Mastodawn

Bread and Circuses Mar 30, 2023

Why did Joe Biden — who wants to be known as "The Climate President" — seemingly abandon his principles, go back on campaign pledges, and disappoint his (perhaps naive) supporters by approving a massive new project of drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic?

Geoffrey Deihl, known here on Mastodon as Sane Thinker (@gdeihl) has some provocative thoughts for us about that question.

Here are two key paragraphs from his thoroughly researched and impeccably reasoned article. I hope you'll read the whole thing!
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Biden’s words, “No more drilling on federal lands. Period. Period. Period,” delivered to voters in New Hampshire, in February 2020 have proven false. The seriously compromised Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) made enormous concessions to the fossil fuel industry by making renewable energy projects on federal lands and waters contingent on selling new drilling leases, and gaining environmental approvals for ten years. Willow is the most egregious development to date. Why is Biden doing this? I strongly suspect it’s about far more than Senator Murkowski bringing jobs to Alaska.

Not spoken of, but likely in the thinking of this project, is competition with Russia and China. As the Arctic melts, brand new trade routes will emerge, and competition for trillions of dollars of previously unavailable natural resources (planet warming fossil fuels among them) will be tense. Willow makes no sense until you consider it militarily. With the possibility of world supply chains breaking down from climate change, having an oil supply in the region becomes part of national security strategy.
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FULL ARTICLE -- https://geoffreydeihl.substack.com/p/massive-alaska-willow-drilling-project

#Politics #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateAction #ClimateEmergency #CO2 #KeepItInTheGround #Willow

Massive Alaska Willow Drilling Project Approved

The Reasons May Be Darker Than the Crude Itself

Sane Thoughts for Insane Times

🍸Pooka🥕Boo🍸Mar 30, 2023

@breadandcircuses @gdeihl Because Joe thinks he can take his voters for granted.... This is another reason why I would prefer he not run again. We need someone younger and with swager. Someone who can get into the mud with the reTHUGliCON bullies and grifters, like trumpty dumpty or Desatan and slug it out.

Nicole Parsons Apr 2, 2023

@lednabm @breadandcircuses @gdeihl

Democrats are a coalition.

So far, Joe Biden is the only one who's been able to keep that coalition together.

Sane Thinker Apr 2, 2023

@Npars01 @lednabm @breadandcircuses That is the one really good thing about Biden being elected.

Stargeezer Smith Apr 4, 2023

@gdeihl @Npars01 @lednabm @breadandcircuses
It's HUGE!

Sane Thinker Apr 4, 2023

@stargazersmith @Npars01 @lednabm @breadandcircuses What? Just because fascism parades openly on the side of the aisle?

🍸Pooka🥕Boo🍸Apr 4, 2023

@gdeihl @stargazersmith @Npars01 @breadandcircuses

All I was saying is that democrats take their voters for granted the same ss republicans.... And, yes, the democratic party is more of a coalition. My beef, and again, why we need a new younger guy is that we need to throw shit at the wall to see what sticks, same as the Republicans. The whole republican strategy is to take any and every issue and throw it at the wall. Democrats will never get anywhere unless they do the same. Democrats don't, though, because they're afraid they might lose votes they've already lost.

RiaResists Apr 4, 2023

@lednabm @gdeihl @stargazersmith @Npars01 @breadandcircuses I would be inclined to agree except one thing- trump broke America. To ensure progress now we have to proceed w caution. We HAVE to keep Dems on top if we want progress in any area of governance.
Otherwise we’d have a Bernie it AOC at the helm.
That’s just where we are.

Nicole Parsons Apr 4, 2023

@RiaResists @lednabm @gdeihl @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses

Disagree. Democracy in the modern era requires a diversity of views.

Bernie and AOC are necessary voices for a "We can do better" democracy. Elizabeth Warren too.

If America is to survive as a pluralistic democratic nation, we need their leavening for our bread. Otherwise, it's a future with the flatness of fascism.

@Npars01 @RiaResists @lednabm @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses I am totally on the progressive end of the spectrum. I would have taken Elizabeth or Bernie over Joe, no question.

🍸Pooka🥕Boo🍸Apr 4, 2023

@gdeihl @Npars01 @RiaResists @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses me too!

zendao42 Apr 4, 2023

@lednabm @gdeihl @Npars01 @RiaResists @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses
I wanted Warren & Harris

RiaResists Apr 4, 2023

@gdeihl @Npars01 @lednabm @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses
She was my choice, too.
I am a #WarrenDemocrat

Sane Thinker Apr 4, 2023

@RiaResists @Npars01 @lednabm @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses Smart lady. Comes across as lecturing. Sadly, content doesn't count as much as presentation.

Nicole Parsons Apr 4, 2023

@gdeihl @RiaResists @lednabm @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses

Read Ali Vitali's book "Electable".

It does a good job of the "impossible to meet" double standards imposed on women candidates.

Elizabeth Warren is an excellent public servant.

Sane Thinker Apr 4, 2023

@Npars01 @RiaResists @lednabm @stargazersmith @breadandcircuses She is. I like her very much.