White House issues damning statement re Joe Manchin

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday December 19, 2021 · 9:55 AM PST

2021/12/19 · 09:55

ScreenShot2021-12-19at12.54.33PM.png — Jen Psaki is a powerful, thoughtful, eloquent WH voice speaking forcefully re Joe Manchin's gaslighting America

This statement, post Manchin’s gaslighting performance on Fox, is worth a read in entirety.

Senator Manchin’s comments this morning on FOX are at odds with his discussions this week with the President, with White House staff, and with his own public utterances. Weeks ago, Senator Manchin committed to the President, at his home in Wilmington, to support the Build Back Better framework that the President then subsequently announced. Senator Manchin pledged repeatedly to negotiate on finalizing that framework “in good faith.”

On Tuesday of this week, Senator Manchin came to the White House and submitted—to the President, in person, directly—a written outline for a Build Back Better bill that was the same size and scope as the President’s framework, and covered many of the same priorities. While that framework was missing key priorities, we believed it could lead to a compromise acceptable to all. Senator Manchin promised to continue conversations in the days ahead, and to work with us to reach that common ground. If his comments on FOX and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position, and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate.

Senator Manchin claims that this change of position is related to inflation, but the think tank he often cites on Build Back Better—the Penn Wharton Budget Institute—issued a report less than 48 hours ago that noted the Build Back Better Act will have virtually no impact on inflation in the short term, and, in the long run, the policies it includes will ease inflationary pressures. Many leading economists with whom Senator Manchin frequently consults also support Build Back Better.

Build Back Better lowers costs that families pay. It will reduce what families pay for child care. It will reduce what they pay for prescription drugs. It will lower health care premiums. And it puts a tax cut in the pockets of families with kids. If someone is concerned about the impact that higher prices are having on families, this bill gives them a break.

Senator Manchin cited deficit concerns in his statement. But the plan is fully paid for, is the most fiscally responsible major bill that Congress has considered in years, and reduces the deficit in the long run. The Congressional Budget Office report that the Senator cites analyzed an unfunded extension of Build Back Better. That’s not what the President has proposed, not the bill the Senate would vote on, and not what the President would support. Senator Manchin knows that: The President has told him that repeatedly, including this week, face to face.

Likewise, Senator Manchin’s statement about the climate provisions in Build Back Better are wrong. Build Back Better will produce a job-creating clean energy future for this country—including West Virginia.

Just as Senator Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honor his prior commitments and be true to his word.

In the meantime, Senator Manchin will have to explain to those families paying $1,000 a month for insulin why they need to keep paying that, instead of $35 for that vital medicine. He will have to explain to the nearly two million women who would get the affordable day care they need to return to work why he opposes a plan to get them the help they need. Maybe Senator Manchin can explain to the millions of children who have been lifted out of poverty, in part due to the Child Tax Credit, why he wants to end a program that is helping achieve this milestone—we cannot.

We are proud of what we have gotten done in 2021: the American Rescue Plan, the fastest decrease in unemployment in U.S. history, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, over 200 million Americans vaccinated, schools reopened, the fastest rollout of vaccines to children anywhere in the world, and historic appointments to the Federal judiciary.

But we will not relent in the fight to help Americans with their child care, health care, prescription drug costs, and elder care—and to combat climate change. The fight for Build Back Better is too important to give up. We will find a way to move forward next year.

Honestly, I cannot recall such an explicit, clear, substantive statement from a White House explicitly confronting a same party Senator.

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday November 11, 2021 · 9:44 AM PST

2021/11/11 · 09:44

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/24.2-1004/ VA § 24.2-1004. Illegal voting and registrations. — Youngkin's son tried, repeatedly, to commit a felony offense ... election officials' professionalism prevented the crime

Virginia’s governor-elect, Glenn Youngkin, put “election integrity” at the top of his priority lists (despite Virginia having close to zero claims/documentation of fraud and generally well-run elections with traceability and regular audits of systems and processes). “Election Integrity”, however, doesn’t necessarily seem to be a family value as Youngkin’s 17-year old son tried — repeatedly — to vote despite being illegible to vote.

Media should fire back that his son tried to vote TWICE, the receipts below: pic.twitter.com/YML7KJaUZX
— Nicoletta (@MissNicoletta) November 10, 2021

Now, to provide a context, this Virginia household’s three children all knew (figured out themselves) before age 10 which would be the first election that they would be eligible to vote (would be voting) in. It isn’t exactly a secret or difficult to figure out by any (even) mildly-civic minded student about voting eligibility.

