Carl,
I think you were listening to the wrong thing. I listened to three hours of the
five hours of the climate march yesterday. It was on the Democracy Now website,
but it was also broadcast by KPFK Berkley which, after great confusion, I
managed to figure out how to access on my VR Stream. Well, I did that last week
so that I could hear the Science march which Democracy Now also broadcast from
its website as well as KPFK. The Scienc march was highly controlled and
choreographed and I listened only to two hours of that. I think that the
speeches were given during the first two hours of the climate march this week,
and I wasn't listening at that point. So I got to hear all kinds of people from
all over the country, talking about why they'd come to Washington to march in a
very hot march, 93 degrees. Last week, it poured during the science march. And
tomorrow, immigrants will be demonstrating and also, staying home. But whatever
kinds of demonstrating and talking and writing done by the people, the
government, fueled by a lust for power, keeps grinding along. In the midst of
the horrors of the Trump administration, we need to remind ourselves that it
was Obama who set the stage for increased nuclear arms development, who added
to the annual military aid our country gives to Israel, who made it easier to
deport huge numbers of immigrants without due process, and who gave in to
Republican demands to radically cut domestic spending and to Neo Con and Neo
Liberal demands to give arms to Jihadists in Syria and to overthrow the
government in Libya. And I was reminded by several podcast discussions that it
was Obama who taught the public to differentiate between the "good" and "bad"
immigrants. Trump just talks as if there are more bad ones than good ones.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2017 10:52 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: How can we fight climate change? All out for the
April 29 Climate March!
I listened to excerpts of Donald Trump telling a screaming crowd of supporters
how successful his first 100 days were, and how much he has accomplished.
Although I believe that the worst is yet to come, what Trump claimed to have
accomplished is mostly hot air. After soundly trashing the Mass Media, a
lashing they richly deserve, but still, it's the same Media that sucked up his
every move and trotted his name out before the public until the name Trump was
so ingrained in folks heads that they reached out and their hands automatically
went to the Trump lever, after damning them, Trump then told his fans the "real
facts".
What seems to be happening is that we are moving away from the artificial
economy we've created, into an even more unreal world, created in the head of
Donald Trump. There is only two possible outcomes. Either Trump will drive
this out of control presidency over a cliff and destroy the world economy, or
the working class will rise up and remove the burden of wealth from the
billionaires.
But for the moment, the cheering, wild crowds of "True Trump Believers" ring in
my ears.
Carl Jarvis
On 4/30/17, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
https://socialistaction.org/2017/04/28/how-can-we-fight-climate-change
-all-out-for-the-april-29-climate-march/
How can we fight climate change? All out for the April 29 Climate March!
/ 2 days ago
May 2016 Global justiceBy BILL ONASCH
On the eve of the April 29 People’s Climate Mobilization in Washington
and other cities, Bill Onasch describes what working people and the
labor movement must do in order to avoid the most catastrophic effects
of climate change.
The working class faces challenges on many fronts today. But one
crisis is overarching. On both land and sea, Northern and Southern
Hemispheres alike, our planet is getting hotter. The scale and pace of
this global warming is unprecedented in human history. The last three
years have been the hottest since precise measurements began in the 1880s.
This heat is expanding the volume of oceans. Along with melting sea
and glacial ice in the Arctic, Antarctic, and Greenland, this is
raising sea levels. If not stopped soon it will eventually inundate
coastal areas that are home to hundreds of millions. The New York City
penthouse at Trump Tower would remain dry—but by 2050 the tip of
Manhattan, including Southport, Battery Park, and much of the World
Trade Center would be submerged.
Familiar weather patterns are being disrupted, leading to severe
droughts in some areas and giant floods in others. In February, 11,743
local record warm daily temperatures were recorded just in the United
States. The world has been hit by ferocious storms, like Cyclone
Debbie in Australia, and massive wildfires such as the recent one in
Kansas that killed thousands of livestock, consumed all of the hay
supply, and destroyed hundreds of farm structures.
In some regions of the world, such as eastern Africa, this early-stage
climate change has resulted in famine—and numerous climate refugees.
Pernicious liars like the president of the United States assert that
climate change resulting from global warming is a hoax, variously
attributed to either greedy climate scientists bilking tax-payers or
the Chinese government trying to wreck our economy.
Other deniers don’t challenge the validity of thermometer and sea
level readings but insist this is a natural cycle of our planet that
will eventually get back to what we consider normal. They see no cause
for alarm or need for drastic changes. In any case, they say there’s
nothing we can do to stop Mother Nature.
