A Moderate Conservative’s and Moderate Liberal’s Call to Action
Earth Day was started in 1970, fifty years ago this week to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It is now celebrated in 193 countries worldwide. In some respects, we are in better shape environmentally than we were fifty years ago. With regard to the many aspects of air, water and waste, things have gotten better. Our rivers no longer catch fire and major waste dumps like Love Canal no longer happen. The world was even able to get together to limit the emission of CFC’s to protect the ozone layer. It is now estimated that the ozone layer will recover to its’ pre-1980 level sometime around the middle of this century. This is a great success story.
But unfortunately, other aspects have gotten worse, including some which are very serious. The build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere is causing climate change. This was originally forecast to be a problem later this century but it is a problem now. Then we have our oceans which are filling up with plastic. For both of these we know the cause and we know what to do about them. Unfortunately, there are still some who think that climate change is not even real, no matter what the scientists say. And some of these people are now running our country.
Renewable energy, primarily solar and wind power, has now become more cost effective than conventional power sources which means that their use will increase as time goes by no matter what the government does. However, time is running out with some scientists saying that we are already too late. We need to switch over to renewable energy as quickly as possible, especially when it comes to transportation. The vast majority of people in the U.S. agree:
- 65% of Americans want to put priority on alternate energy development (2017 Pew Research poll)
- Two thirds want stricter fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks (2019 Washington Post KFF poll)
- 68% want climate initiatives funded by the wealthy and fuel-burning companies (2019 Washington Post KFF poll)
I once heard someone on television say something along the lines of: If God didn’t want us to burn oil, he wouldn’t have given it to us. However, the Bible does not say this. It does say: The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1 (NIV)). It also says: The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small— and for destroying those who destroy the earth. (Revelation 11:18 (NIV)).
We need a government that will implement the will of the majority of Americans and not the minority, something that is supposed to happen in a representative democracy. But it will not happen because of our failing two-party political system and political corruption. And both of these will not change until we get a third major centrist political party. Hopefully by then it is not too late.
If you are angry about what is going on in our country and are frustrated because you think there is nothing you can do about it, you are wrong and there is something you can do. Your country needs you and you need you. Remember that no matter who wins the presidential election this November, nothing will continue to get done because of gridlock. The federal debt, climate change, our disappearing middle class, and political corruption will continue to get worse. The formation of a third major tie-breaker political party is the only mechanism capable of fixing this situation. Whether you are a moderate or not, volunteer and support the Alliance Party (theallianceparty.com).