This is how it starts. The next thing we’ll be hearing from the White House is that all of a sudden there’s an epidemic of people dying from heat stroke or floods or something else, and ‘inaction’ be laid on the consciences of Republicans and other opponents of Climate Change, but mostly just Republicans. Just wait:
REUTERS – Reeling from an historic drought, the hottest year on record and more frequent wild weather, mayors from a number of U.S. cities urged the White House this week to take the lead on setting an agenda to address climate change.
City leaders said that only the federal government has the tools and clout to address greenhouse gases often blamed for warming the planet, while mayors focus on issues of “local warming” such as providing a reliable water supply or protecting citizens during dangerous weather events such as the 1995 Chicago heat wave that was blamed for over 700 deaths.
“We are fixing pot holes, dealing with transit issues,” Seattle mayor Michael McGinn said while attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ winter meeting. “But this can be a top tier issue for the president.”
On the night of his reelection, Obama said fighting climate change would be a priority in his second term. He has since repeated the point, but without giving policy specifics.
And for now officials are doing their work quietly.
The White House asked that a discussion about climate change at the mayors’ meeting on Thursday take place behind closed doors, frustrating some participants, even as hot button topics from immigration to gun control got public airings.