Hello! Hello! Hello! Welcome to episode 43 of We Don’t Talk About P-word. Over the last several weeks, we have discussed several issues facing our nation. From what's the matter with our government to keeping World War Three at bay, the theme of this season is balance. What is necessary for it and how do we achieve it? We have discussed the need for an independent president to act as a fulcrum to balance the parties. With the second episode of the season, I promised to discuss an agenda to bring about this balance. This week we will discuss another aspect necessary for an independent president's agenda. 
This week, we are going to talk about something a little less controversial. We are going to talk about climate change. Yeah, yeah, I know. That’s not at all uncontroversial, but maybe I can remove some of the controversy for you. What if I said we can talk about climate change and what needs to be done without talking about the cause? What if I said that climate change can be addressed without even talking about science? So today, let’s take the R and the D out of climate change. They don’t belong there anyway.
This podcast has focused on the government’s constituted (but often ignored) role. The government is instituted to further the health and happiness of We the People. That is today’s topic. We are going to discuss our complicated relationship with climate change. Let me be more specific. We’ll discuss the relationship between the People, climate change, and national security.
We are not going to talk about the causes of climate change. We are not going to discuss whether it is man-made, cyclical, or something in between. How it happened is unimportant for our purposes. If you have been listening to this podcast, I have no doubt you can guess my thoughts on climate change. For the sake of argument, let’s say that it is both cyclical and exacerbated by us. But if you look at it through a clear lens, the causes are irrelevant. Doing what we can to reverse it, control it, and benefit from it in the future is where our focus must be. I mean, control and benefits… isn’t that the American way?
If you are still denying the effects, you are either blind or choosing ignorance. You may call me a liar and say what I am about to talk about is science. But I beg to differ. Temperatures and natural disasters are nothing more than observable data. Observable data that anyone can observe and track. If you want to argue the science of temperatures, well you’re being obtuse on purpose.
You may want to argue that everything around us is observable data. The data around is all used for personal experimentation and decision-making. "That makes it science!” Well, I won't argue with that, but that would make everything in our lives about science. We all know that wouldn't sit well with science deniers. Instead, we are going to discuss observations. We are not going to discuss the science behind those observations, nor the science of where it leads. There is a more important aspect. I want to talk about how it affects our safety, happiness, and national security. 
How we get there is nothing more than a bit of foundation.
The sad truth is that we have failed to protect the climate from the influence of humans. There is no more time to prevent an average increase in temperature. To use a sports metaphor, we can no longer stay in prevent defense. Climate change has moved down the field… with our help. We haven’t even slowed it down; in fact, it’s moving faster than expected. It has grown beyond our ability to prevent and now we must live with those consequences. At least in the near term, we must live with them and find a way to reverse them. We must do this for our children and their children’s sake. It is much like the class war we have ignored. We have pretended climate change wasn’t a serious concern for far too long.
I’m running the risk of talking about science, so let’s move on to the observable data. Why it's happening doesn't matter. You can look out your window and feel the hotter, longer summers and the colder, shorter winters. If you are extra observant, you may even notice the shifting of colder and warmer months. 
Back in August, the worst tropical storm since 1939 hit southern California. Hillary caused widespread flash flooding. Some areas received record-breaking rainfall. Fortunately, the government was prepared, and the people listened. There was no loss of life resulting from this historic storm. California was very lucky.
Tropical storms and hurricanes are rare in California. This is largely based on water temperatures. I won’t get into why because that gets into science, not to mention that I only understand it at a very academic level. It boils down to this: the hotter the water, the stronger the tropical storms. This is why areas closer to the equator see more tropical storms. In the United States, this is the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
To date, we have not observed an increase in the number of hurricanes and tropical storms. This means the frequency of storms has not increased from historical observations. We have seen an increase in major hurricanes. Major hurricanes are those classified as category three or stronger. In the last century, tropical storms evolving into major hurricanes has increased.
They are evolving faster and moving slower. This allows them to intensify when over water and be more destructive upon landfall. 