Now, Glenn Youngkin is distressed that his signature campaign item is being tarred — not frustrated, it seems, by his son’s repeated attempts to commit a felony (evidently, under Virginia law, the attempt isn’t illegal while the action is) but angered (frustrated) by people calling attention to it:

“leave my family alone” because “there’s real confusion” abt whether 17 year olds can vote in the US https://t.co/oPa9g2oaLq
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) November 11, 2021

Rather than this pathetic whining, Governor-Elect Youngkin should be making a statement thanking election officials (bureaucrats!) for their professionalism that kept his son from committing a felony offense under Virginia § 24.2-1004. Illegal voting and registrations:

B. Any person who intentionally... (iii) votes knowing that he is not qualified to vote where and when the vote is to be given, .... is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

His son went to the precinct and was told he could not vote. He went back and again tried to vote. Without question, the second would have provided a prima facie (slam-dunk) case of "votes knowing that he is not qualified to vote" if the election officials had mistakenly allowed him to vote as he was trying to do and arguing he was allowed to do.

McAuliffe's Powerful Campaign Closer

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday November 01, 2021 · 8:00 PM PDT

2021/11/01 · 20:00

https://twitter.com/A_Siegel/status/1455328462084968449 Fairfax 1 Nov 2021 GOTV Rally

This evening, the Virginia Democratic party held an election eve rally in Fairfax County, Virginia, with speakers from gun sense (Moms Demand Action) and union organizations, Senator (and former Governor of Virginia) Mark Warner, the first female Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Dorothy McAuliffe, and the three state-wide Democratic Party candidates. It was a boisterous crowd excited about the messages throughout the hour-long rally.

Truly, tonight, the best was saved for last as Terry McAuliffe made a passionate and heartfelt case for ‘Why Terry’ along with why HELL NO Trumpkin Youngkin.

Here is the event:

YouTube Video

While you might wish to watch the entire rally, Tarey’s 15 minutes beginning at the 47th minute are well worth the watch. (Mea culpa, this video doesn’t allow clipping and there isn’t (yet) a transcript … ). Honestly, I am glad that I went and experienced Terry’s passion firsthand.

If Virginia voters were listening to @TerryMcAuliffe this evening, TMac would redefine “landslide” with a 25 point victory. First campaign rally where I am happier for my vote than before I came.@vademocrats #vagov https://t.co/J7egQUG6uk pic.twitter.com/38sxbgmMI7
— A Siegel (@A_Siegel) November 2, 2021

.@HalaAyala “smells victory … in an election over the soul of Virginia … is it a dog whistle if you can hear it … the @VA_GOP have shown there is no line they won’t cross.” pic.twitter.com/pTZ1AznEbH
— A Siegel (@A_Siegel) November 1, 2021

For some perspectives, see Blue Virginia's post on the event.

GET OUT THE VOTE

The polls show this as an extremely close race. It shouldn’t be. Youngkin is a Trump acolyte who denies climate science, is a life-time NRA member, will undermine election integrity, undermine COVID protections, and otherwise turn the tide back in the Commonwealth. Terry has committed to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035, boosting worker protections, boosting teacher compensation (Virginia is 50th in the nation while being the 10th richest state), a $15 minimum wage by 2024, and … And … AND so much more.

If you are a Virginian and haven’t already banked your vote, VOTE TUESDAY!

If you have friends and relatives in Virginia, call and email them to GET OUT AND VOTE TUESDAY!

If you have several hours, join phone banks Tuesday to GOTV:

Keep Virginia Blue: Easy (<5 minute) action item

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 12, 2021 · 10:36 AM PDT

2021/10/12 · 10:36

Virginia is perpetually in election cycle, with important elections every single year. In 2021, the three state-wide positions (Gov, LtGov, Atty General) and the House of Delegates are on the ballot. If (IF) Democrats show up to vote, this will be a Blue Tsunami cementing Democratic power. The existing Democratic Party control has led to real progress in voting rights, health care, human rights, clean energy, and more. However … HOWEVER … any lack of enthusiasm, relative to the Cult 45 Virginia GOP, could see a flip of control to revanchist Republicans. And, GOP control doesn’t just risk turning back the progress that has been made but could even set the stage for anti-democratic flipping of Virginia’s electoral college votes.

Great point by @Susan_Mariner about why it's *imperative* that you vote - and remind everyone you know to vote - Democratic up and down the ballot on or before 11/2! https://t.co/6UdPiIPBYy pic.twitter.com/cCVojgITy6
— Blue Virginia (@bluevirginia) October 12, 2021

Virginia's 2021 election is critical to send a message that American voters reject Cult 45 seditionist Trumpism. Polling suggests that the election is tight primarily because Democratic voters aren't engaged while anti-Democracy, science denying Republicans are revved up. We can help change this through by encouraging our Virginian friends, family, and acquaintances to GOTV: GET OUT AND VOTE. Virginia has had extremely close elections with a literal tie in a House race in 2017 decided by chance. Sending an email to 100 people could lead to motivating several to GOTV. If we, as a group, send notes to 25,000 people that could mean 500 or more votes for Democrats and could even provide THE margin of victory in multiple races.

