Global Warming Will Save America from the Right...Eventually

[ProfJohn]

About the author: Philadelphia journalist Dave Lindorff is a 34-year veteran, an award-winning journalist, a former New York Times contributor, a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, a two-time Journalism Fulbright Scholar, and the co-author, with Barbara Olshansky, of a well-regarded book on impeachment, The Case for Impeachment.

This guy is totally off his rocker.

Celebrating the destruction of much of the country for political gain... wow.
link

Say what you will about the looming catastrophe facing the world as the pace of global heating and polar melting accelerates. There is a silver lining.

Look at a map of the US.

The area that will by completely inundated by the rising ocean?and not in a century but in the lifetime of my two cats?are the American southeast, including the most populated area of Texas, almost all of Florida, most of Louisiana, and half of Alabama and Mississippi, as well as goodly portions of eastern Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. While the northeast will also see some coastal flooding, its geography is such that that aside from a few projecting sandbars like Long Island and Cape Cod, the land rises fairly quickly to well above sea level. Sure, Boston, New York and Philadelphia will be threatened, but these are geographically confined areas that could lend themselves to protection by Dutch-style dikes. The West Coast too tends to rise rapidly to well above sea level in most places. Only down in Southern California towards the San Diego area is the ground closer to sea level.

So what we see is that huge swaths of conservative America are set to face a biblical deluge in a few more presidential cycles.

Then there?s the matter of the Midwest, which climate experts say is likely to face a permanent condition of unprecedented drought, making the place largely unlivable, and certainly unfarmable. The agribusinesses and conservative farmers that have been growing corn and wheat may be able to stretch out this doomsday scenario by deep well drilling, but west of the Mississippi, the vast Ogallala Aquifer that has allowed for such irrigation is already being tapped out. It will not be replaced.

So again, we will see the decline and depopulation of the nation?s vast midsection?noted for its consistent conservatism. Only in the northernmost area, around the Great Lakes (which will be not so great anymore), and along the Canadian border, will there still be enough rain for farming and continued large population concentrations, but those regions, like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, are also more liberal in their politics.

Finally, in the Southwest, already parched and stiflingly hot, the rise in energy costs and the soaring temperatures will put an end to right-wing retirement communities like Phoenix, Tucson and Palm Springs. Already the Salton Sea is fading away and putting Palm Springs on notice that the good times are coming to an end. Another right-wing haven soon to be gone.

So the future political map of America is likely to look as different as the much shrunken geographical map, with much of the so-called ?red? state region either gone or depopulated.

There is a poetic justice to this of course. It is conservatives who are giving us the candidates who steadfastly refuse to have the nation take steps that could slow the pace of climate change, so it is appropriate that they should bear the brunt of its impact.

The important thing is that we, on the higher ground both actually and figuratively, need to remember that, when they begin their historic migration from their doomed regions, we not give them the keys to the city. They certainly should be offered assistance in their time of need, but we need to keep a firm grip on our political systems, making sure that these guilty throngs who allowed the world to go to hell are gerrymandered into political impotence in their new homes.

There will be much work to be done to help the earth and its residents?human and non-human?survive this man-made catastrophe, and we can?t have these future refugee troglodytes, should their personal disasters still fail to make them recognize reality, mucking things up again.

It should be considered acceptable, in this stifling new world, to say, ?Shut up. We told you this would happen.?

 

[Pabster]

All I needed to see was "Former NYT Contributor" and "Columbia University" ...

Talk about scarlet letters. :laugh:

 

[bamacre]

Its not as bad as the fear-mongering coming from the Right.

Terrorism! Global Warming! Terrorism! Global Warming! Terrorism! Global Warming!

All just a load of bunk that keeps the government vacuum sucking the dollars out of American wallets.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: bamacre
Its not as bad as the fear-mongering coming from the Right.

Of course it isn't. Because two wrongs make a right...right?

Or is it because these people are your heroes?

Either way, your intellectual dishonesty is disgusting. :|

 

[ahurtt]

What an utterly absurd article. . .wow. And coming from somebody with those credentials too? Truly times are sad.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Originally posted by: bamacre
Its not as bad as the fear-mongering coming from the Right.

Of course it isn't. Because two wrongs make a right...right?

Or is it because these people are your heroes?

Either way, your intellectual dishonesty is disgusting. :|

Obviously you're a victim of the war against literacy.

Or just a douchebag troll.

But probably both.

 

[umbrella39]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Celebrating the destruction of much of the country for political gain... wow.

And now all of a sudden you have a problem with this type of behavior.. :roll:

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: umbrella39

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

Celebrating the destruction of much of the country for political gain... wow.

And now all of a sudden you have a problem with this type of behavior.. :roll:

Exactly.

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: ahurtt
What an utterly absurd article. . .wow. And coming from somebody with those credentials too? Truly times are sad.