Think back to 2005 and Hurricane Katrina. Katrina was only a category-three hurricane by the time it hit Louisiana. Katrina is one of the top five deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in history. This was due to the high winds and storm surge. These effects were the result of higher temperatures. Hotter temperatures increase water temperature and humidity. Both create the ideal conditions for a slow and destructive hurricane. There can be no denial of the destructive nature of Hurricane Katrina. If you want to argue, I have some friends in Louisiana who would be glad to set you straight. 
Other than tropical storms, the United States is also seeing a wave of wildfires. Our neighbor to the north, Canada, has just been through its worst wildfire season in history. Many Americans have even been affected by the smoke drifting south. They seem to be getting it under control now. Let’s hope that continues. Here in the US, we are only three years removed from our worst wildfire season. This year has seen several destructive fires. We have seen them in Hawaii, California, and several other states. To date, over 2.6 million acres have burned in 2023. As of December 8th, more than 53,000 wildfires have burned in the US.
Fortunately, that is down from the ten-year average which is just under 55,000 and 7 million acres. It is still too much. Now before you start yelling at me, “Those are caused by idiots, not climate change!” I agree; idiots are typically the cause of these wildfires. Whether it is a lit cigarette tossed from a car, or a gender reveal gone wrong, humans are responsible. That doesn't mean that it doesn’t exacerbate or isn’t exacerbated by climate change. Heat-dried trees and dead grass are the perfect fuel for fires to burn and spread faster. This threatens homes and communities. The smoke from these fires also affects our health.
I would be remiss not to mention tornadoes as well. Currently, there is no observable increase in number or intensity. However, a major aspect that affects hurricanes and wildfires can also affect tornadoes. The problem is that scientists can’t agree on the effect of that affect. Further observation is necessary.
What is the common effect that I am alluding to? Temperature.
In April of 2023, several cities in China observed record temperatures. In Vietnam and Laos, they recorded their highest temperature in history. In July, Greece, Italy, and Spain all suffered record-breaking heat waves. Based on many Americans’ responses to Ukraine and Israel, apathy isn't our strength. Let's bring it home. In May, areas of Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Nevada experienced record temperatures. Through July, Phoenix, Arizona went thirty-one days with temperatures over 110 degrees. This was the hottest month for any US city in history.
2022 wasn't any better. Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco all experienced record-breaking temperatures. Americans from California to Texas experienced a record-breaking heatwave. Chicago. Memphis. Baltimore. Philadelphia. Washington D.C. New York City. They all experienced near-record-breaking temperatures.
This is only the last two years. There are no signs of relief in sight. It’s only going to get hotter and that’s what we need to prepare for.
So why does temperature matter so much? Higher temperatures create a domino effect. As I said earlier, warmer water increases the intensity of tropical storms. Warmer temperatures dry out forests and foliage. It creates droughts as more water evaporates. It kills sea life that can’t survive in warmer temperatures like coral. All these can lead to a catastrophe in the ecosystem. Without cold water to slow down and weaken storms, they build more power as they approach land. This increases flooding, rain, and wind speeds that create destruction upon landfall. (We saw this during Hurricane Katrina.) Dry forests make them more susceptible to those tossed cigarette butts. Heat and droughts brought on by high temperatures kill crops that affect our food supply. 
I don’t want to dismiss cold temperatures. Climate change is also seeing extreme temperatures in the other direction as well. This is why the outdated term global warming has always been so confusing. If we are warming, how are we seeing cold extremes? Without getting too scientific, rising temperatures affect the weather in the Arctic regions. This often presents itself in two opposite ways. Warmer temperatures in colder regions and colder temperatures in warmer regions. Louisiana and Texas observed this phenomenon this past winter. Climate change does not only mean hotter temperatures. It means more extreme temperatures. It means hotter average temperatures.
That is exactly what we are experiencing now. Since 1900, the average temperature on Earth has risen by 2 degrees Fahrenheit. You’re probably laughing at two degrees and thinking that’s nothing. You’re right on a micro-scale; two degrees at your house isn’t that much. Those two degrees have serious consequences on a macro scale. This is an average of all temperatures around the globe for a year. From a world high of 136 degrees in Libya to a world low of -126 degrees in Antarctica and everywhere in between. It is a two-degree increase globally. That highlights an observable trend of warming, despite cold extremes.