But the overwhelming majority of scientists accept irrefutable
evidence that the principal cause of global warming is the release of
greenhouse gases by the ravenous energy demands of industry,
agriculture, transportation—and war.
These emissions are still growing. The damage this causes to the
fragile biosphere that has nourished human civilization is
irreversible. While its worst effects will be felt by future
generations, climate change has been advancing faster than expected
and requires urgent and far-reaching countermeasures.
How capitalism fouls things up
After steam engines fueled by wood and coal gave a big boost to the
18th-century Industrial Revolution, the capitalist economy became
increasingly addicted to fossil fuels. Since the first modern oil
wells began pumping in Oil Creek, Pennsylvania, in 1859, the United
States, Britain, and other major powers have been exploring and
conquering on land and in the sea to satisfy the thirst of diesel,
internal combustion, and jet engines, as well as for raw material for
production of petrochemical products like plastic.
For some time now, the U.S. has had more registered cars and trucks
than licensed drivers. Big new markets have been carved out for
products like snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, and motor homes. Once
serene lakes are now battered by racket and wakes of ubiquitous
motorboats and jet skis. And we shouldn’t forget those dirty, noisy
two-stroke engines commonly used to mow lawns.
While plug-in electric cars are now starting to appear, nearly 99
percent of the auto industry is still cranking out fossil-fueled cars
and trucks. More than 900,000 American workers are directly involved
in making parts and assembling these vehicles. Millions more earn a
paycheck by selling, maintaining, repairing, insuring—and ultimately
scrapping them. Hundreds of thousands of others are employed in
building and maintenance of highways and city streets. And, of course,
auto is a prime customer for the steel, rubber, and glass industries.
With zero redeeming social benefit, the fighters, bombers, tanks,
cruise missiles, and drones used in constant wars of intervention to
advance the interests of capitalist Globalization are also a huge
greenhouse polluter.
Of course, it has never been the intention of the capitalists to wreck
our biosphere. That’s collateral damage in the class war they wage,
which has made today’s American ruling class the richest in history.
Some of them favor measures they hope will slow down global warming so
that the next generations can figure out something better.
The bosses and bankers mainly promote ineffective schemes like carbon
price, carbon tax, and carbon offsets, which have been widely used
since the Kyoto Accords were adopted in 1997—but never implemented by
Clinton or Bush II.
Obama’s much hailed “Clean Power” initiative—which Trump is now trying
to dismantle—was the first American contribution to world efforts to
adopt goals to reduce carbon emissions. It was mainly based on
inducing many power plants to convert from coal to somewhat less
carbon-polluting natural gas. This hasn’t happened out of climate
concerns by the utilities. Gas has become cheaper than coal—mainly
because of Obama’s promotion of environmentally destructive hydraulic
fracturing (fracking.)
“Clean Power” also relied on the cooperation of states to develop
carbon markets and quotas—much like Obama’s Affordable Care Act
counted on states doing the right thing. And because this “historic”
plan was introduced through an executive order, it can be modified and
perhaps even nullified by order of the current Denier-in-Chief.
Real solutions are available
Since burning fossil fuels is the main culprit in creating the
greenhouse effect driving climate change, a total solution is simple
and obvious—quit burning them, leave them in the ground. We in fact
don’t need them. There are clean, renewable energy sources available
free for the taking everywhere on Earth—sun, wind, and water.
We can replace dirty, inefficient internal combustion and diesel
engines that consume fossil fuel with electric motors. We can conserve
energy and reap many other ecological benefits by reversing urban
sprawl, reclaiming the forests, wetlands, and farm lands that once
surrounded and nurtured many of our cities before being wrecked by
irresponsible “development.”
To facilitate population return to our depleted, long neglected urban
cores will require using craft workers now building pipelines and
fracking wells to be put to work rebuilding and renovating quality
affordable housing and a sustainable infrastructure. Safe, reliable,
electric-powered mass transit would be a high priority project.
Climate change is a global crisis. No country can escape its
impact—not even the U.S., the richest country in history. A large part
of this American wealth—of which the lion’s share is controlled by
about one-tenth of one percent of our population—is accumulated
through exploitation of other nations, leaving them “underdeveloped”
and polluted. There is not only a moral obligation but also a vital
self-interest for the world economy to finance climate stabilization
projects in the poorest countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
But we need to offer more than money—it’s also essential to lead by
example in action. Sustainable restructuring of the world’s biggest
economy can convince the whole world that there is now a road to
development far superior to our history marked by unintended
ecological destruction.