An easy action item

While election day is November 2d, voting has already begun both via absentee ballots and in-person voting. So, a message NOW and another in several weeks will help keep Democrats in charge in Richmond. Thus, an EASY ACTION to help SAY NO TO TRUMP-istas: cut and paste the the following message and send it to everyone you know in Virginia. And, even easier, send this message in entirety (please remove the addressing so it is a message from you and not me) to everyone you know so that they will send messages to their friends and family.

Now, to that promised easy action item — send an email to (all) your lists, directly encouraging Virginians to vote and encouraging others to contact Virginia voters that they know. If you can, yes, canvasing. Yes, donating money. Yes, writing postcards and making phone calls. All of these matter. Here, however, is a rapid and easy way to engage that will (if you act) have positive impacts.

A draft email to cut-and-past to work with and make your own …

VIRGINIA matters

Your VOTE matters

Virginia's election is underway. Virginian Republicans think that they can take over the Commonwealth and put anti-science (vaccine, mask, climate denial), anti-women (Texas-like restrictions on choice), anti-public education, anti-decency, anti-Democracy policies into place. The Republican nominee, Glenn "Trumpkin" Youngkin has made clear his intent to support Trump in 2024, undermine efforts to control COVID19 with ending all vaccine and mask mandates, and reverse Virginia efforts to act on climate change. Virginians must JUST SAY NO to the anti-Democracy Republican agenda.

With Democrats in charge since 2019, Virginia has made real progress toward a clean energy future, economic growth and improved equity, reducing gun proliferation on our streets, and far, far, far more. And, unlike Republican-run states, science and public health have been at the core of tackling the COVID19 pandemic with a basic understanding that, for example, masks and vaccines work to save lives (and allow us to live our lives).

In 2021, Virginians have a choice: continue to make progress for a more perfect Union or to undermine Democracy and society with an embrace of Virginia Republican Trump wannabees.

Voting is already underway both absentee and in person. See this Virginia government election site (https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/) to check your registration status, and for information as to how to vote by mail and where/how you can vote early. Note: Oct 12 is the last day to register Check your status and register here: vote.elections.virginia.gov/...

It is critical for Virginia and the nation to GET OUT AND VOTE for Democratic statewide and local candidates. Do your share: VOTE. And, encourage all you friends and family to VOTE.

Thank you,

Climate change's weird appearance in Virginia Gubernatorial Debate

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday September 29, 2021 · 1:28 PM PDT

2021/09/29 · 13:28

Street flooding from Tropical Storm Matthew in Virginia Beach — Chuck Todd's concern about paying for flood insurance ...

The climate crisis made a brief appearance in last evening’s Virginia gubernatorial debate (see here for commentary on other portions of the debate) An oddball question from NBC’s Chuck Todd sparked strong comments from Democrat Terry McAuliffe and shallow predatory-delay, deceptive climate-truthiness from Trump-wannabe Glenn Youngkin.

In a southern state that, under Democratic Party leadership, has moved from significant trailer to a southern trailblazer on clean energy and climate policy, Todd’s question focused on — at best — a secondary issue. Rather than asking how, as Governor, the candidates would boost Virginia’s economy through clean-energy adoption or how they saw the Commonwealth government’s role in investing in and balancing climate mitigation and adaptation or what their stance is on new fossil-foolish infrastructure (like pipelines), Todd’s laser-like focus: flood insurance costs.

Before turning to dissecting Todd’s horrid question, something to highlight is his introduction to the question: “this is one minute to each of you as we’re getting a little low on time”. Yup, when it comes to what is (one of) the most critical issue facing humanity, let’s treat it as an ‘oh by the way’ issue less worthy of (a whopping) 90 seconds than, well, seemingly anything else.

Dissecting Todd’s horrific question

Okay, now take a look at the question:

Virginians underpay for flood insurance. But overpaying also could reduce home prices. Dealing with climate change, the state, country, entire world are dealing with this, who should be paying more when it comes to these issues of flood insurance? Should it be the government? Should it be wealthier taxpayers? Is it someone else? How do we pay for this adaptation and mitigation?

Before delving into this, a question to wonder: Does Todd have a beachfront property in Virginia Beach and is annoyed with increasing flood insurance bills or what? Seriously, why ‘this’ question over so many other others?

Now for some dissection:

Even before the candidates get to utter a syllable, Todd has provided a trash heap of mediocrity requiring dissection. Too much for one diary and thus see here for a look to Youngkin’s predatory-delay truthiness and McAuliffe’s strong statement in support of needed climate leadership.

