Why Didn’t Trump Rake the Gulf to Prevent Hurricane Sandy?
Just like Trump flew to California to tell us to “rake” our forests, of which he controls the 58% in National Forests, Trump controls 12 miles off-shore of the entire United States. It is his responsibility to stop all storms, waves, and storm surges that enter the 12 mile limit. He also could have stopped the Category 2 Sandy on the beaches of the Florida panhandle, Alabama, and Mississippi. Or forbid the floods to go up federal rivers.
Hurricane Sandy is moving slowly and dropping up to 3 feet of rain. It’s winds are at 75 mph, but were at 105 mph, with gusts up to 125 mph. Storm surge is 4 to 7 feet. Lots of flooding, bridge damaged, trees knocked down, and power out which may not be restored until the weekend.
Fortunately, these are Republican States and the toss-up Republican Florida, so Trump will provide them plentiful aid, which he won’t give to Democratic States of the Wildfire Apocalypse of California, Oregon, and Washington.
I can’t wait for Trump to fly into Florida and counter the climate scientists there. Oh, I forgot, Governor, now Senator, Rick Scott banned any state mention of global warming or climate change. That includes the rapid acceleration of storm categories in the Gulf, to category 1, 2, and 3, from the warm Gulf waters. At least, Trump can reassure the Gulfites that the rain will eventually stop, and so will the winds. Just like he reassured Californians, that it would eventually cool down. Who knew?
At least Trump stopped off-shore drilling around Florida, something that he has not extended to other states.
But let’s not forget Trump’s four years of high intensity removal on global warming emissions restrictions from power plants, stopping improvements in automotive fuel emission standards, allowing emissions of methane, putting tariffs on solar panels and wind turbines from China, and removing State waivers to set their own standards. While plans were afoot to make substantial reductions in one, two, and three decades, we have lost four crucial years, plus the time and work necessary to pass laws restoring reductions with Congressional action. The effective reduction of American influence in leading Paris Agreements upon our intended withdrawal, has undoubtedly slowed the worldwide processes. The severe immigration restrictions have denied us talented students, faculty, and scientists to help us become a leader in climate action.
Trump once told Scientific American that there was no global warming since the highest temperature of 134º F was obtained in Death Valley a century ago. Well, that is in dispute, since other temperatures in the area weren’t at records. This Summer, however, Death Valley did reach a record 130º F, so there, by Trump’s own chosen criteria. In its 175 year history, Scientific American has never endorsed a Presidential candidate. But they just endorsed Joe Biden, denouncing Trump for his negligence and diminution of science in handling the very lethal Coronavirus pandemic.
At least Trump could put on a pair of boots and show us how to rake the pounding waves out of the Gulf waters.