Of course times are sad, this is just a left-wing equivalent of the ass clowns on the right saying that terrorists should be free to attack San Francisco because right-wingers don't agree with the politics of that city. We have long since abandoned the idea that reasonable people can differ, and that the best path to good solutions to problems is honest discussion between people who disagree. Instead, the one and only goal is to make sure your ideology "wins" by either marginalizing the competition, or failing that, by eliminating them.

Right now it's just assorted morons on either side, but if this keeps up, I don't think it will be too long before the hatred spreads. It's easy to blame Bush for the divide in this country, and while he does share some of the blame, it didn't start with him and it won't go away once he's no longer President. ProfJohn is pretending to be appalled by the kind of thinking displayed in this article, but in reality, I don't think he's too far from this kind of BS. The morons got there first with the "death to the opposition" crap, but the real problem is the demonizing and dehumanizing of "the other guys", and people like ProfJohn are at the forefront of THAT particular movement. And really folks, once you've accepted the idea that your political opposition is an anti-American enemy, it doesn't seem too unreasonable to cheer for their deaths as a way to make sure your side "wins".

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: Pabster
All I needed to see was "Former NYT Contributor" and "Columbia University" ...

Talk about scarlet letters. :laugh:

You didn't pay too close attention in high school English class, did you? The story about the Scarlet Letter was about small-minded people who used labels to belittle and mock people who didn't march in lockstep with the rest of the community. The fact that the word has crept into the modern vocabulary is rather strange when you consider that the whole point of the story was about how it reflects on the people handing the scarlet letters, not the people who actually have them.

Actually, I take it back, that's a perfect phrasing for you to use...even if it's not for the reasons that you think

 

[conehead433]

Cool, I'll be closer to the Gulf Of Mexico here in southwest Georgia. Waterfront would be really nice.

 

[jonks]

Originally posted by: Pabster

Either way, your intellectual dishonesty is disgusting. :|

This coming from someone who stated that just because Bhutto was twice prime minister of Pakistan doesn't mean she was really in charge of anything...

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: ahurtt
What an utterly absurd article. . .wow. And coming from somebody with those credentials too? Truly times are sad.

Of course times are sad, this is just a left-wing equivalent of the ass clowns on the right saying that terrorists should be free to attack San Francisco because right-wingers don't agree with the politics of that city. We have long since abandoned the idea that reasonable people can differ, and that the best path to good solutions to problems is honest discussion between people who disagree. Instead, the one and only goal is to make sure your ideology "wins" by either marginalizing the competition, or failing that, by eliminating them.

Right now it's just assorted morons on either side, but if this keeps up, I don't think it will be too long before the hatred spreads. It's easy to blame Bush for the divide in this country, and while he does share some of the blame, it didn't start with him and it won't go away once he's no longer President. ProfJohn is pretending to be appalled by the kind of thinking displayed in this article, but in reality, I don't think he's too far from this kind of BS. The morons got there first with the "death to the opposition" crap, but the real problem is the demonizing and dehumanizing of "the other guys", and people like ProfJohn are at the forefront of THAT particular movement. And really folks, once you've accepted the idea that your political opposition is an anti-American enemy, it doesn't seem too unreasonable to cheer for their deaths as a way to make sure your side "wins".

Excellent post. :thumbsup:

 

[NoStateofMind]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: ahurtt
What an utterly absurd article. . .wow. And coming from somebody with those credentials too? Truly times are sad.

Of course times are sad, this is just a left-wing equivalent of the ass clowns on the right saying that terrorists should be free to attack San Francisco because right-wingers don't agree with the politics of that city. We have long since abandoned the idea that reasonable people can differ, and that the best path to good solutions to problems is honest discussion between people who disagree. Instead, the one and only goal is to make sure your ideology "wins" by either marginalizing the competition, or failing that, by eliminating them.

Right now it's just assorted morons on either side, but if this keeps up, I don't think it will be too long before the hatred spreads. It's easy to blame Bush for the divide in this country, and while he does share some of the blame, it didn't start with him and it won't go away once he's no longer President. ProfJohn is pretending to be appalled by the kind of thinking displayed in this article, but in reality, I don't think he's too far from this kind of BS. The morons got there first with the "death to the opposition" crap, but the real problem is the demonizing and dehumanizing of "the other guys", and people like ProfJohn are at the forefront of THAT particular movement. And really folks, once you've accepted the idea that your political opposition is an anti-American enemy, it doesn't seem too unreasonable to cheer for their deaths as a way to make sure your side "wins".

Excellent post. :thumbsup:

+1 :thumbsup:

 

[thraashman]

Originally posted by: conehead433
Cool, I'll be closer to the Gulf Of Mexico here in southwest Georgia. Waterfront would be really nice.

The idea of Atlanta beach does sound pretty nice.

 

[Moonbeam]

The worthless bastards will be at the front of the lines to get their FEMA trailers.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

About the author: Philadelphia journalist Dave Lindorff is a 34-year veteran, an award-winning journalist, a former New York Times contributor, a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, a two-time Journalism Fulbright Scholar, and the co-author, with Barbara Olshansky, of a well-regarded book on impeachment, The Case for Impeachment.