DeJoy continues Postal Service sabotage: falls short on electrifying USPS delivery fleet

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday February 23, 2021 · 2:51 PM PST

2021/02/23 · 14:51

President Biden has made clear that the Federal Government should (will) move to 100 percent clean (mainly electric) vehicle acquisition as quickly as possible.

Postmaster General DeJoy has made clear that, well, ‘frankly my dear, he doesn’t give a damn” with today’s announcement of the Next-Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV):

The vehicles will be equipped with either fuel-efficient internal combustion engines or battery electric powertrains

While the press release emphasizes “either … or …”, the winning firm ( Oshkosh) was emphasized as the “gasoline” engine option in the years of the bidding process. Oshkosh is partnered with Ford and the NGDV is based on the Ford Transit which has a ICE drive train. Ford announced an electric Transit option in late 2020 for the 2022 model year and thus it isn’t irrational to think/see a quick move to mainly (if not entirely) electric NGDV acquisition.

This is the new next-gen USPS delivery vehicle coming to your neighborhood by 2023 pic.twitter.com/WkEd3VkHkU
— Sam Mintz (@samjmintz) February 23, 2021

Some saw, in late 2020, electric start-up Workhorse as the likely winner due its proposal being all electric. That a major firm (Oshkosh Defense) partnered with a major auto manufacturer (FORD) won over a small and unprofitable (essentially start-up) firm (Workhorse) and a small U.S. presence foreign firm for a $6B vehicle contract that will have, easily, a 30-year run life shouldn’t surprise anyone.

The existing fleet of postal delivery vehicles is in desperate need for replacement. These decades-old vehicles are, literally, spontaneously exploding in flames. They are expensive to maintain, unsafe, uncomfortable, and without 30+ years of advancements in automotive technology and design. The Oshkosh NGDV, with first deliveries as early as 2023, will be a leap-ahead for the Postal Service. All of this is true.

However, the Biden Administration should have (if it didn’t) worked to have the announcement delayed for a review to make this a 100 percent electric vehicle acquisition in line with President Biden’s executive order. Putting aside climate reality and the necessity for rapid movement, there is a simple true: even if they cost more to buy (a differential dropping every day), it costs far less to own an electric vehicle. Considering these will be on essentially every single US street six times a week for perhaps the next 30 years, there is no economic and financial justification for not going with a 100% clean (and nearly 100% electric) fleet. Every single one (and of them) delivered with an internal combustion engine will be a wasted investment.

Note:

As a quickie response to the USPS announcement, I did not wish to take the time to get into the details of how this will improve the life of the postal worker (how much a better vehicle it is) nor the myriad of benefit streams and reasons to go all-electric. As to the last, David Roberts provided an excellent discussion in A no-brainer stimulus idea: Electrify USPS mail trucks Electric vehicles for the US Postal Service would reduce noise, air, and carbon pollution in every community.

UPDATE:

The Zero-Emission Transportation Alliance (ZETA) has come out with a statement: ZETA Opposes DeJoy Move to Buy Gas-Powered Vehicles.

Things we don't need: a Postmaster General who has been working hard to cripple the agency he runs, saddling it with another decade of expensive, gas-guzzling, climate-destroying vehicles. #DumpDeJoy #ElectricVehicles @zeta_2030 https://t.co/SQFM3YmIgL
— Ross Macfarlane (@ross_macfarlane) February 23, 2021

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday February 23, 2021 · 9:03 AM PST

2021/02/23 · 09:03

Republicans are outraged, outraged I tell you, about President Biden’s nomination of Representative Deb Haaland‘s nomination to be Secretary of the Interior. Putting aside the tone-deaf nature of white men whining about Federal control of land to a Native American leader and the racist/sexist overtones (realities) of how women of color are facing greater challenges in the confirmation process , the truthiness nature of attack lines is both astounding — and, sadly, not surprising. Over the weeks since the nomination leading into and in today’s Senate confirmation hearing, an interminable litany of deceit has peppered (if not been central) to Republican explanations of their opposition to this historic nomination.

In today’s hearing, alone, the number of false claims that President Biden is pursuing job-killing (rather than truthful job creation) energy paths forward are too rapid to keep track of. But false attacks on clean energy jobs aren’t the only line of attack. As another (stunning) example: Montana Republican Senator Steve Daines stunningly claimed that President Biden’s policies were already boosting pollution loads (said without any facial signs of self-reflection on hypocrisy) with his key example: the tar-sands super-polluter enabling Keystone XL pipeline permit cancellation. Yup, never mind the gigatons of tar-sands pollution that would flow through the pipeline, how dare President Biden lift Keystone XL’s permit since it would be “net zero by 2030” and thus cancelling Keystone, according to fossil-fueled Daines, boosts pollution. Living in fossil-foolish alternative realities can, evidently, boost one’s campaign war chest.

