Can be the most important political struggle on the planet, this fall: the battle over 23 California proposition.
Simply put, prop 23 is the epitome of anti-reactionary political climate in America. An astroturf effort funded by oil companies and driven by climate denialist groups, you want to block Marco climate action right from California, transmissions. The Trojan uses for this is a professed concern for workers ("professed" because many of the supporter of the Bill are strongly anti-workers ' rights).Prop 23 ties implementation of transmissions unemployment, demanding that the climate action be suspended until the unemployment rate falls below 5.6% for four consecutive quarters-and since California had just a low unemployment rate three times in this century, effectively faces permanent suspension transmissions. of course, this is intentional.
Proposal of 23 is about anything, but the defense of the indefensible. Let's leave completely apart from the bulls *** claim that transmissions is a killer is not working-and a huge set of evidence now shows that even the action of the relatively short term can promote economic growth and promote business innovation.Let's leave aside the innumerable benefits transmissions will bring to Californians in the form of energy security, climate resilience, improved health and better cities. benefits of transmissions are many and clear. Let's focus only on the biggest effects a gutting a transmissions would have on the climate policy
Effect of transmissions on climate is not so much a matter of direct emissions reductions-California produces only 1.5% CO2 in the world, after all – but precedent. Already, the United States is the main impediment in starting a business with a strong global climate.Have a successful climate action in our staff inevitably started changing the national policy on international climate agreements. Moreover, taking the United States ' largest state economy in bright green innovation Forward has fired up sustainable innovation competition, encouraged other climate efforts of the State, still influenced provincial efforts in Canada. Finally, the visibility of California about climate issues, Hollywood stars to Governor Schwarzenegger's venture capitalists and leading universities, acted as a form of citizen diplomacy abroad, showing people around the world that everything what you think the United States Senate, the American people are ready to act.Transmissions has already begun to have a real impact.
Attacking transmissions can only be read as a direct effort by oil companies and other interest groups to roll back the clock on climate action They probably accurately perceive transmissions be the lynchpin of North American climate action in the absence of national legislation.Notepad transmissions and they not only keep California's economy itself dirty, they also send a scare-gram for politicians across the continent (weakening State and local efforts) and further entrench denial and corruption in the national political culture.
On the other hand, defeating prop 8 and defence transmissions will send the opposite message: climate action is popular, the debate is closed, and California's blazing the way of all smart local governments will follow.California as a committed climate leader can act as a springboard for economic bright green action across the country and around the world.
This makes the fight about prop 8 more important battle being fought politically anywhere in the world this fall I rarely regret about initiatives or legislation (and Worldchanging prevents partisan politics completely, to the best of our ability), but this is an extraordinarily important choice ballot.
If you live in California, now is the time to get active participation will be everything in this fight: energy, time and money are needed. There are many ways to get involved and give money and talking with their neighbors, signing up for paragraph 23 Twitter feed and helping spread the word, to join statewide effort houseparty the Union of concerned scientists
Even if you don't live in California, you can contribute to the campaign No 23. They are against an effort of multi-million dollar: they need your money to combat all those dollars oil sloshing around the other side.
If children of the future could vote, they'd be cast their votes unanimously: No 23.
Image of the feature on the homepage of "Stop Texas Oil/not in 23" signs courtesy of Flickr photographer Matt Jalbert under license Creative Commons.
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