We have been tracking observable temperatures since the late 1800s. Most of the increase in global temperatures has come since 1980. Without getting into the science, our atmosphere traps heat. Like a soft, fuzzy blanket on your couch in the winter, it makes us warm and toasty. But instead of being able to toss it off when you get too hot, it wraps around you tighter. That is the blanket currently around the earth. It is getting thicker and denser, allowing less and less heat to escape. This increases temperatures. It's not science, just something we observe.
That blanket of heat melts snow and evaporates water into the air. This creates both drought and abnormal rainfall, depending on where you live. It warms animal habitats and forces them to seek food and shelter among humans. It's not too scary when it is a hungry coyote, but more so when it is a bear or wolf. The heat kills crops and other plants necessary to our lives. It warms the oceans and kills sea life or forces them deeper. This affects our food supply.
The rising temperatures also affect global ice accumulation. As temperatures rise, ice melts; it’s the simplest of observable data. Temperatures at the poles rise faster than other regions. The poles are covered in ice. As temperatures rise, that ice doesn’t disappear. So where does all that melted ice go? Between 1997 and 2021, 7.5 trillion metric tons of ice in Antarctica melted into the ocean. That’s nearly enough water to fill Lake Michigan, twice. This raises ocean levels. When ocean levels rise, they claim low-lying land.
Let’s talk about Louisiana again. Since the 1930s, rising water has claimed over 2,000 square miles of land in Louisiana. That’s an area roughly the size of Delaware. If maps were honest, Louisiana would look more like a boot with a big bite out of the foot. Again, not science, it’s just observable data.
This is the problem with ignoring climate change. This is why the cause of climate change is irrelevant. The observable data staring us in the face is what matters.  If we don’t take it seriously... If we don’t address it, it will lead to catastrophe.
When land is claimed by rising water, the People become homeless.
When droughts kill crops, the People go hungry.
When heat intensifies, grass and trees dry out making wildfires harder to contain. It burns homes and crops. It kills wildlife and people. The smoke is detrimental to our health.
When freezing temperatures interrupt utilities, the People suffer.
The causes do not matter. Only the People matter. We must protect the People’s safety and happiness. To do that, we must address the results of climate change. Whether it is cyclical or manmade is irrelevant. The People are being affected. The People are suffering. The People are dying.
Death and suffering do not care about partisan agendas. Death and suffering transcend party identity. The People’s government must act to reverse and control the effects for the sake of the People. It was created to serve their safety and happiness, after all.
So, how do we protect the People? More importantly, how the hell is climate change and national security connected? I promise I’m getting there.
First, we must acknowledge what we are doing now is not working. It is too slow and not focused on the right things. We are still trying to prevent climate change. That ship has sailed. We must refocus on reversing it. We must refocus on preparing for the worst. We must refocus on reducing human influence on the natural, cyclical cycle. No matter what you believe is the biggest contributor, there is a natural cycle to climate change. The history of observable data shows us that. The problem is that we are making it worse. That seems to be the theme of many of our biggest problems.
To remove the R and the D, we have to do two things. First, we must acknowledge that climate change is happening. At the very least, we must acknowledge that humans aren’t helping. We’re tossing lit cigarettes into dry brush. We’re dumping chemicals into waterways. We're burning fossil fuels at an unprecedented rate. 
Second, we must work within the system we have, not the one that we believe should exist. We can’t simply pass a law and magically fix it. You can mandate electric cars, but that doesn’t mean we have the infrastructure to support them.
Some of what we must do will be reactive to what we are witnessing. Much of what we need to do must be proactive based on what may happen.
The problem with being proactive is if you are right no one will ever know. No one will ever appreciate it, because the worst of the crisis never occurs. Leaders rarely receive credit for being proactive. This is the problem with leaders seeking power over representation. The pundits ignore the path we were on. The detractors won't admit that what we did worked because the worst never happened. This is the problem when leaders have no idea how to govern and only know how to say no.
Being proactive prevents disaster. That is what our leaders are elected to do. They are not there to create new disasters that then need a reaction. We have plenty of problems to address without creating more.
This is why a political reset is necessary. We must return the power to the People. We must entrust power to someone who understands what coequal branches mean. An independent president is the best way to achieve this. An independent president must present an agenda that addresses climate change. It would not be to further a party's agenda but to protect the People the parties ignore.