Trump’s Biggest Lie lives on

In opposing Haaland, Republicans are making clear that Trump’s Biggest Lie isn’t in our past but part and parcel of today’s Republican Party. Like Trump’s frequently false assertion that the Green New Deal would cost $100 trillion based on a biased and (seriously) flawed “analysis” (that focused on inflated costs, for example, while even larger ignoring benefits), Republicans are asserting that Rep. Haaland’s co-sponsorship of the Green New Deal is grounds for opposing her nomination. A letter from 15 House Republicans (about the lead author) explicitly makes this point and, in doing so, cites the exact same deceptive source that underpinned Trump’s Biggest Lie. From that letter:

The harmful effects of the Green New Deal are well-documented, but it includes eliminating air travel, responsible petroleum development, and the use of non-electric vehicles, costing each American family $65,000 and the United States $93 trillion annually.

So much deceit in just one sentence (benefits, not harm; poorly assessed rather than well-documented; benefits rather than costs; …), but the repetition of the “$93 trillion” lie merits pushback. Some points about the “analysis” that the letter cites:

The Green New Deal proposals have far more than direct climate action but address social equity and resiliency (health care for all, job guarantees, and otherwise). Climate action is only a fraction of proposed Green New Deal investments.
- And, the total Green New Deal investment requirement over 30 years would fall far below $100T and, as per below, have outsized benefits. These expenditures would be investments with returns for the nation.
For real understanding, that analysis focuses on (and inflates) costs in total isolation to other issues:
- What would costs be without the proposed investments?
  - Just in direct health care, the Green New Deal path would lower societal economic costs $16T over a ten year period. (The $93T cost assertion includes $36T for health care but ignores that BAU (business as usual) would be $52T and thus the GND proposed path would save, again, $16T.)
- What would benefits be beyond ‘business as usual’?
  - For example, with reduced pollution, how much would American worker productivity and student performance improve and thus boost the economy?
- In other words, quality policy analysis does not focus just on discussing and assessing “cost” but is “cost/benefit” (better term: investment/return) analysis that helps decision-makers (and those involved in the policy discussion) have an understanding of net costs or, more accurately, net benefits to support decision-making.

The attacks on Rep. Haaland’s nomination are filled with deceit. Some of this is patently (head-slapping) obvious and some requires digging to provide truth. Just as with echoing Trump’s Biggest Lie, much (most?) of this is part and parcel of the decades-long fossil-foolish Republican Big Lie fostering predatory delay and denying climate science. To the extent that sunshine disinfects, these lies should not be allowed to propagate without challenge.

Fossil Foolish Deceit about Polar Vortex Texas: 2021 is 2011

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday February 15, 2021 · 3:18 PM PST

2021/02/15 · 15:18

low temps 2/14/2021 — Freezing Texas short on (fossil fuel) power

Amid a Polar Vortex slamming the central United States, Texas (and Texans) are facing an energy crisis — with greatly increased power (electricity demand) with lowered supplies (about 30 gigawatts of electricity production offline), massively peaking prices, and customers (users, homes … some four million or so) without power amid seriously cold weather (and thus potentially risking freezing due to lack of electricity heat).

Almost exactly the same thing occurred a decade ago.

The key points from a decade ago are true today:

1. The blackouts occurred due to cold-weather causing traditional power plants to go offline, starting with two of Texas’ largest coal power plants. Water intakes froze, requiring the plants to shut down. Natural gas lines faced risks due to moisture in pipelines, leading them to shut off. …

2. Wind power production has met (and, it seems, actually exceed) its commitments to the Texas power grid — wind-power has been producing its promised electricity service, unlike coal and natural gas systems. …

2. In line with Governor Perry’s dreams of secession, Texas’ electrical grid remains the most independent of the regional grids in the United States from the overall electrical system. Other states’ power production [cannot] feed in to compensate for Texas’ inability to meet its own requirements and help keep Texans warm and out of the dark.

Today, just like a decade ago, fossil fools do want people to understand what is really going on and are falsely blaming renewable energy and clean energy efforts for the outages. In Texas, today, natural gas power generation has gone down because of frozen pipes and other problems. There also gigawatts of coal and diesel generation that are offline. In addition, there are many wind turbines that are not producing power because of freezing frozen (perhaps 10-20 percent of the fleet) but the remaining turbines are outproducing the expected production and thus renewables are contributing more electricity than ERCOT had expected. The real story: fossil fuel systems are failing while renewables are delivering. Regrettably, that is unlikely to be the tweet you see or headline you read.

