The Political Climate: an ongoing commentary on the NH Primary and Climate Change

A letter from today’s Keene Sentinel is right on:

“As we approach the end of what could be called the nation’s toughest job interview, there are still many more questions to be asked of our presidential hopefuls.

In these final weeks before the primary, it is of the upmost importance to continue to question the candidates about their plans to address climate change.

Not to diminish the importance of issues such as Iraq and health care, but climate change is equally if not more critical.

To quote Tim Flannery, internationally renowned scientist and explorer as he writes about climate change, ‘In the years to come this issue will dwarf all the others combined.  It will become the only issue.’

How could he infer that problems such as health care or the war in Iraq could be forced a back seat to global warming?

Perhaps it’s because our climate is warming much faster than models had predicted just a few years ago, an acceleration that is pushing the problem ever further from our control.  And if humans are allowed to continue to court disaster with the Earth’s thermostat, it won’t be long before our nation finds itself overburdened with merely trying to deal with the consequences, leaving little time and resources for the myriad other issue important to the safety and well-being of America.

Here in New Hampshire we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to keep the candidate’s toes to the coals on this issue.

So, please, when you are out there at an event, make it a point to ask the candidates for more specifics, and ask harder questions about their plans to address climate change.

And if your favorite candidate has not yet developed a comprehensive plan of action, then insist that they draw one up and share it with you.

Rachel Courtney, Dublin.”

Well Put Rachel.