But we need a plan—pronto
When American capitalism decided to go all-in for the Second World
War, they didn’t try to induce industry to build unprecedented numbers
of ships, planes, and tanks through tax credits or other fiscal and
market measures. Instead, the government essentially took control of
the entire economy and dictated products and production quotas. This
project of Big Government was the most successful crash mobilization
of economic resources in history.
To be sure, this is a far from perfect analogy. The end use of that
production led to 70 million deaths and the beginning of the era of
nuclear war. We want to end wars and war spending, not make them
bigger or more efficient.
Nor is it realistic to expect a capitalist government to carry out
such planned economy to combat climate change. The capitalists were
rewarded handsomely for their compliance with the government’s World
War II plan, and the U.S. victory led to opening up vast new markets to U.S.
domination—which from their point of view made the slaughter and
destruction more than acceptable. They will not make any sacrifices to
eliminate the most important sources of profit.
The only force in society with both the potential power and material
interest to challenge destructive capitalist rule is the working-class
majority. With the same sense of wartime urgency, our class that does
nearly all the work, in alliance with scientists and
environmentalists, can take charge of a planned rapid restructuring of
a sustainable economy and run it democratically.
Some hopeful signs from labor
The only class-based mass organizations in the USA are the trade unions.
This movement has long been divided over climate and environmental
issues. But today a number of important national unions are educating
and mobilizing their members around climate as well as class justice.
Those making that connection include the Amalgamated Transit Union,
American Federation of Teachers, American Postal Workers,
Communications Workers of America, National Nurses United, Service
Employees International Union, and the United Electrical, Radio & Machine
Workers.
Some of these unions are part of the labor/environmental Blue Green
Alliance. All are affiliated with the Labor Network for
Sustainability, which is doing valuable work in hammering out a
program for “Making a Living On a Living Planet.”
Most have also joined the global Trade Unions for Energy Democracy.
Among other demands, TUED favors socialization of all energy under
worker management—a goal Socialist Action heartily supports. But to
secure the needed massive restructuring plan, we think socialization
will need to also include at the very least the financial and
transportation sectors and, because of its central importance, the
auto industry as well.
Both the LNS and TUED strongly support the application of Just
Transition—a topic of an article in the February issue of this
newspaper. This long standing working-class principle holds that when
workers lose their livelihood for the better good of society we have a
collective obligation to give them income, retraining, and relocation
support until they can find suitable new jobs.
Unlike Trump’s phony promise of putting miners back to work digging
coal, we can honestly and confidently guarantee Just Transition to the
millions of workers who will be affected as we replace
climate-wrecking jobs with sustainable ones. At the same time as we
save our biosphere, we will generate full employment with a decent
standard of living for generations.
As the working class replaces the present capitalist ruling class, we
can use some of their ill-gotten wealth to also provide generous
solidarity grants to nations exploited by the old rules, so that they
too can be part of making a decent living on a healing planet.
This, of course, won’t be done overnight. While climate change
relentlessly advances, the struggles for both climate and class
justice are in their early stages. There are no short cuts. We need to
continue to educate and motivate around the urgent need for climate
action while helping the working class recover from class identity
theft. Periodic mass demonstrations, along with education in union
halls and workplace break rooms, and teach-ins on college campuses,
remain essential
Scientists and environmentalists have done their job well in
explaining the climate crisis and offering ways to satisfactorily
resolve it. But the necessary alternatives require taking political
power away from the climate-wrecking class. That won’t be done until
the working class breaks the two-party political monopoly that allows
this tiny destructive minority to rule. The need for a mass
working-class party in the United States—likely arising from our
unions—is every bit as urgent as the climate crisis itself.
Share this:
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) 5Share on Facebook
(Opens in new window)5 Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new
window)
April 28, 2017 in Environment, Labor.
Related posts
Labor Notes conference big & diverse
Capitalism cannot solve the climate crisis
Report on the Kansas City Labor Activist Conference
Post navigation
← Films: “I Am Not Your Negro”
Women’s strikes: Forward to May 1! →
Get Involved!
