7.24.22: Sure Seems Like A Melt Down... The Climate Change of Everything

 It sure seems like a melt down if you ask us. Whether it's climate, Donald Trump's prospects or confidence in all branches of government, the heat is rising and all of the above are melting. 

It was a good choice to schedule an interview to an update on what are prophetic thoughts from former vice-president Al Gore, the man who stepped aside for the sake of our democracy and then went on to warn us about the catastrophic effects of climate change. The graphic below from today's program shows a list of recent climate announcements that truly tells the story.   

In terms of the Colorado River, Lake Mead is at such a low level, ships and skeletal remains from the 1940's are being recovered and in 5 years if the water level keeps receding at pace, there will not be enough gallons of water per month required for the Hoover Dam to generate enough power to the states it services.

Vice President Gore has been warning us about the effects of melting glaciers for 30 years and we're still seeing state-size chunks of Greenland and Antarctica break way, affecting ocean currents and warming the water causing more catastrophic storms. Mr. Gore also explained that we do have the tools to get to net-zero carbon admissions but not the political will to get there many due to the economic effects. Those economic effects are those that impact the bottom line of the oil companies who then stick it to the average consumer [sic: voter] who is stretch thin as it is. But the tools are there: instituting a carbon emissions tax, automobile companies transitioning their entire fleets to either hybrid or full-electric, along with more off-shore wind, and solar of course. 

However, there are a few notions we'd like to throw out there that time did not permit them to cover. First, the United States should completely rethink its nuclear energy program. Nuclear energy has zero carbon emissions and is very safe, but there is the risk of accident. However, instead of pipelines, make waterlines to transport ocean water inland for rod cooling to more stable earth where a reactor is at less risk of structural damage. Also invest more into the research and development of cold fusion.

Also, many people don't know that when a crypto-currency sets up shop in your state or country, they become to biggest consumer of energy in every case due to the amount it takes to run and cool the vast number of servers that create algorithms and nothing else. The state of Texas had to shutdown a cryptocurrency operation in its state due to the strain it was putting on the Texas's electric grid, causing brown outs in residential neighborhoods. 

The former vice president mentioned something that we've talked about in this column previously, which is that we essentially have a minority government, especially when it comes to legislation on climate. But it's this 'minority government' that has Americans disapproving in Congress, the President and the Supreme Court by overwhelming margins.

A minority of politicians fueled by huge contributions block what the majority of Americans want and the direction they want to go.

Fortunately, the minority of what have been the overly loud voices of insanity are having their collective bubble burst by a thousand cuts from the January 6th Committee. Mr. Trump and his allies are melting under the intense heat of the committee and the DOJ. This week the Murdoch properties The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post, as the panel discussed, walked away from the former president explicitly saying he is "unfit to hold office again." Real question there is whether Fox News will follow.

Steve Bannon went into his contempt of Congress trial all bluster and bravado claiming he would get 'medieval,' but after 3 hours of deliberation the jury found him guilty on both counts and he never took the stand in his own defense; sending him away with his head up his ass and facing jail time.

Lastly, there's the economy. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made some news as she teased that we'll probably see negative GDP growth for a second quarter, which would normally mean we're in a recession, but Secretary Yellen said that we wouldn't be. Our advice when it comes to statements from Sec. Yellen is that we take the wait-and-see approach... Her batting average isn't great. That said, as many economists had been saying the economy had over-heated and now, pardon the expression again, some of it has to melt off. 

It's not just the meteorologic climate that's changing, it's the climate change of everything.

Aren't you looking forward to August?

Panel: Yamiche Alcindor, NBC News; Stephen Hayes, The Dispatch; Maria Teresa Kumar, Voto Latino; Jake Sherman, Punchbowl News