(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . If you think voting it the best way to save the planet, Where’s the proof and Where’s the pudding? [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-12 You say that voting it the best way to save the planet. Where’s the proof and where’s the pudding? Often in the comments to some of my diaries and those of others in the climate community, people leave remarks to the effect that our environmental efforts will be for naught if we don’t hang on to our democracy and vote for politicians with integrity, who support environmental legislation. While there is no doubt about this, the reverse is every bit as true, if not more so. Voting vs climate pro-action is usually broached as a ‘one or the other’ proposition and the counter suggestion that we need to hedge our bets and do both, either elicits no response or is met with further resistance. Overall, the consensus on the political side of DK, would appear to be that voting is enough. While there has long been cross over by most the climate community into the political arena, with many of us writing politically related diaries from time to time, this has been not so much the case with the majority of the political community until relatively recently when Mark Sumner and a few others crossed the line a number of months past. A couple of years ago an effort was made to have staff address environmental issues, but it was short lived, because the truly climate concerned on DK couldn’t generate enough traction to sustain these efforts in the face of a more general disinterest and shunning. The ‘stealth elephant’ here, is what has been critically lacking on DK during all this time — environmental political action and information helping us determine who the most progressive and motivated environmental candidates are and demanding change, before the clock runs out. What with the ongoing catastrophic environmental events we’ve been witnessing and suffering this past summer, I’ve been anticipating a reactive environmental political mobilization by Daily Kos. I’m still waiting. Many of us who are environmentally proactive are freaking out, but the rest of DK doesn’t appear worried. The politically oriented majority continues to give the appearance of operating under the belief that there are still other issues more important and urgent than the environment. Isn’t it long past time to be better informed about environmental collapse, rather than avoiding it and rationalizing that recycling the old trope about voting in politicians that care about climate is enough to justify your ‘best intentions’ being applied elsewhere? Isn’t it long past time for DK to employ its political activism to take on the battle against environmental collapse, rather than continuing to sit this one out? Meteor Blades recently addressed this in a comment: “I cannot tell you how many times in the past two decades that I have heard the exact same assertion made about the next election. Deal with that, we were told, and then we’ll take on climate change. With what result? Until the miracle of the IRA happened last year, the climate crisis was barely being addressed. Too many Democratic candidates—progressive ones as well as centrists—wouldn’t even mention climate change unless they were pressed to do so, and then, frankly, we often just got lip service. I am not a one-issue voter and never have been. I’ve been active in the voting rights, reproductive rights, and Indigenous rights struggles since 1963, 1966, and 1968 respectively. And not just as side matters—on the streets, at abortion clinics being harassed, in civil disobedience actions, and in countless door-to-door election campaigns. I’ve met and worked with some dedicated activists in all these essential arenas. But this wait-until-other-problems-are-solved theme has gone way beyond tiresome. Every Democratic candidate in the primaries and general election (at the national, state, and local levels) should be asked what new, specific legislation or other actions not already being done they would initiate or support in terms of climate. If they don’t have a ready answer at hand they should sure as hell get one. If they have listed priorities on their campaign websites and don’t include climate, as many did not even in 2020 or 2022, they should be asked to explain why not. Delay is denial. And denial is death.” I would only add to this that when these questions are asked and answered, the information should be provided for all DK readers by the political action branch of DK. The world is collapsing around us in real time like a house of cards. Our only ‘home’ is burning and the flames are climbing the walls, while the smoke — well, it’s been choking us for some time now. Soon our escape will be blocked and Gaia will be incinerated. But I detect no urgency when scrolling through the political ‘buffet’ offered up on DK. While the intent of most of the writers, speaks well to the seriousness of our political situation, too often the readers’ choices prefer the desserts in their search for stimulation as a preference to edification. Frequently engaging issues devolve into distractions and no more so than in the face of environmental collapse. Deciding that caring about the environment is enough, even if backed up with what have now become ‘token’ actions, like recycling, and that political involvement absolves one of responsibility for aggressive pro-action in