Climbing for News response
I appreciate your very shrewd readings, Jamie and Mirsa, of how a poliltical act is mediated as a “story/spectacle” (a la Hitler, in White Noise).
Mirsa, your reading of how the phrase “Third World” places it “far away” is really insightful–I’d never thought of that before. (And it makes we think: “3rd” from what perspective–probably those is this number 3 world experience themselves as “first”. . .)
You’all may have heard that a Climate Change bill was defeated in the Senate yesterday. Not that this was the reason, I think, but there were some environmental groups that opposed the bill, on the grounds that its target greenhouse gas reduction was simply inadequate. This is something to really watch for: it’s pretty clear now that, with either new administration, “something” will be done about global warming–but the real question is whether it will be a Big Enough thing, whether it responds to the actually urgency of the danger or, instead, settles for some “compromise.” (McCain’s proposed goals are just too low; Obama’s seem ok).
I’m pasting in below part of an email I got from a group called “1sky” which details some of this, and has news of a new, more adequate bill being introduced. . .
LZ
Dear LZ,
By now you may have heard that the long-awaited Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act went down in defeat this morning in the U.S. Senate. 1Sky did not support the bill because it would not have met the minimum scientific standards to combat global warming.
Now for some good news: A new bill introduced on Wednesday by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) looks like a more promising alternative. Rep. Markey’s Investing in Climate Action Policy Act, a.k.a. the iCAP bill, is a welcome improvement over Lieberman-Warner. The bill would cut carbon emissions 85% below 1990 levels by 2050, auction 100% of pollution permits by 2020, and invest in green workforce training, among other things.
But as we just witnessed, no bill will have a chance of becoming law unless we continue to demand bold action from our leaders in Washington, D.C.