The focus must be on reversing, controlling, and benefiting from climate change. We can't stop human influence, so we must make our impact smaller. We must capitalize on these solutions to benefit as a nation. We do that by focusing on renewable infrastructure. We don’t put the cart before the horse by mandating things that need that infrastructure.
I like to look at electric vehicles as an example. Electric vehicles are all the rage on the left and all the hate on the right. Both sides have legitimate reasons for their view. Sadly, the United States is not ready for electric vehicles, but we could have been. We are too focused on the sellable object and not the infrastructure needed to support it. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. It is always “profit over people” in a world controlled by monied interests. We still live in a world where we rely too much on corporations.
While it is possible to drive across the nation in an electric vehicle, it isn’t easy. It requires a lot of planning, so you aren’t stranded without a charging station. Also, you still are unable to go everywhere you may want in an EV. It is getting better, but we are not close to ready. Like high-speed internet, there are still many places without access to the infrastructure. This makes EVs more of a hassle in many parts of the country.
This doesn’t even address the next evolutions in the “smart car”. Innovators want to make driverless cars a thing. (I can’t wait. I hate to drive.) Regardless of my own opinion, as far as road safety goes, this would be a considerable leap forward. Taking human error out of driving would be huge, but our infrastructure isn’t designed with that in mind. Our roads must be better maintained and purposely constructed to ensure safety. This type of work isn’t profitable, so it is not a focus for profit-driven companies.
Even addressing these ignores other concerns. Mining and manufacturing of batteries is one such concern. This is as detrimental, or even more so, as building and driving gas-powered vehicles. This is a convenient argument from the right, even when they want to deny human culpability. And what about disposal? California is beginning to see a problem with its EV mandates. What do you do with these big, expensive, old batteries when they no longer work?
The same concerns crop up when talking about renewable energy for homes. Batteries don’t store enough power. Several cloudy or overcast days may leave you reliant on nonrenewable energy. Still, there are environmental costs to creating those batteries. And again, how do we dispose of them?
We haven’t answered the questions necessary to move to a clean and renewable energy grid. But we can, and we must. We should begin with a revitalization of our infrastructure. This includes modernizing roads and “fuel” stations. We must prepare them for the future of travel. This also means investing in cheap, clean, and reliable public transportation. We need public transportation that connects the nation. If we increase access and reliability of public transportation, we reduce the need to drive automobiles. Getting unnecessary vehicles off the road would be a huge leap forward. It would have benefits not only in climate change but in shipping and road safety as well. 
This must also include renewable energy grids. Grids that provide homes, businesses, towns, and cities with cheap clean energy. We must also invest in research and development. We don’t need the flashy new cybertruck that sells a misleading vision to those who don’t know any better. (More importantly, it only serves to fill corporate pockets.) We must focus on technology to bridge the gap between what we have now and what is possible. We can’t snap our fingers and be ready for a renewable future. We must focus on technology to move us into that future, but we must work diligently and quickly to protect it.
As a gamer, sometimes great quotes come from characters in those games. One such quote comes from Star Wars the Old Republic and sticks with me to this day. “The future is not a river to carry us. It is the ocean in which we drown if we are not prepared.”
We must prepare, or we will drown in the rising oceans.
Eventually, fossil fuels will run out, no matter our thoughts on climate change. The future is renewable energy. It must be if we hope to survive. It must be if we hope to get out of the forever wars in the Middle East. Even if you think it will get better on its own, there are greater benefits to being proactive. If I can’t make you believe anything else. Let me show you how addressing it is beneficial to our nation’s security.
One of my favorite political authors is Thomas Friedman. He wrote a book in 2008 entitled Hot, Flat, and Crowded. In this book, he discusses climate change and its effects around the world. One of the most fascinating topics he addressed was what he calls the First Law of Petropolitics. This is the inverse relationship between the price of oil and democracy.
Here is how he describes the First Law of Petropolitics. “In oil-rich petrolist states, the price of oil and the pace of freedom tend to move in opposite directions.”
In other words, as the price of oil decreases, the People’s rights increase. To be a little blunter, the more money dictators make selling oil, the less they care. The less they care what the world or even their People think of their rule. Buy the military. Buy the votes. Thumb your nose at the international order.
