Let’s Rally Around the Green Flag
In "Hot, Flat, and Crowded," New York Times columnist and globalization exponent Thomas Friedman pleads for Americans to wake up to the perils and opportunities of an emerging resource-strapped world. The author comes across as a blend of Will Rogers, Jack Welch and Norman Vincent Peale—a plain-spoken citizen outraged at the bullheadedness of U.S. politicians, yet optimistic about the power of ingenuity and finely crafted policy to avert disaster.
The Problem: The world is getting crowded and hot. More people tapping computers and on the road means more competition for resources, more emissions. It's all "intensifying the extinction of plants and animals, [and] strengthening petro-dictatorship." If we don't act, life in 2040 could look like a cross between "Waterworld" and "Mad Max."
The Answer: Ignore the calls to drill here and now. We need a Code Green: a national project that includes subsidies for alternative energy, as well as mechanisms to make emissions more expensive, promote public and private research projects and change individual behavior. We should conserve here, be more efficient now.
The Result: Friedman believes that rallying around the green flag will create jobs, save the polar bear, allow China to develop without destroying the environment and restore our national greatness. All we need is leadership and focus. Of course, judging by the media-political complex's recent obsession with swine cosmetics, it sure looks like we're failing.
© 2008
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Member Comments
Posted By: jh35180 @ 09/15/2008 4:58:23 PM
Comment: This is typical narrow minded Obama comment in its truest sense. McCain is not "old" as you would assume that anyone who has years is out of touch. McCain is more than just drilling. McCain actually has a more comprehensive energy plan than Obama, but you Obamists pump out this ridiculous propaganda and when anybody dares to criticize Obama then you whine about dirty politics.
Posted By: footballmom @ 09/15/2008 11:43:55 AM
Comment: Why would McCain care about the environment? He's old -- his vision is to keep fighting in bad wars because he doesn't know how to do anything else. He wants to drill more -- of course, no one will see any of the oil until well after he would be out of the White House.
Posted By: calita @ 09/14/2008 8:03:59 PM
Comment: Of course we're failing. This topic was given a quarter of a page. How many articles about Palin are posted on this website alone? How many have to do with her, or any of the candidates', environmental policy?