3. An Opportunity to Make America Great: An Open Letter to President Trump
June 1st, 2017
An Opportunity to Make America Great: An Open Letter to President Trump
Dear Mr. President,
As you consider your stance on the Paris Climate Accord, I want to suggest that now is the time for you to take decisive action to make America great. Now is the time to stand with the 147 nations who have ratified the Paris Climate Accord.
In recent years, our country has fallen prey to those who put personal gain over the future of humanity. If you listen to your daughter, as you say you do, you know that climate change is not a hoax, but a very present danger not only to island nations, but to our military and all Americans.
Yes, climate change is real. It is caused by humans. If you doubt this, it is because there has been a concentrated campaign to create doubt in your mind. Take 90 minutes of your time to watch the movie, Merchants of Doubt, or read the book, Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway, on which this documentary is based.
The same public relations firms which succeeded in confusing the public about the health hazards of tobacco for over 30 years have managed a similar feat with the science on climate change. But this time, we don’t have 30 years. If we don’t take decisive action in the next four years, it will be too late. 97% of our scientists agree we have a serious problem that we are causing. There is a reason that the world came together in Paris last year for the climate talks. Not because climate change is a hoax, but because the people of the world agree we must act now to solve the problem. If we do not, this problem promises to be catastrophic for the future of life on our planet.
But, Mr. President, there is an elephant in the house in the United States of America. Some members of the Republican Party have been co-opted by millions of dollars that the fossil fuel industry has poured into this public relations campaign and into candidate coffers. They have swayed the US Congress into denying this reality. (If this is news to you, read Dark Money.) I doubt this is news to you. If ever there was an issue of Right to Life, this is it.
Ask your new Secretary of State, Mr. Rex Tillerson — former CEO of Exxon-Mobil — about his knowledge of climate change. You probably know he monitored the climate with a special email account under “Wayne Tracker.” Read about how Exxon-Mobil made a decision to ignore this truth 40 years ago in search of profits. If you and the other leaders of our country continue to pretend this is not a problem, the United States of America will become the laughingstock of the world community, and the only global player who refuses to do its part to save life on our planet.
No, Mr. President, this is not a hoax. Please take some time to read about this problem on these sites, if you truly don’t know the truth of the situation:
Climate Change Evidences and Causes
Skeptical Science: Getting Skeptical about Skeptical Science
Global Warming and Climate Change Myths
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Reports
And so, Mr. President, as the leader of the free world, you have a great opportunity to grow the economy and reverse global warming by leading us into new economic endeavors that will put America back to work, keep us strong, and help us keep the scientific and technological lead into the 21st century as you stand with the other countries of our planet. This not the time to pretend we don’t have a problem.
In the House of Representatives, please touch base with your fellow party members who signed the Republican Climate Resolution. Consult with the 36 members of the House (18 Republicans, 18 Democrats), now members of the bi-partisan Climate Solutions Caucus . Read “A Conservative Response to Climate Change” recently published in the Wall Street Journal, written by George Schultz and James Baker III. Work with these conservative leaders to push through a revenue neutral carbon fee and dividend to celebrate your 100th day, bringing together the moderate members of your party with the Democrats and even pleasing Bernie Sanders supporters at the same time.
Did you know there are more jobs in the solar and wind business than in fossil fuels? Please ask for a briefing on the REMI report on this approach. The Citizens’ Climate Lobby is ready to assist you. I will help you, along with 70,000 other members, who will work with you and the Congress to make this happen.
I guarantee, if you can pull this off, your popularity will soar in the polls. Now is the time to show America that you can truly make our country great.
You have the power to do this. I heard you tell the Pope you would remember what he said. Now act.
Sincerely,
Nancy Flinchbaugh