by Benjamin J. Kirby
I don't talk about it enough on this blog, but climate change is a huge issue for me.
It is big mostly because it's not about me. The real effects of the terrible things we do to the environment today won't be seen in my lifetime -- they'll be endured by my children.
That's unacceptable to me. And so when it's a choice between a candidate whose essential position on the environment is "Drill, baby, drill!" and one who is interested in alternative ideas (and starts by saying "Working to keep our communities and children healthy"), the choice is a no-brainer for me.
So I was glad to see independent Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg endorse President Obama today in a piece entitled "A Vote for a President to Lead on Climate Change".
Our climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it might be -- given this week’s devastation -- should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action.
[snip]
But we can’t do it alone. We need leadership from the White House -- and over the past four years, President Barack Obama has taken major steps to reduce our carbon consumption, including setting higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks. His administration also has adopted tighter controls on mercury emissions, which will help to close the dirtiest coal power plants (an effort I have supported through my philanthropy), which are estimated to kill 13,000 Americans a year.
Yes. To all of that.
What does a Bloomberg endorsement mean politically for the President? I don't know.
I do know that at this point, the campaign is all about the ground game -- about get out the vote, GOTV -- about momentum. New York was always going to go for President Obama, but I wonder how many independent-minded voters out there who like and respect Mayor Bloomberg will take this into consideration before heading to the polls next week?
And I wonder just how much this blunts the momentum (even further) of Romney's underlying message which is that he's a successful businessman, and thus would be a better President than President Obama... maybe hard to say. But the endorsement of one of the most successful businessmen in America for the other guy doesn't do Romney any favors.
I'm sorry for Sandy's destruction and the horrible mess and lives lost in New York, New Jersey and the whole Northeast. But I am glad this issue is on the front burner of an influential politician like Bloomberg.
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Here's an interesting Florida stat: the crime rate is down 3.8 percent for the first half of the year.
Crime continued to decline in Florida the first six months of 2012.
Reported crime fell 3.8 percent compared to the first six months of the previous year, according to statistics released Thursday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Violent crime dropped 5.3 percent, and non-violent crime declined 3.6 percent.
Great news.
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Speaking of Florida: did you know that more than 3 million of us have already voted?
That's awesome.
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I didn't realize that when you started a SuperPAC, you were obligated to trade in every working brain cell in your head.
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They've got to stop with this crazy shit. They really do.
Or at least stop running for office.
"...the rape thing"? Really?
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Alright, I'm on a plane to Chicago tomorrow morning, and with my fellow National Association of Planning Council Board Members throughout, so if there is a post, it'll be pretty late.
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It's almost Friday. Back with more soon.
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