians, enabled by Texan voters, have enacted policies which have ensured the continued progress of climate change. Any help from the federal government should be contingent on that stopping.
Otherwise, let them ask the fossil fuel industry to help them rebuild.
