O'Malley Makes a Point about Climate Change and Foreign Policy

Connecting the dots between a changing environment and radicalism is something my blog has been about for years, so I was actually pleased to hear one of our Democratic candidates address it directly, in citing a study that connects ISIS to climate change.

In an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, O'Malley discussed the national security implications of climate change. "One of the things that preceded the failure of the nation state of Syria and the rise of ISIS, was the effect of climate change and the mega-drought that affected that nation, wiped out farmers, drove people to cities, created a humanitarian crisis that created the symptoms -- or rather, the conditions -- of extreme poverty that has now led to the rise of ISIS and this extreme violence," he said.

 

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called O'Malley's comments "absurd."

Not absurd at all, actually.  The Arab Spring itself stems from food scarcity and higher prices because of climate change. The stressors of agriculture workers seeking jobs that have been lost to climate change is simply a real thing. The Pentagon knows well and good that climate change is a real thing.  A failure to understand how these things are linked is kind of disqualifying for GOP candidates, who for the most part are not conversant with or are actually hostile to knowing something about the science involved.

I think we need a person in the White House who understands the serious challenges that sea level rises, increased severity of storms, droughts and fires, (like we are seeing in California), and possible famine and epidemics related to climate change will impose. We need someone who will be a realist and engage those things. We do not need ostriches--we need lions. The GOP is weak on climate change. And because they can't deal in facts, they are useless on foreign policy also.

(I'm sorry--not all my pictures having to do with Martin O' Malley are probably going to be objectifying him as a muscular Irish tenor with some reasonable guitar skills. But, well, there we are.)

Debbie Wasserman Schultz--I actually like her for Chair of DNC

Here she is on FOX Mushroom Farm*:



She doesn't get derailed. She says what needs to be said. She addresses issues, not talking points.  Also, I've been impressed with her record in general.  I like seeing progressives who engage. So, since I said something bad about Florida, here's a representative from Florida who is really cool.

Also, I will like Florida that much better if they brought Alan Grayson back. Daniel Webster, I don't like him as much.

*(Sorry no transcript.)