While much of this deception is due to fossil fuel propaganda and propagandists, there is an element of ‘click bait’ media culture at play. As Ketan Joshi makes clear in this twitter thread.

^^ Watch media coverage, commentary, tweets, posts etc carefully. Watch how breakdowns with fossil fuels are treated, vs how issues with renewables are treated. Pay attention to framing, quantity of attention etc.
— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) February 15, 2021

A lot of people blame deniers and skeptics and fossil fuel companies for the harm caused by fossil fuels. I really don't think we have a full understanding of the role of media outlets in causing climate change
— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) February 15, 2021

^^ Part of the reason this frustrates me so much is just the sheer predictability of it all. It is truly inevitable.

"As this event is ongoing, analysis of what caused the blackouts will take time" < - imagine if that was written, instead.
— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) February 15, 2021

Folks: pay attention to what's mentioned, and what isn't.

The 27 gigawatts of thermal generation that's failed? Nope. 4 GW of wind? Yep. https://t.co/vTxpFbez2q pic.twitter.com/OVw1ULYgLD
— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) February 15, 2021

It isn’t just about active fossil foolish propagandists but about their passive and active media collaborators — either too lazy to get to the truth or too interested in clicks to care about it.

A decade later, the same conclusion

Now, the key takeaway from Polar Vortex Texas 2021 is exactly the same one from Texas Polar Vortex Texas 2011:

While it will take awhile to track exactly what happened in Texas and why, the early honest lesson to identify is not a need to reject 21st century technology and double-down bets on an inadequate system but the importance of increased investment in American infrastructure, the need for intelligent interlinking of the national grid, and the value of a Smart Grid to help manage disasters — whether natural, man-made, or both.

Note:

Painfully, those dealing with fossil fuel propaganda have it easy in one way: the same falsehoods and misdirections are used time after time. Thus, debunkings don’t have to take a lot of energy to be modified to be accurate.

Analysts dealing with fossil-foolish deceit have it easy ... we can take old material, change some words, put in newer data and, voila, our discussion is spot on for today.

Real lesson decade ago: power resiliency + end ERCOT's lack of interconnectivity.

Same lesson today.
— A Siegel (@A_Siegel) February 15, 2021

Regrettably, these falsehoods and truthiness talking points show up time after time because they work.

With Climate Hawk White House, Whitehouse to give last #TimeToWakeUp Climate speech

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday January 27, 2021 · 11:31 AM PST

2021/01/27 · 11:31

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 22: U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) questions Judge Neil Gorsuch during the third day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, March 22, 2017 in Washington. Gorsuch was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy left on the court by the February 2016 death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) — Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: a powerful voice in the U.S. Senate for climate sanity

Screen-Shot-2016-10-27-at-12.33.00-PM.png — For Sheldon ...

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is a true Climate Hawk and has one of the few national-level politicians with an extended record of forcefully speaking about the urgent necessity for serious climate action. One element of this record will close out later today with an impressive record: 279 #TimeToWakeUp speeches to draw attention to the climate crisis and call on corporate American and Republicans in Congress to act. Senator Whitehouse has dealt with science, with science denial, astroturfing, threats to his state and the nation, jobs opportunity, and, among other things, how climate action relates to paths and opportunities to improve the economy, society, and lives -- internationally, nationally, and locally.

Senator Whitehouse is putting the extended "time to wake up" oratory to rest because Americans and American has woken up. Polls showing an ever-increasing understanding of climate risks and opportunities -- even among (especially young) Republicans. Politicians are speaking more seriously and, at all levels of government, taking moves to address climate (mitigation and adaptation). And, to cap it off, we have moved in January 2021 from the most anti-science and ignorant corrupt fossil fool to ever occupy the Oval Office to science defending and promoting President Biden who has made his first week of governance truly a Climate Hawk track record.

In a decision to put to rest what might be the longest series of (numbered) speeches by a single Senator focused on one critical issue, Senator Whitehouse is making a clarion call that the time to wake up to the problem and opportunity is behind us as we now take on the challenge of mitigating and adapting to climate change to create a healthier, more resilient, wealthier, and more equitable United States of American.

A sincere thank you to Senator Whitehouse.

For the past four years, it was a pleasure to look to Whitehouse for sanity when the White House was inhabited by a corrupt fossil fool.

Now, it is inspiring to think of what can be accomplished with a White House that will lead on climate and science and which will work with Senator Whitehouse to secure meaningful climate action.

NOTE: The speech should be livestreamed on twitter (@SenWhitehouse) and Facebook (@SenatorWhitehouse).

