Election Issues Today

There are many problems facing the new U.S. President, Barack Obama, but perhaps no problem presents more FAR REACHING consequences than climate change. President Obama is in a position to initiate policy changes that will be evaluated not just by the generation now being born, but by the children and grandchildren of the next twenty generations; indeed, if the human race even survives another twenty generations, about 400 years

Affect on arctic and antarctic areas: Melting of the Arctic icecap will result in a true “northern passage,” a summer time ice-free route from Europe to Asia and to the west coast of the United States. This could occur in a couple of years; even a year-around route will eventually be possible.

Affect on agriculture: Temperature extremes affect all sorts of crops that are now grown in America’s food belt. Drought will drastically reduce corn and other summer agriculture crop production. Warmer temperatures will reduce avocado harvests in California, as well as destroy the wine-growing areas in that State. The desert areas of Africa and Asia and North America will increase in size, further limiting agriculture production.

Affect on marine life: Water temperatures are so critical to habitat, and wild salmon in the Pacific, Lobster off the coast of New England, and Rainbow Trout in southern areas of the USA are all being devastated by warmer waters. Other trout species, like the Bull Trout, are even more sensitive to water temperature variations, and warm water will stress ALL these wild populations into extinction, another blow to the food supply. Jellyfish, which thrive in warmer and more saline waters, are invading coastal areas, evidenced by THOUSANDS of Jellyfish stings, which are increasing each year.

Affect on insect life: Insects will thrive; their range and habitat and diet will expand. Forests are already being destroyed by Spruce Bark Beetles and Pine Bark Beetles which used to be kept in check by cold winters. Hot dry spells also encourage increased breeding of mosquitoes.

Affect on wildlife: Grizzly Bear, Mountain goat and Bighorn sheep are negatively affected by smaller alpine habitats, particularly in the U.S. Glacier National Park area. Polar Bears are dying from lack of food; often resorting to cannibalism. They are also drowning from fatigue as the size and number of ice floes decreases. This situation also negatively affects penguins. Walrus too, are having difficulty with breeding and feeding cubs, and often strand the cubs on small ice floes. Brown Bear become aggressive when hibernation is delayed or shortened due to warm weather and they often become victims of civilization encroachment, and are shot when they seek food.

Enough. You get the idea. What the World and America has lacked in the past ten years is the Political Will to acknowledge the science, accept the evidence, and pay the price that will be required to “slow down” the global climate change process initially, then stop it, then reverse it. This will require GENERATIONS of humans with governments that are willing to change their priorities.

This is the real game of Survival. This is the real “war” to be engaged. There is no room for squabbling over the affairs of politicians, bankers, and the other myriad and trivial pursuits of mankind.

President Obama just completed his first foreign visits since his election. By all accounts he made a positive impression. The entire World looks to the United States for leadership. If the United States does not lead, the World’s governments falter and fumble around, looking for direction. Whether or not the World’s civilizations as we know them survive global climate change may well depend upon the WILLPOWER exhibited by Barack Obama, the U.S. Congress, and the American people and industry over the next EIGHT YEARS.

If nothing is done, it will be TOO LATE. The process of climate change is accelerating in geometric proportions. Some scientists warn that we have already passed the point of no return. Other scientists say that is “alarmist thinking” and they say, “Yes, We Can.” We still have time if we ACT aggressively and in concert with ALL the nations of Planet Earth.

In the wake of an overseas trip, that by most all accounts was a resounding success, U.S. President Obama has many problems facing him, some inherited, such as wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the global economic emergency, and new problems that loom ahead, including a resurgent power play by North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Il.

The recent missile test, which is regarded as highly provocative by both Japan and South Korea, underscores the continuing power play that Jong Il believes will strengthen his position in nuclear and economic negotiations with the West.

Although the missile test was overwhelmingly condemned, there was no attempt by the U.S. to “shoot down” the missile, evidently, trajectory data confirmed a course that would not threaten any other country. The U.S. says the missile splashed down in the ocean, North Korea press releases claimed that a satellite had been placed in orbit.

There is also an internal power play in North Korea that is of concern to Japan, South Korea, and western nations as well. Just how long Jong Il can hold on to power in view of his health problems is a question that remains to be answered, and just how firmly he remains in control will largely determine who will hold power upon his death and if a power struggle is likely to erupt. The possession of nuclear weapons (of any sort or degree of sophistication) by an unstable government will keep the U.S. military presence nearby and on alert.

President Obama’s surprise visit to Iraq shouldn’t really have come as a genuine surprise to anyone, it simply wasn’t announced and was “unscheduled” on his travel agenda. He stated that it was time for Iraq to be accountable for its own future. A great deal depends on the leadership of Prime Minister al-Maliki, President Jalal Talibani, and the new General in Charge of U.S. forces, Raymond Odierno.

My head is still spinning from all the excitement, the media coverage, the speeches, the parade and the personalities.  Wow, what a day!

The millions of photos of the day will become treasured keepsakes for the masses of people who assembled in Washington.  Thousands of people have shared their photos online.   Not everyone sat in front of the television for eight hours that day, as I did.  Frankly, I am pretty glad that I was not in Washington DC.  I feel confined in an airplane or an elevator.  A million people in one place?  My home State of Montana does not have that many, in 147,000 square miles.

I was moved when one news reporter reminded us all that slaves had been used in the construction of both the capitol building and the White House, and that they had been housed in a pen adjacent to the site.  

I was taken by surprise when the oath of office was flubbed, not once but twice, and was comforted by the fact that even the big guys can get nervous.

I noted that one reporter referred to Obama’s Inaugural Address as his “acceptance speech.”  I laughed at that one.

I was offended by the analogy of the “Bush family perhaps feeling like the Romanov’s.”  Not appropriate.  Very bad form.  Rude. Disrespectful, and not at all accurate.  I think more than one reporter said this on more than one occasion. I wonder how many in the USA viewing audience understood what the reporter was talking about.  Perhaps the world-wide audience is better educated.

Personally, I suspect that the new President will force members of the Washington DC news media to improve their competence level. 

The new guy is a smart guy. 

Full Speed Ahead is obvious from the new White House web site that was up and running within a few seconds of the new President’s inauguration.

A visit to the new site convincingly reveals how quickly and efficiently this new Administration intends to operate.  I look forward to the “First 100 Days.”

The Obama Agenda is one of the best new pages to examine. (There is a menu bar at the top of the page.) You will find two dozen topics that have fully developed positions and goals.  Incredible!

The new web site also features an updated biography of the new President and Michelle Obama, and of Vice President Biden and his wife, Jill.

Over all, it is a VERY professional web site.  It firmly announces two things: (1) We have Arrived! (2) We mean business!

One of the new President’s likely first acts in the next few days will be an Executive Order to close down the Guantanamo detention facility.  The closure will not occur overnight, but the order could come almost immediately.  Part of the problem facing the incoming Administration is what to do with the detainees.  The fact is: nobody wants them.  No country in the World would be willing to “hold on” to these people while their cases are adjudicated.  Most of the remaining detainees are very dangerous.  The problem is presenting evidence and establishing a viable case for prosecution.

Some of those who were already released as not being a threat, have, in fact, rejoined terrorist organizations and do pose a future threat.  The United States will probably end up bringing all the detainees to United States facilities.  This will entitle them to new rights and legal remedies.  They can’t be held indefinitely without being charged and taken to trial.  This will be a sticky issue for President Obama.