Dear Donald Trump Voter,
It's been a couple weeks now. Like them or not, the election results are in, and there's no serious challenge to them. We are now digesting the way President-Elect Donald Trump is appointing cabinet members and otherwise preparing for his presidency. Time for a letter to my family, friends and others who voted for Mr. Trump. I am probably not the first or the only person to think of writing an open letter such as this. The difference between this one and all the others? This one does come from me; it will be at least a little unique. I will also try to confine my thoughts mostly to the environmental aspects of our post-election world, since that is the focus of my blog.
If you are outwardly bigoted, racist or violent, you may indeed have voted for Trump, but this letter is not directed at you. This is for those who consider themselves concerned, good-hearted, fair-minded, sincere, well-meaning people... like many of my friends and family. We've all learned that political discussion doesn't accomplish much. We often, especially lately, avoid broaching the subject at all. What's the point of arguing, just for the sake of being argumentative? Negative emotions from these disagreements are exacerbated then we use social media to get our point across. Better to just get along.
You voted for Trump not because you thought he was a good person, but because you thought he would shake things up. He would drain the (Washington D.C.) swamp, get control of legal and illegal immigration and otherwise Make America Great Again. You furthermore thought that Hillary Clinton was too secretive with her private email server and her charity, too much like President Barack Obama in policy matters and generally part of the Big Government problem. Furthermore, you just didn't like her. Do I have this right so far?
You don't consider yourself an enemy of the environment. In fact, you like clean air and water. You recycle and don't litter. You are a little concerned, but are generally agnostic about climate change. You believe in science, but you have listened to many arguments saying that the science isn't settled on the issue. You furthermore want less environmental regulation, just so long as our air and water remain clean. You don't want the government to subsidize renewable energy. Just a couple other things: you are against any war on coal. Clean coal is good for jobs and the economy. And you support oil pipelines to keep gas and oil prices down, and support jobs.
Now I'm really cooking, right? Music to your ears, I'm sure. I hope I have a good understanding of your viewpoint, because I think that a large part of our political problems stem form a lack of understanding, and an unwillingness to even attempt any meeting of minds. Now I'll tell you about my own thoughts on these matters. We'll take them one at a time. Please hear me out.
1) You like clean air and water. But (____) (fill in the blank here.... but not if it costs too much; but not if it hurts jobs or the economy; but not if I have to change my way of living...) You guessed it. It's the but that gets you. I will go as far as to say that if you're truly for clean air and clean water, there can be no buts!
2) You now acknowledge that the climate is indeed changing fast. Although there has in the past been resistance to even this postulation, the evidence is overwhelming; 2016 has been the hottest year on record, and it is only following a huge general trend. Now you say that it could well be part of a natural cycle. But there's only one problem: Andropogenic (caused by humans) Climate Change is real as well. The evidence is overwhelming here too. To be agnostic about this is to deny what 97% of climate scientists have agreed upon. It's fine to challenge science; science isn't always correct. But it is self-correcting, and to mount a legitimate challenge, you had better have some extraordinary evidence to the contrary. For more, check out my If you Believe post. Would you also be agnostic about whether the Earth is flat?
3) You don't want the government in the business of subsidizing clean, renewable energy, or regulating industry in such a way as to cost everyone more money. But the government always does this. It has subsidized the fossil fuel industry for nearly 100 years, and that subsidy continues to this day. Oil, gas and coal companies can mine public lands, take advantage of tax breaks, make use of publicly funded infrastructure, and so on. If there is a tiny advantage provided to the manufacture, distribution and use of clean energy, it can only help our planet, and even our economy, in the long run.
4) Speaking of the economy, has it occurred to you that a clean-energy based economic system will be the best for our country for years to come? That with an emphasis on renweables, we can help lead the world? There truly is still time for this. That all this results in jobs - good, high-paying ones - and growth?
5) And clean coal? Please. That's about the same as saying dry ocean or sinless Nazi. It simply does not exist, and never will.
Now Mr. Trump's cabinet, including his choices for Secretary of State, and to lead the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency are making a mockery of the environment. What he is doing is completely dismantling our entire infrastructure of clean, renewable energy and environmental protection. None of it surprises me, but at the same time, it's very sad to be set back 50 years.
It's cold today. Global warming must be a hoax.