Well, at last it’s time to say farewell, to my battered #TimeToWakeUp poster, and to a run of more than 270 climate speeches. The conditions are at last in place for a real solution. Now, it’s time to get to work. https://t.co/BO31I0JxUo
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) January 27, 2021

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday January 26, 2021 · 2:12 PM PST

2021/01/26 · 14:12

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 25: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks before signing an executive order related to American manufacturing in the South Court Auditorium of the White House complex on January 25, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden signed an executive order aimed at boosting American manufacturing and strengthening the federal government's Buy American rules. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The United States has been through a massive roller-coaster over the past month. The events of Four Wednesdays in January have been momentous:

It has been a momentous month (so far) and, of course, the four Wednesdays, the 4 Is, only begin to touch the surface of what has happened / is happening over the month (from COVID19 to unemployment to …). However, consider the four and it does say much about the moment and the potential for positive action to come.

The Insurrection, that first Wednesday in January, represented the nadir of the truly horrific Trump regime as his words and actions sparked a murderous crowd to attack the Capitol. After months of illegal surreptitious and overt efforts to overthrown the election and establish a Trump autocracy, Trump and his cult followers took to the streets with violence and murderous intent.

With Impeachment, the second Wednesday in January, a path toward accountability was set even Senator McConnell refused to allow a trial to go forward to remove seditious Trump and the odds of a conviction of the former occupant of the Oval Office seem dim in the face of Republican Senators’ continued fear of crossing Trump and the Cult45 Republican base.

Inauguration, the third Wednesday in January, brought signs of relief and cries of joy across the nation and the globe. Competence, sanity, ethics, and decency returned to the White House. Sane Americans went to sleep more at ease (even with COVID19, the climate crisis, unemployment, the domestic terror threat) than had been possible for the previous four years.

Climate Hawks vote …
and serve in the Biden-Harris Administration

Innovation, the fourth Wednesday of January, provides a signpost that government has again become part of the solution and that the President will be leveraging all tools of governance (with the sad constraints of continued climate denier power in Congress ready to fight to stymie action) to address the imperative for serious climate action (along with other serious problems and opportunities).

Four Wednesdays … a journey from

the nadir of thugs assaulting the Capitol to
the painful necessity for accountability to
the joy of positive chain in government to
the promise that government will be there for us (the U.S.),

And, reason for hope that President Biden will be the Climate Hawk that the U.S. and the rest of humanity requires.

Notes:

+ Okay, striving to stay with “I” is a bit of a stretch for Wednesday’s anticipated climate executive orders. Innovation? Sure, in some ways but more simply sanity from the Oval Office. Welcome hearing a better “I” to provide an I for each of the four Wednesdays in January.

President Biden Acting on Climate: signing social cost of carbon executive order today

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday January 20, 2021 · 11:20 AM PST

2021/01/20 · 11:20

ScreenShot2021-01-20at1.25.20PM.png — President Biden wielding the pen on behalf of the American people ....

Amid the momentous events of today, President Biden has plans to exhaust his hand signing executive orders (note: that is a broken link as the BuildBackBetter.gov web site transferred to WhiteHouse.gov with President Biden's swearing in but the actual BBB material doesn't seem to have yet transferred over) to reverse some of Donald Trump's worse excesses and to start the process of righting the ailing Ship of State.

Among these is an item that will likely get minimal press attention but which is a truly momentous item to set the Federal Government on the path for serious climate action.

Re-establishing the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) and directing the issuance of an interim social cost of GHG schedule to ensure that agencies account for the full costs of GHG emissions, including climate risk, environmental justice and intergenerational equity

Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (or, as more often called, a Social Cost of Carbon: SCC) has been described, in the past, "as the most important number you've never heard of". The Interagency Working Group was established in the Obama-Biden Administration (in 2009) with a "commitment to ensure that the social cost of carbon estimates continue to reflect the best available science and methodologies".

A SCC places a figure on the value of the economic impact of CO2 emissions to use in everything from regulation writing to discussions as to carbon legislation. Set the price too high and the economy could take a near-term hit in terms of lost opportunity costs for more sensible investment choices. Set the price too low and, well, the devastating impacts of catastrophic climate chaos could result as the economy under invests in climate mitigation and adaptation. The Obama Administration figure was $50 even as much analysis suggested that figure was (significantly) too low. The Trump Administration lowered it to $7 while, in fact, essentially eliminating it for decision-making (thus, functionally, a $0 value if not positive valuation for CO2 emissions). Watching glaciers melt, species go extinct, fires across the nation, allergy sufferers suffer more, and other climate crisis impacts clearly shows a $7 figure is too low.

As of later today, the U.S. government will (again) be pricing (even if inadequately) climate impacts into analysis, decision-making, and expenditures.