Friedman shows how this is true in Russia, Iran, and other oil-dependent states. It is undeniable. The price of oil affects the rise and fall of democratic reforms and institutions. I won’t bore you or spoil it for you depending on your view. If you are interested, I encourage you to read the book. It puts the global politics of climate change into perspective.
Consider for a moment that some of the most oil-dependent states are not allies of democracy. You can see it happening right now. Currently, you see many of those states embracing Putin's war in Ukraine. They deny human rights to all but a select group. They refuse to help when asked. Those aren't allies, they are fair-weather friends. They are only there when they need something. We cannot count on them, so why are we propping them up by buying their oil? Because we have no alternatives. It’s the same reason we keep supporting ExxonMobil and Chevron and their billions in profits. 
Reducing the price of oil is in the interest of national security. It is also in the interest of international order. Weakening the power of dictators and oil tyrants turns down the global temperature. This keeps our military out of harm’s way. It encourages peace around the world. The best way to do that is to reduce our reliance on oil and eventually end it altogether.
This would have a domino effect. First, we would be able to rely solely on US production to drive the price of oil down. We would manufacture and export these new renewable products. This would lead to our allies relying less on oil. This would further drive down the price of oil. Our renewable technology would wrap around the world. The price of oil would drop even further. Those sales to our allies would improve our economy and weaken our enemies.
This is not something that we could do overnight. Again, it’s about infrastructure. It is about investing in the right technology. An agenda to ween us off oil must begin if for no other reason than in the interest of national security. This must be part of an independent president’s agenda. This must be America’s agenda. We must take the politics out of climate change. We must recognize the benefit to national security that would have. Not only would it offer a cleaner environment, but also a world safer from dictators and tyrants.
That being said, we cannot ignore what weaning off oil would mean at home. There are a lot of American livelihoods dependent on oil. That is why we cannot just turn off the spigot. We must be deliberative and careful in how fast we do. We must give time and resources for some to retire and others to retrain. We must ensure there are options for the People to turn to. We must ensure the People are protected.
We are well situated to prepare Americans for that future, both in jobs and accessibility. Over the last decades, we have seen the exit of dirty manufacturing from the US. Many have left for other nations. This is something we have often seen as a negative, but it now offers us an opportunity. With a focus on renewable innovation, we can build a clean manufacturing sector. This creates jobs and strengthens the economy. It also ensures a more affordable transition. This is for both employees who need to retrain and homes and cars that will need replacing and updating. Not only can we bring manufacturing back to the US, but we can also make it cleaner and more sustainable. We can have a manufacturing sector ready for the future. 
Much like our war on drugs and terrorism, we have lost the war to prevent climate change. We just haven’t admitted it yet. This is the time to reverse it, control it, and benefit from it. To do that, we must take the partisan propaganda out of the conversation. We must embrace the benefits important to us. That could be a cleaner environment or just a desire to protect American interests. We must embrace the goal of reversing climate change.
Even if you don't believe that climate change is real. Do you believe in capitalism? Do you want to see our economy thrive? Do you hope that dictators fall? As an American, the answer to all three should be 'yes'. Addressing climate change can affect all these. New climate change technology is in demand. Not to sound cliche but... if we build it they will buy it. Loss of oil revenues weakens oil tyrants around the world strengthening the People. Addressing climate change is a win-win. Investing money ensures a return on investment in any number of ways. 
So, you aren’t convinced by science. Have I failed at convincing you through common sense observations? Maybe I can appeal to your religious beliefs if you have them.
Here’s a quote from the first book of the bible, Genesis 2:15. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
We were tasked to be stewards of the earth, not destroyers. God tasked us with protecting the earth. We are failing that mandate. We are failing God.
We will continue discussing the agenda of an independent president in future episodes. It will be presented with this philosophy in mind. We will discuss agenda items that address climate change and national security. To topple the pillars of the Corporate Political Agenda, we must do so with national security in mind. To end the reign of corporate and political elites, we must look for common ground to bring balance back. To protect the People’s interest, we must protect the land where we live. We must be stewards of the earth because there is no planet B.
Let the parties fight over whose propaganda is better. We the People must fight to protect our safety, health, and happiness. We must fight to protect our children's future. We can only do that with one voice.
Only together...
We the People are the power.