Dodos #276
By Hank Silverberg
The Dodo bird was first noted by Dutch sailors on the island of Madagascar in the late 16th Century. But because of hunting and exposure to predators (humans) by mid-17th century, the Dodo and some of its fowl cousins were extinct.
The Republican party was first noted by abolitionists in 1856. They took it to the White House in 1860 and the party had a successful run through much of the 20th century. But now, as the 21st century matures, The Grand Old Party that we knew may also be extinct?
The announcement by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that he will leave that job after the November election may be further evidence that the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan is finally dead. I disagree with McConnell on just about every issue he has ever discussed. He didn't always understand what the real world was all about, and at this point in time he has lost all concept of what is happening in the real America. But McConnell had the savvy to know that good politics is the art of compromise and that the country was at its best when the two parties worked together for the common good. That may be over in the U.S. Senate, as it already is in the House because most of those now elected with an "R" next to their names have lost the ability to see past the next election.
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| (Old GOP) |
The immigration bill that was drawn up by a bipartisan committee that would have had a significant impact on the flow of illegal immigrants is a good example. But McConnell, who had supported it, bowed to the pressure from the MAGAs, and never brought it up for a vote.
Others who understand the art of compromise, like Mitt Romney, also appear to be giving up. He's not running for re-election. You also have to wonder how long so-called "moderate Republicans" like Susan Collins of Maine can survive in the party that has already promoted a lightweight MAGA ideologue with little backbone, Mike Johnson, to the job of Speaker of The House.
The Democrats have had some friction as well, but the left wing, though they speak loudly, has not taken over the party.
The GOP is now loaded with MAGAs who seem to have no loyalty to the party, or even the country. They seem focused only on one thing--Donald J Trump.
It's not just in Congress. Trumpism, which corrupts the very concept of a constitutional republic, has seeped into state legislatures, city councils, and even school boards across the country. And it appears that the Supreme Court of the United States has been infected, too.
As this process moves along and the Republican party erodes into something different, I can't wonder what Teddy Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan might say. They wouldn't recognize their party.
And I want to be clear here. This is not just about conservatives or liberals, or anything in between. What we are seeing now is a group of legislators and candidates who are dissing the very concept of the United States of America as a diverse, progressive world leader, and trying to turn it into an authoritarian, isolationist, White nationalist country that would make Thomas Jefferson and Sam Adams call again for another revolution. Though conservatives embrace our Founding Fathers and drop their names every now and then, those men were leftist revolutionaries in their time.
The focus this election cycle has been on Biden and Trump, but voters need to pay attention to the rest of the ticket as well. Both men's age has been an issue. So why no attention on VP choices?
Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been missing in the public debate for quite some time, finally has come out of hibernation this weekend to make a very strong statement on the war in Gaza, a the need for a cease fire and critical humanitarian aid. And she will be meeting with some Israeli officials and the Secretary of State this week. But more attention needs to be paid to who Trump pick for his running mate, even before he gets to the Republican National Convention. Going further down the ticket, who is running for both House and Senate? A dysfunctional Congress can kill democracy just as fast as a dictator.
With that said, November 5, 2024 may be the most important U.S. election since 1860.
Measles!
Many of us in the older generations remember worrying about catching the measles when we were kids. The disease, which can sometimes be fatal, was a big worry for several decades until a vaccine came along. Getting the vaccines is now required before a child can attend public schools in most places. So, by the year 2000 measles had pretty much been eradicated in the United States.
But in the last few years, the highly contagious disease is making a comeback. Disinformation about vaccines and a highly flawed and discredited study linking the measles vaccine to autism scared many parents away from getting their children inoculated, and the result has been the resurgence of the disease.
The Centers for Disease Control reports there were
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| (Measles virus) |
Part of the problem in Florida is the state's Surgeon General, who campaigned against the Covid-19 vaccine and has been indifferent to the measles outbreak.
There is absolutely no proof of any link between the measles vaccine, or any vaccine, and autism but the rumors persist putting children's lives at risk.
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/number-of-measles-cases-is-small-but-growing-in-south-florida/
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
Scary Temperatures!
This may be hard to fathom if you are in northern California and parts of Nevada where over two feet of snow fell this past weekend, or near the waters of the North Atlantic that are frigid this time of year. That's the weather. Not Climate Change.
There are some new signs, though, that the Earth as a whole continues to warm and that climate change is very real and progressing faster than earlier predictions.
The North Atlantic water is running about two degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the average temperature over the last three decades, and some new research indicates record highs for this month (March, 2024).
The research comes from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School, which has been published in the journal, Nature Climate Change.
Here are some other clues of how bad things are getting.
Some areas of the United States, like Minneapolis-St. Paul, are experiencing a "lost winter" with record warm temperatures, while 2023 was the hottest year on record across the globe.
The hotter temperatures in the North Atlantic have a big impact on the food chain, since they affect plankton and the fish who feed on it. And scientists say the increase is happening too fast for the sea life to adapt to it. Hotter water can also damage coral reefs almost overnight, threatening both the fishing and tourism industry.
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| (Darker orange corresponds to areas that are abnormally warm, whereas blue indicates a region abnormally cool. Source: Climate Change Institute,/University of Maine/NOAA) |
Another result, smaller fish that are moving to different parts of the ocean, complicating the fishing industry and the international treaties that come with it. The U.S. for example, has a $253 billion fishing industry which could be impacted dramatically.
And then there is the impact on surface weather. Hotter water means more hurricanes as the El Nino current pattern transitions to the La Nina pattern that could create many more hurricanes in the Atlantic.
The Dumbest Quote of the Week!
There were many dumb quotes from Donald Trump this week, but they aren't news anymore and I am tired of using them. I could not find one from someone else, but I sure out there was there and I just missed it.
(Your suggestions and comments are welcome)
My recent book "The Campaign" can be purchased at the links below. Or you can buy a copy by emailing me at:
HankSilverberg@gmail.com for instructions on how to get a copy at a reduced price and with my signature)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-campaign-hank-silverberg/1126429796
My NEWEST book is now available. It is designed for use in Public Speaking and entry level communications classes.
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