Brief review of some of the idiocy being promulgated primarily by various politicians

Politics is basically a flawed profession.  Why?  It often enables too much corruption, lying, and deceit.  It plays to the dark side of individuals who seek power above all else.  Finally, it too often utilizes propaganda which benefits Oligarchs/Plutocrats at the expense of Main Street.  While it's true we (all around the world) do have some politicians who are honest and ethical, unfortunately it seems they are far and few between, or perhaps reticent to speak out against the characteristics described above.

By any measure of common sense, I would think the scenarios below - brought about by various "Leaders" - are idiotic---

A Few Examples

1.  The current Israeli Leadership still is bombing/attacking structures in Gaza where CHILDREN are being sheltered, thus killing or maiming some of those innocent children.  Israel apparently believes such action is justified because Hamas people supposedly are in the same schools, houses, refugee shelters, etc.  These war crimes are being aided by munitions from the USA.

2.  The Biden Administration and probably most Republicans seem to believe Israel is NOT committing war crimes.  I believe most of the world (including me) disagrees.  The reasons for such disagreement should be blatantly obvious.  Yes, Hamas also commits war crimes; however, that's not an ethical justification for doing the same.  There is no justification whatsoever for war crimes.

3.  ALL governments which produce and maintain (or host) nuclear weapons are dangerous idiots.  Past posts on this blog have explained why.  Here's only one of them:

Public Awareness of ‘Nuclear Winter’ is Too Low Given Current Risks

Here's another:

The Ecological Ignorance of U.S. Presidents REDUX

4.  Due to adherence to the secular "religion" of neoliberalism (the Market will handle any problems), most humans on Earth now have PFAS (the "forever chemicals"), micro- and nano-plastics, and other toxic substances in their blood.  PFAS, in particular, have been linked to various health problems (including cancer) and the altering of reproductive hormones, as well as other hormones.  This all has been reported in scientific studies published in professional journals.

All the above is part of Ecological Overshoot, the main cause of our current Meta-Crisis.  Too many politicians everywhere seem to NOT be paying enough attention to this complex issue.  Those who are appear to be focused on only one of the symptoms of Overshoot:  Climate Change.  Other interconnected symptoms - biodiversity loss, soil degradation, toxic pollution, water availability problems, shrinking forests, overharvesting of fish, etc. - receive scant concern.

So, What Can Be Done?

A common sense response to the above-described human predicament would be to vote politicians out-of-office who promote the idiocy.  Exercise some due diligence and vote into office those people who at least favor the elimination of Eco-Overshoot.

Given the power of Edward Bernays style Propaganda and how dogmatic most voters seem to be, the above response doesn't appear to be likely.  But here's the thing:  NO ONE can predict the future with 100% accuracy every time.  In other words, we should not quit promoting common sense just because the implementation of it seems unlikely.  History shows that many proposed scenarios which were deemed to be "hopeless" eventually took root and came to fruition.  Such is especially true in the political arena.  Without "hope" for a better future, we're just marking time.

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Not only my opinion.  Happy Trails

"Paper Straws Are Not Enough..." - Necessary Precursors to Solving Our Existential Threats

 https://www.democracynow.org/2022/7/21/heat_wave_europe_climate_crisis_extreme

George Monbiot is right on the mark.  "Only 'System Change' Can Halt Climate Crisis."

Paper straws, recycling aluminum, recycling cardboard, using cloth grocery bags, etc. are all well & good, but they are orders of magnitude short of what's needed to deal with Climate Disruption.  Furthermore, solar panels and electric vehicles are in the same boat.  A paradigm shift in economics, ethics, and worldview is needed if we are to survive and thrive in the coming years.

Keep in mind, too, the Climate Crisis is only one of the existential threats we're facing.  Worldwide toxic pollution of our environment, ecosystem damage/destruction by human activities, the threat of nuke weapons & nuke waste, overpopulation, ecological overshoot, and more all are part of our predicament.

Those who cling to neoliberalism are burying their heads in the sand relative to the existential threats upon us.  For at least 50 years, the deniers have ignored warnings from credible scientists as to the Crisis once looming, and now here.  Amazingly, even now they deny reality.  Unfortunately, many of them are in positions of power.  Thus no significant mitigation is taking place.  Lots of talk, but actions which amount to only tinkering around the edges of the problem.

It's time to face the music, as follows.  While micro scale mitigation efforts certainly are helpful, they will not suffice.  Technology alone also will not suffice.  The problems are systemic, and massive; thus, macro scale intervention is required.  It will take national governments and intergovernmental associations in cooperation with each other to tackle the crises in any significant way.  So, what can be done?  Following are a few suggestions for a start.

First, where (in the USA) is the written plan to transition away from fossil fuels?  I don't see one anywhere.  That transition won't happen by means of magic, and without a plan, most likely it won't happen at all.  Some Leader or group of Leaders needs to get the ball rolling, ASAP.  You may be thinking:  but not everyone agrees we need to make that transition.  True, but after about 50 years of warnings from credible researchers, if the deniers of the existential threats can't see the light by now, they probably never will.  We can't wait for them.

Secondly,  the cleanup at well over 1,300 Superfund toxic sites (scattered ALL across the country) needs to be put back into high gear.  High level toxic wastes are leaking into our water, and/or our air, and/or our soil.  Our previous disaster of a President essentially shut down most of that program.  What's happening under Biden?  Is the National Priorities List (NPL) of sites being addressed?  The former plutonium production facility at Hanford, WA still is the largest toxic site (586 square miles) in the country.  Cleanup there has been going on for about 30 years...and counting.  Dozens of other contaminated sites are waiting to be added to the NPL.

This next suggestion is similar to the first, but more expansive.  Where is the written plan to convert our Boom-Bust, highly polluting, unsustainable economic system to one of sustainability?  Along with that, are Fed Gov't contracts going "Green"?  Are there any requirements for sustainability?  Who, or which Executive Branch Dept., is coordinating this country's transition to a sustainable future?  Anyone?  If not, exactly what is the plan for that necessary transition?  Is there even a broad plan, or do our Powers-That-Be think the "Market" will accomplish the task?  [The Market didn't pull us out of the Great Depression of the 1930's, nor did it put men on the moon, nor did it heal the massive Dust Bowl of the 1930's.  Government management did those things.]

Finally, it would seem the Executive Branch is in need of some new appointees and/or advisors who are competent in the area of sustainability science.  The current crop of advisors apparently is perplexed by the existential threats we're facing.  They seem to believe that we'll muddle through without a plan, without consideration of biophysical constraints, and that the status quo somehow will save us from catastrophe.  [I'm sure at least a few departments have people who are educated in the natural sciences (beyond the high school level), but apparently they are being ignored, or they're at an administrative level with no access to the Executive, or both.]

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well