This guy is totally off his rocker.

Celebrating the destruction of much of the country for political gain... wow.
link

Say what you will about the looming catastrophe facing the world as the pace of global heating and polar melting accelerates. There is a silver lining.

Look at a map of the US.

-snip-

So the future political map of America is likely to look as different as the much shrunken geographical map, with much of the so-called ?red? state region either gone or depopulated.

-snip-

... making sure that these guilty throngs who allowed the world to go to hell are gerrymandered into political impotence in their new homes.

-snip-

....and we can?t have these future refugee troglodytes, should their personal disasters still fail to make them recognize reality, mucking things up again.

It should be considered acceptable, in this stifling new world, to say, ?Shut up. We told you this would happen.?

Geez, what a hateful boob.

Also retarded to expect that the "red staters" will just mostly disapear or be barred from having an electoral effect. If those places flood, the people will move elsewhere. Just like parts of the South have become more liberal from NE retiree transplants etc., so to will liberal states become conservative..

America is, and has been, split pretty much 50/50 for a long time. The indy/swing voter typre are who tips the scales in favor of one party over another.

This uber-utopian radical-left hope that somehow a post-MMGW era will result in some type of liberal domination is just so much "koolaid".

I'm almost inclined to think this is some kind of a joke. (And clearly, one way or another, some kind of "joke" is involved. Whether it's the article or the writer is the question.)

And lastly, I'm impressed with his humility, respect for equalitarian principles and defense of the Constitutional rights of his fellow citizens. [/sarcasm]

Fern

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: Fern
Also retarded to expect that the "red staters" will just mostly disapear or be barred from having an electoral effect. If those places flood, the people will move elsewhere. Just like parts of the South have become more liberal from NE retiree transplants etc., so to will liberal states become conservative..

The migrating republicans might get cholera when a wheel breaks on their chuckwagon.

 

[ericlp]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

This guy is totally off his rocker.

Celebrating the destruction of much of the country for political gain... wow.

The Pot Calling The Kettle Black

 

[GenHoth]

Originally posted by: Colt45

The migrating republicans might get cholera when a wheel breaks on their chuckwagon.

Hehe, oh no! My wagon tounge broke again!

I think the way he writes, as though the conservative population under flood/drought will just disappear, is pretty foolish. But Rainsford already said it better than I can

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: ericlp

Originally posted by: ProfJohn

This guy is totally off his rocker.

Celebrating the destruction of much of the country for political gain... wow.

The Pot Calling The Kettle Black

When have I ever celebrated the destruction of anything for political gain???

Bunch of idiots...

My general response to this guy is "he is an idiot." I wonder if he has any idea of how hatefull and foolish he sounds.

 

[ProfJohn]

Imagine if someone on the right had wrote something similar following Katria...

"The blacks who controled New Orleans were told for years to prepare for the big one and they failed to take action. Now that their failure had destroyed their city and spread their population around the country we should make sure that we deny these people any political power where ever they end up. It is obvious from the disaster that was New Orleans that these people have no right to take part in the political process. After all we have seen what they did to New Orleans and we certainly don't want that repeated else where...."

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Imagine if someone on the right had wrote something similar following Katria...

"The blacks who controled New Orleans were told for years to prepare for the big one and they failed to take action. Now that their failure had destroyed their city and spread their population around the country we should make sure that we deny these people any political power where ever they end up. It is obvious from the disaster that was New Orleans that these people have no right to take part in the political process. After all we have seen what they did to New Orleans and we certainly don't want that repeated else where...."

People would probably say "Man, the levees are the property of the US Army Corps of Engineers and they are a federal agency, thus out of control of the members of the city. The residents and representatives of Louisiana have been pushing for years for upgraded flooding protection for New Orleans... I guess we should have listened to them."

Why, what were you thinking people would say?

 

[First]

That seemed more like tongue-in-cheek commentary than an actual serious article. Though maybe he truly believes every word of that, in which case it's pretty sad. Though I took it as a (half) sarcastic piece poking fun at righties that still don't think man contributes to global warming. Granted, he's pretty far left himself it seems.

 

[Moonbeam]

The people that live in the swampy south are also evangelical Christian as well as Republican, not to mention poorly educated, and these primitive mindsets make up a whole culture there. Just as people in Mongolia grow up thinking like Mongolians, or the French like the French, you can't really blame them. Why would you favor one class of culturally trained monkeys becoming extinct over some other? If you wanted to drown something it should be the curse of self hate that causes people to conform, so that they have not a single wort anybody can point to to criticize. Like sardines in a can, what difference does it make which is eaten. Sheep are all white so the wolf gets confused as to which he is chasing, no? Stick your head up and you get it cut off.

The secret to popularity I have discovered in life is to act completely normal.