this emergency is delusional. SninkyPoo addressed this more diplomatically in her recent diary: “And on the climate? Well, we all seem to be on board with… something. Doing our own part. Recycling. Carpooling. Joining marches. Being little voices who will add up and amount to a lot. But at the risk of repeating myself (and getting shot down) I think it is time to do more. What form that “more” takes is up to you, of course. If you are already doing everything you can, bravo . But so many of us aren’t.” SninkyPoo https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/5/2197624/-What-the-Hell-Just-Happened If we really think we’re already doing enough, we need to ask ourselves, ‘what is enough’ when facing annihilation? Taken a step further, how long ago was this determination as to ‘what is enough’ made, and isn’t it past time to revisit that decision — on a regular basis as demanded by this emergency? As environmental collapse ramps up exponentially, it is continuously upping the ante and not altering our reactions to keep up with the shifting scenario of events constitutes gross negligence. For, the environment is not a static issue…it is getting worse by the day and if the majority here are to preserve their self-esteem (which is plentiful on DK) by living up to their responsibilities as adults and guardians, they need to keep up with climate just as we all do with events unfolding in Washington — and then take action — aggressively. Anything less is a failure of duty. Over the last several years, I have been repeatedly ‘assured’ that the majority of DK users ‘care’ about the environment, although the numbers tell a different story. It is the manner in which this ‘care’ is ‘back burnered’ on DK that concerns me. What exactly is this politically inactive care worth? If the proof is in the pudding, where is the pudding? Where are the demonstrative results of DK’s environmental political activism? — and how do these stack up to the enormity of what we are facing. Sadly, there is not enough to stack. What type of ‘care’ remains silent as an environmental ‘tsunami’ advances? For the fact is, the majority of DK readership does not read the Climate diaries on this site and many of those who do, do so with, at best, only partial commitment. The numbers prove this. Here’s a handy maxim: “Concern without action is worthless.” (Just ask Susan Collins, she’ll tell you!) I’ve heard ad nauseam the excuse that voting is the most important thing we can do about climate. Voting, to save the world at this late date, has become like ‘spitting on a fire’ to put it out and will soon equate to discussing alternative routes with the captain of the Titanic after hitting the iceberg. There is no doubt that voting is still essential, even when being rapidly relegated to the ‘too little too late’ file. To decide at this point that voting alone, is a valid contribution to environmental pro-action, is not grounded in our present reality. As such, it has become denial ridden avoidance and an excuse. Furthermore, though it might seem the stuff of Voltaire’s ‘best possible world’, the politically focused could try chewing the political wad, while walking the environmental walk at the same time. I’ll concede to you that it’s important to elect officials who are environmentally concerned, but in exchange, would someone please direct me to all the diaries helping to sift these candidates out of the chaff. We need to find more candidates like A.O.C. and Jay Inslee, or create them through demand.. And while we’re at it, would someone please direct me to the many petitions supporting or pressuring those that are already climate concerned to act, so that I can sign them. While I’ve found a couple of late — well , let’s just spit in the ocean this time. Without these actions bullishly in place, doesn’t talk of ‘climate’ voting run the risk of appearing to be reduced to a screen to hide behind? 7 years ago when DK first found me, I wanted to avoid reading the climate articles, because they upset me too much and could emotionally destabilize me for days after. This last was made worse, by my innate ability to ‘go there’ and find myself knee deep in a full nonverbal comprehension of the horrors they presaged. Nevertheless, as I was never in denial about environmental degradation and knew the importance of environmental preservation all of my adult life, I forced myself to read them, confront the information they provided and suffer the ‘slings and arrows’. I understand first hand and intimately, what such avoidance is grounded in. For many it is a ‘cross’ too ponderous and the fear of being ‘crushed’ by it outweighs the necessity of being informed. But there is a way for those that just can’t go there to still take environmental political pro-action. Instigating, coordinating and promoting political climate action of the kind I just mentioned above, does not require knowing shit about climate collapse beyond understanding that it’s worthy of political action and that action is long overdue. Politicians are conditioned by their constituents to talk about issues in broad nonspecific ways so they won’t turn off voters and won’t get too nailed down. So the politically concerned who may already be maxed out by the Orange Traitor’s unending onslaught, can embrace environmental political action through harvesting candidate’s environmental platforms. This can be done without being overly exposed to the distressing and