What's Roiling Democrats

I listened to a podcast by three left-of-center NY Times columnists where they discussed the issues "roiling" the Democratic party's coalition. They went over foreign policy and economics and domestic issues like immigration and crypto and all kinds of topics. But they never once mentioned climate change. Not even the environment. This tells us something about how effective the "climate movement" has been. It's never a polling question, it has no "constituency", it is not, despite all the alarming reports, an "issue" with voters. It will take catastrophe to change anything here in the U.S. That might not be so far down the road. “Florida-focused property insurers, they are really at the highest level of danger,” Mr. Manyem said. Those companies, he said, are likely to have the hardest time getting new reinsurance policies, too." An opinion piece titled "America is Walking into an Economic Storm" never mentions climate change. All about the aging population and AI and bah blah. It is written by an econ-science MIT prof who won this years Nobel Prize. For him, climate change doesn't exist as a threat. Without having watched it, I guarantee the FOX news interview of Harris had no mention. Disavowal: I know it is true but I act as if I don't. Trumpism cannot be blamed for this obliviousness, though it helps legitimize it. Most people understand at some level that there will be a cost to decarbonization and they don't want to pay it. So much easier to kick the can down the road so you can keep buying treats for yourself. It's the economy stupid.

Unacceptable Violence

The NY Times is shocked that there are groups on American college campuses advocating armed resistance for the Palestinians. For liberals who want "human rights" and "social justice", any talk of violence or using "any means necessary" to achieve that aim is unacceptable. Over the top. Beyond the pale. Just to be clear, I am no fan of Hamas and don't believe their attack on civilians was a wise tactic. Just as the bus bombings and other acts of terror were tacticly destructive. But we can't expect traumatized prisoners to behave strategically. What is most glaring, once again, is the insane hypocricy, the double standard that justifies actual genocide while excoriating rhetoric. It is the rhetoric which offends Zionist sensibilities and makes some Jews feel unsafe. And it is now unacceptable to have a Jew feel unsafe. Lots of white people feel unsafe around Black people, but that is the fault of Black people and their "tendencies". I know, it's hard to keep this all straight. The violence and armed incursion of Zionists, dropping bombs on neighborhoods, sniping kids from roof tops, bulldozing homes etc.. gets a tsk tsk in the NY Times and calls for a ceasefire. If Within Our Lifetime has a provacative chant, Israel has exploding pagers which kill and maim innocent bystanders. Collateral damage is now the strategic objective. Tsk Tsk.

Missing Costs and Class Belonging

“The focus on inflation and the economy seems to be driving a reluctance to talk about emissions reductions,” he said, adding “They’re missing the costs of climate impacts.” A study published in Nature earlier this year estimated that climate change-fueled weather disasters will cost the global economy $38 trillion per year by 2049. Those who might read this blog understand the issue with unacknowledged, unaccounted for externalities. I have stressed the point that cost has nothing to do with price. But the problem extends to the arena of language itself. If there is hegemonic understanding around the meaning of a word like "cost" ( ie. the price of a good or sevice) and it purposefully leaves out much of the actual meaning (ALL the impacts) , you now have cognitive dissonance. An empty signifier designed to confuse. And an ambiguity that negates discourse as such. Which reinforces the power structure in a most subtle, I would even say elegant fashion. Without language there is no resistance. It's all gobbledygoop and people talking past one another. Mission accomplished! Here is a quote from Jacobin magazine on the definition of working class: "Using the college degree metric, the working class is less white and female than the rest of the population." College degree metric? Even the self-described "left" has pathologized language and doomed its own project. Why not describe hair styles of the working class? Or preferred vegetables? It does the same work.

More Green Capitalism

At the invite of Missoula climate activists, Bill McKibben is coming to the annual Climate Expo. Given the increasingly dire climate situation, it will be interesting to see what tone he adopts. For decades he has led the "since we can't do anything about capitalism, let's not bring it up" camp. These folks don't want to put off the average Joe so they avoid the C word and focus on the wonders of The Paris Accord and The Inflation Reduction Act. An Electric Vehicle in every garage! But a sober assessment would show a planet not just stuck up Shit Creek but headed over the falls. Because profit. The Paris Accord is words on a document. The IRA is giant subsidies seeking low-risk investment. But instead of Market Miracles harnessing technological wizardry to save our bacon we see accelerating market failure. Forget the obvious protectionist tariff war with China -whch totally undermines de-carbonization. Look to eel grass. Capitalist profiteers want to dump lime in rivers to create carbon sinks ( how much CO2 does it take to mine and transport lime?) Meanwhile, a natural carbon sink, eel grass, is disappearing at a frightening rate due to the effects of industrial civilization. Fossil Fuel emmissions are increasing, energy demand is increasing, global extracivism is increasing and "overshoot" of 1.5 is certain. Because profit. As for that great movement Bill Mc Kibben inspired, Democrats now boast about presiding over the oil boom. From the NY Times: "Democrats feel no pressure from the environmental movement or young climate-minded voters." Kind of says it all.