To be clear, this is both substantive and symbolic action.

Substantive in influencing and driving decision-making and action across the Federal Government.
Symbolic in that -- as with the also planned rejoining of the Paris Agreement -- President Biden, on his first day in office, is taking tangible steps to Act On Climate.

Moving quickly to restore a social cost of carbon to U.S. government decision-making is a downpayment for more serious Biden-Harris Administration climate action to come.

Clothing going out of fashion (w/Trump gone)

A Siegel

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday January 20, 2021 · 7:08 AM PST

2021/01/20 · 07:08

ScreenShot2021-01-20at9.31.36AM.png — As of 12:01 Eastern, 20 January 2021, a short that will no longer be truthful

For many, our fashion choices have been one tool to express our outrage and frustration through the Trump Era. While some of these will have fruitful lives even with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office, many items should head to other uses hopefully never to be relevant again.

Here are two of my favorite shirts that, I deeply pray, will not be worn after President Biden is sworn in.

Desole pour notre president

Remember when it wasn’t a problem to travel … where one could go board a plane and the biggest issues were annoying security line waits and questionable food service? Seems like a different age. Way back in those days, that is mid-2019, my (like rest of family) activist sister sent me a shirt just prior to traveling to Europe (combined business and vacation).

Not only an incredibly comfortable shirt, “Sorry about our president” truly reflected my feelings thinking about how to deal with U.S. politics while overseas. This shirt ended up being the most worn item — four countries and on planes, trains, buses, and walking streets.

This was (sadly) the best door opener I have had in my life: got me a free drink on a flight as a “thank you” from a flight crew; given a seat on a train crowded with US women’s soccer supporters who cheered on seeing the shirt; and, well, easily 25 people (of perhaps 10 nationalities) asking if they could take a photo with me.

That ‘photo with me’ extended back to the U.S. This was my go to shirt, most of the time, for rallies and easily 10 photo requests during one BLM rally in DC.

Wearing it right now … and plan to take it off at 11:59 with no intent of it seeing the light of day (hopefully) ever again.

Considering this shirt’s message, perhaps the concluding tag-line:

President Biden

means never having to say sorry again.

ScreenShot2021-01-20at9.49.26AM.png — Melting ice caps … don’t worry ...

The White House Effect

Regrettably, not all Trump relevant sartorial splendor choices dated just his occupation of the Oval Office.

Famously, candidate George H.W. Bush — in claiming that he would be a real environmentalist President” — said that he would deploy “The White House Effect” against “the Greenhouse Effect”. Thus, the two-sided Union of Concerned Scientists’ shirt to the right from (sigh) Earth Day thirty years ago.

As a (sort of) good environmentalists, things don’t get easily thrown out and (very sadly for us all) this shirt was all too relevant for three Republican presidencies and was (sadly) appropriate for reuse time and time again. Of my protest t-shirts from the Reagan and HW Bush eras, this was the only one not archived in photos and recycled long ago.

ScreenShot2021-01-20at9.50.24AM.png — Simply turn that frown upside down and wipe your problems away.

President-Elect Biden has named a dream team of climate advisors in the White House and many climate hawks to positions across the government. Truly, it looks like there will (three decades later) a quite serious White House Effect dedicated to leveraging all tools of government to act on climate.

With that in mind, this UCS tshirt will go the bottom of the drawer to, hopefully, just be an item of (painful) nostalgia in the years and decades to come.

How will a Biden Presidency impact your wardrobe?

Are there (well worn) items that, as of noon today, no longer will be relevant and which you won’t wear out into public any longer?

Poll

97 votes Show Results

Do you have to change your wardrobe for President Biden?

97 votes Vote Now!

Do you have to change your wardrobe for President Biden?

Totally change required: my clothing is resistance fashion

1 vote

Many items to bury deep in the closet

2 votes

An item or two, not really

35 votes

Huh?

59 votes

Newer
Older

RSS

White House issues damning statement re Joe Manchin

Election Officials (read bureaucrats) Saved Gov-Elect Youngkin's Son From Felony Offense

McAuliffe's Powerful Campaign Closer

Keep Virginia Blue: Easy (<5 minute) action item

Climate change's weird appearance in Virginia Gubernatorial Debate

DeJoy continues Postal Service sabotage: falls short on electrifying USPS delivery fleet

Republicans Propagate #TheBigLie in opposing Deb Haaland

Fossil Foolish Deceit about Polar Vortex Texas: 2021 is 2011

With Climate Hawk White House, Whitehouse to give last #TimeToWakeUp Climate speech

Four Wednesdays in January: From insurrection to innovative climate action

President Biden Acting on Climate: signing social cost of carbon executive order today

Clothing going out of fashion (w/Trump gone)