nasty climate bits. Although fact checking would be a plus, it is not necessary, if this information is presented as simply being so and so’s positions on the environment. Just sending them along to us ‘as is’ would be a lot better than what we’re getting now. All that needs to be done is to cut-and-paste and voila — all the makings of a valuable diary with information we sorely need in order to make the right voting choices. No one will stay up nights worrying (except about political issues) and may actually sleep better knowing an effort has been made to help others ‘save the world by voting’. Of course, I hold out little hope that this will actually be done, but suggest it as a way of highlighting that ‘voting for environmental change’ has always been an excuse. The fact that few political actions of this kind have ever been forwarded on DK are the ‘clay feet’ supporting this rationalization for avoiding environmental pro-action. 2024 is still a long way off. With the speed at which climate collapse is inter-connectively expanding, it is likely to prove too late and we’ll find ourselves standing with our tickets looking at an empty berth, as the “S.S. Salvation” already pulled anchor and departed. Your rescue ship will have become a freighter, off to deliver its cargo of despair. The divide between the environment and politics on DK is illusory and based in cognitive dissonance. Environmental collapse is not just the most important political issue in the world, it is the most important issue in the world — period. If left unaddressed it will shortly terminate all contenders and (to wear out our welcome with Voltaire), should have shoved them down the ‘to do’ list long ago. Although other issues remain critical and cannot be ignored, using them as an excuse for sidelining climate action has become intolerable, uber-absurd and potentially fatal. For no other issue we face even begins to approach the level of this ‘full frontal assault’ that is unmercifully testing the outer-limits of our cognitive and physical abilities. I know that ‘shaming’ is frowned upon on this site, and for the most part rightly so. It is in my nature to see the good in others and work to nurture and foster it. When there is none to be found, I look elsewhere. However, the patent neglect of environmental issues on the part of the majority of this site has risen to such heights that I am left gasping for air, especially while peering into the depths of the trouble we are now ALL in. Because Libya is still a cognitive abstraction, the surprise flash flooding of Manhattan, by being closer to home, may have had a better chance of driving home the fact that none of us are safe, no matter where we live anymore. To our own peril we continue to disconnect from the interconnectivity of all things (because we see ourselves as special and therefore separate :-) Disaster is running amok and knows no limits. It is capricious and unpredictable now. The deck gets shuffled and scattered rather than cut. The well-founded advice when facing a threat of this mind-boggling magnitude, is not to “pick and choose your battles”, like pastries. What kind of serious activism employs ‘personal preferences’ when faced with a ‘battle’ for survival? Preferential cherry-picking of issues reinforces the comfort of pre-established norms. This does not foster rigorous debate and the productive exchange of ideas which lead to meaningful action. Instead information narrows and knowledge gets restricted, sucking the oxygen out of our efforts. While it’s clear to me that many here are not accepting packages marked “FRAGILE / ENVIRONMENT”, because this might lead to unpacking essential awareness, which in turn leads to the unwanted ‘gift’ of meaningful climate action — the rationalization for this is — what? — “we’re too busy”? We’ve got other more pressing matters than survival? Cancel your Amazon order, hang up the phone and listen — that is the sound of El Niño howling at your door. For whatever reason, Mark Sumner has started to write excellent articles about this crisis and does not ‘clip the hedge’ when he does. Since the end of 2019, when Mark first started his stellar Covid coverage, I have been faithfully following his posts. Until recently his focus has been, to the detriment of our climate emergency, nearly exclusively elsewhere. Not any more. El Niño is wreaking such havoc and now raising concerns to new levels, that other high profile writers have started to weigh in on a regular basis and others who have been largely silent are no longer. Follow their lead. Find your courage and confront this ‘monster’ before it rips our world to shreds. If you think the situation is hopeless, that is the result of not being actively engaged in informing yourselves. Active confrontation lifts our spirits and fosters determination. There is no escape hatch and hiding will likely get you killed. By providing the DK community at large with the information we’ll need to vote in an environmentally beneficial manner and providing readership with political actions to take, a portal through which members can become engaged will be opened and action will help to dispel avoidance and a feeling of oppression and despair. Action breeds hope. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/12/2198121/-If-you-think-voting-it-the-best-way-to-save-the-planet-Where-s-the-proof-and-Where-s-the-pudding?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/