Feeling No Heat in GOP Campaign
Terry H. Schwadron
July 21, 2023
You may be hearing a lot of talk of “weaponizing” justice from the Republican presidential field as they campaign nearly flailing to catch Donald Trump on his way to an embattled nomination, but you haven’t heard a word yet about these weeks of sweltering heat that is sweeping the globe as well as the United States.
We know that climate denial is a mainstay of the GOP campaign, along with the constant blame for the Joe Biden administration to do anything about cultural or economic grievances that the Republicans prefer to discuss.
It just seems a little weird that none of the 11 rivals are even referring to the heat, even as we continue to set record temperatures across wide swaths of the country. For that matter, there has been little talk on the campaign about people resorting to face masks again, this time to protect from Canadian wildfire smoke, or about federal governmental responsibilities to clean up the effects we are seeing on transportation and home damage from tornados, floods and storms made stronger by warming oceans.
Of course, we might expect that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis does not acknowledge that home insurers are fleeing his state after multiple hurricanes whose damage is worsening amid global warming. But even politics-free effects like people passing out waiting on airport tarmacs or the blanching of coral reefs are not getting any attention.
If — as scientists suggest — we’re seeing the onset of much magnified summer heat as the result of climactic changes, shouldn’t we expect some acknowledgement that is at least as important as whatever emails, including the nude photos that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., decided to post at a congressional hearing this week, have just been turned up from Hunter Biden’s laptop?
It’s especially odd since, as governors or senators, most of them have been in positions to have to react to how the weather is changing.
Joe Biden does boast of having passed legislation to boost renewable energy and to accelerate electric car but finds himself the butt of ridicule at Republican rallies for pushing away from Big Oil.
The Non-Topic
As The Hill.com notes, none of the Republicans even addresses climate on campaign websites. None want to be associated with cutting back fossil fuels, though biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy’s economic plan includes “abandon(ing) the climate cult and unshackle(ing) nuclear energy” — and none of the candidates with a dedicated page for energy policy advocates scaling back fossil fuel development. Ramaswamy is among those who discusses climate only as part of the culture wars rather than energy policy, opposing environmental and sustainable governance in investment and financial.
For Donald Trump, who is concerned about the heat from his own legal climate, the effects of scientific change have always proved materials for blanket rejection. He has been consistent in simply saying that climate change is a hoax, and in the face of the summer’s emergent heat wave, continues to promote aggressive expansion of domestic oil and gas sources.
DeSantis minimizes climate issues as well, though he has taken some actions build resilience to rising sea levels in Florida and created a position to deal with flooding. Still, he has dismissed government action towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions as “left-wing” stuff.
Several of the GOP candidates, including DeSantis, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, prefer private energy companies to decide what to do rather than governments. Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley sees capitalism and economic freedom as the solution to energy and climate. She has embraced technologies like carbon-capture, which she somehow thinks has been rejected in Democratic policymaking.
Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Sen. Tim Scott all were active in getting Trump to withdraw from the Paris Accords to which under Barack Obama had committed the country to meeting international climate goals. Pence has said “clearly the climate is changing,” but not “as dramatically as the radical environmentalists like to present.” He too wants to increase and gas development. Scott has backed some renewable energy bills in the Senate and rejected others.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has been more willing to look at climate policy but is so busy criticizing Trump that he leaves little time for mention of other issues. Former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas has acknowledged climate issues but does not talk much about the issue. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum do have records of actively seeking to cut emissions. Both currently are polling close to zero percent, according to the FiveThirtyEight polling average.
Our Expectations
Even if we don’t expect specific solutions from the candidates on all issues, it seems reasonable to expect that they would be acknowledging the effects of heat waves — and the role of government.
It should not be a matter of ideology to see that continuing warming all over the globe is starting to have a significant effect on water, crops, livestock and on such human issues as mass migration and the use of energy as an international weapon. Shouldn’t we expect more than fealty to oil companies for their generosity and benevolence?
If for no other reason, should we not expect that those seeking to be president discuss how they will guide the discussion? If politics are only a rote-checklist of litmus test chants, where is the leadership we say we are seeking in a world that has trouble sorting what matters?
Of course, all of them together — along with Democrats — are adding their own hot air to an uncomfortable summer that promises to get worse.
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