Donate to help support our work
Get email updates
Join Socialist Action
Newspaper Archives
Newspaper Archives Select Month April 2017 (14) March 2017 (13)
February 2017 (19) January 2017 (13) December 2016 (12) November
2016 (19) October 2016 (12) September 2016 (10) August 2016 (10)
July 2016 (14) June 2016 (14) May 2016 (9) April 2016 (12) March
2016 (14) February 2016 (8) January 2016 (11) December 2015 (11)
November 2015 (9) October 2015 (8) September 2015 (10) August 2015
(7) July 2015 (13) June 2015 (9) May 2015 (10) April 2015 (12)
March
2015 (9) February 2015 (11) January 2015 (10) December 2014 (12)
November 2014 (11) October 2014 (9) September 2014 (6) August 2014
(10) July 2014 (11) June 2014 (10) May 2014 (11) April 2014 (10)
March 2014 (9) February 2014 (11) January 2014 (11) December 2013
(10) November 2013 (11) October 2013 (17) September 2013 (13)
August
2013 (10) July 2013 (11) June 2013 (15) May 2013 (14) April 2013
(14) March 2013 (12) February 2013 (10) January 2013 (17) December
2012 (7) November 2012 (8) October 2012 (19) September 2012 (2)
August 2012 (27) July 2012 (18) June 2012 (3) May 2012 (19) April
2012 (14) March 2012 (17) February 2012 (19) January 2012 (17)
December 2011 (3) November 2011 (33) October 2011 (14) September
2011 (13) August 2011 (34) July 2011 (24) June 2011 (19) May 2011
(19) April 2011 (15) March 2011 (15) February 2011 (16) January
2011
(15) December 2010 (17) November 2010 (1) October 2010 (6)
September
2010 (3) August 2010 (8) July 2010 (7) June 2010 (2) May 2010 (9)
April 2010 (3) March 2010 (8) February 2010 (3) January 2010 (9)
December 2009 (6) November 2009 (5) October 2009 (16) September
2009
(3) August 2009 (2) July 2009 (5) June 2009 (2) May 2009 (7) April
2009 (6) March 2009 (16) February 2009 (9) January 2009 (10)
December
2008 (11) November 2008 (8) October 2008 (16) September 2008 (14)
August 2008 (18) July 2008 (12) June 2008 (3) May 2008 (2) April
2008 (3) March 2008 (14) February 2008 (11) January 2008 (11)
December 2007 (8) November 2007 (1) July 2007 (1) June 2007 (1)
April 2007 (1) March 2007 (1) February 2007 (3) December 2006 (11)
November 2006 (11) October 2006 (13) September 2006 (15) August 2006
(11) July 2006 (18) June 2006 (7) May 2006 (14) April 2006 (6)
March
2006 (14) February 2006 (5) January 2006 (2) December 2005 (9)
November 2005 (8) October 2005 (13) September 2005 (12) August 2005
(9) July 2005 (16) June 2005 (16) May 2005 (16) April 2005 (12)
March 2005 (14) February 2005 (19) January 2005 (15) December 2004
(14) November 2002 (17) October 2002 (19) September 2002 (22)
August
2002 (21) July 2002 (15) May 2002 (21) April 2002 (21) February
2002 (15) January 2002 (15) December 2001 (17) October 2001 (24)
September 2001 (18) July 2001 (19) June 2001 (18) October 2000
(17) September 2000 (21) August 2000 (19) July 2000 (16) June 2000
(26) May 2000 (21) April 2000 (22) March 2000 (28) February 2000
(18) January 2000 (20) December 1999 (20) November 1999 (26) October
1999
(25) September 1999 (18) August 1999 (40) July 1999 (38) June 1999
(24) May 1999 (27) April 1999 (25) March 1999 (26) February 1999
(29) January 1999 (24) July 1998 (12)
Search
View socialistactionusa’s profile on Facebook View SocialistActUS’s
profile on Twitter View SocialistActionCT’s profile on YouTube
Subscribe to Our Newspaper
Upcoming Events
San Francisco: Honoring our Heroes and Martyrs... Celebrating the Life
of People's Attorney Lynne Stewart Renewing the Fight to Free Mumia
Abu-Jamal May 6, 2017 at 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Eric Quesada Political and Cultural Center, 518 Valencia St., San
Francisco, CA
Category Cloud
Actions & Protest Africa Anti-War Arts & Culture Black Liberation
Canada Caribbean Civil Liberties Cuba East Asia Economy Education &
Schools Elections Environment Europe Immigration Indigenous Rights
International Labor Latin America Latino Civil Liberties Marxist
Theory & History Middle East Palestine Police & FBI Prisons South Asia
Uncategorized Vote Socialist Action Women's Liberation
View Calendar
Blog at WordPress.com.