Krugman: Easy Being Green

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/opinion/25krugman.html?_r=1

 

Paul Krugman is clear and lucid in refuting the major argument of those opposing climate change legislation - that it will ruin the economy.  Krugman notes that the cost her household would be minimal.  Unlike in the health care debate, President Obama will need to serve as "Educator-in-Chief" early on in the climate change battle.  He needs to make clear early and often, ideally through a "Fireside Chat" with the American people, that:

 

• Climate change is a reality, not a theory.  The debate is long over. 
• The longer we wait to deal with this reality, the more it will cost in terms of dealing with the effects of climate change and trying to slow the process.
• America's economic competitiveness in the 21st Century will depend, in part, on it's ability to be a leader in green technologies, especially those that reduce or eliminate carbon emissions.  Tom Friedman has been right all along:  Green is the new red, white and blue.  The "greening" of America will be good for the economy in the long run, not costly.  It will create jobs.  It will help us avoid the environmental disasters that are growing as a result of climate change.
• We need a national commitment to dealing with this evolving disaster, including increased investments in renewable energy (solar, wind, etc.), conservation, and clear goals for the next decade (all hybrid or electric cars and trucks by 2020, less than 25% of electricity from coal by 2020, etc.).

Unlike with health care, where it is a legitimate argument to support a wide range of legislation simply to get the reform process started, climate change demands dramatic shifts in policies now.  And the President needs to frame and shape the debate before his opponents do so - as with health care.  Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and other have shown that if you say a lie over and over again there are many people who will take it as gospel.

10 Lessons for Tea Baggers

This is a great list.  It really does drive me crazy that opponents of health care reform can get away with the crap they shovel.

I find it amazing that some people, who consider themselves more "patriotic" than liberals, will defend a health care system that is grossly inefficient and immoral while talking about our government like it is the most incompetent on the planet.  Ironically, many of these same people supported George W. Bush trying to export our system of government to other countries.  Our government is not perfect - far from it - but it does a lot of things incredibly well:

- For 46 cents, you can send a letter across the country in about 2 days.
- Our interstate highway system revolutionized transportation in this country over the last 50 years.
- The federal government created the internet.  Case closed!
- Many of our most important technological innovations of the last half century are the results of our space program and defense research.
- Medicare is a highly-regarded and very efficient health care program - and, yes, it is run by the federal government!
- Flawed strategies and goals from our political leaders have turned the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan into the messes they are.  But our military can beat the crap out of anybody else's conventional army, and unmanned drones are proving to be another effective military innovation.

I could go on, but I think the point is obvious.  Stop demonizing our government.  Admit that the existing health care system is an embarrassment full of waste and inefficiencies.  Then, let's have a serious discussion about how best to fix it.

Unfortunately, the Republicans have decided that they are best served by trying to defeat this reform effort in order to deny Obama and the Democrats any kind of victory.  They hope such a huge defeat will doom the Dems in 2010 and Obama in 2012 (and maybe render him a  lame duck for the remainder of his term).  That means Obama and the Dems need to focus on passing the best possible bill that will actually insure everyone, make the system better and reduce costs.  Forget bipartisanship.  If Obama can sign a good health care bill this year, there will be moderate Republicans knocking on his door the next time around.

GoodGuide

GoodGuide is one of the most important and helpful organizations to come along in a long time.  It gathers and analyzes data on countless products so consumers can make informed choices about what they buy and why.  As noted on its website,

GoodGuide provides the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home.

The organization is discussed extensively in Daniel Goleman's book, Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing the Hidden Impacts of What We Buy Can Change Everything.

GoodGuide is an invaluable resource that helps move us closer to radical transparency and empowering consumers to truly be the change they want and need.

Climate Change

There's been a bit of press coverage recently about the data from the last decade that could be used to refute  the overwhelmingly clear evidence of climate change and its effects.  But this NASA article explains the short-term temperature data in the context of the longer-term warming causing the climate change.

The reality is that this debate is really over.  Climate change is real - it is here, and it is serious.  Those few who question or doubt are ignoring the consensus in the scientific community and the evidence that surrounds us every day.

The challenge, however, is getting the Obama Administration to do something dramatic about carbon emissions, particularly from coal-burning plants.  We urgently need a serious plan for reducing our dependence on coal for electricity.  Over the next decade, we will reduce our transportation emissions - more and more hybrids, including plug-in hybrids, will replace gas-guzzlers.  Tom Friedman is right, we should tax gasoline more in order to compel people to move to more fuel-efficient cars and trucks.  But even without a higher gas tax there will be movement.  But our coal addiction may be tougher to quit.