Well, it has been quite a year, with storm, flood, war, elections, vitriol, and of course acts of goodness. Let’s all be on our toes in the coming year, and practice generosity and good sense in a degenerating country.
Sea levels are rising along America’s Southeast and Gulf coasts, according to research reported in the Washington Post. Sea levels in Georgia were measured to have rising over half a foot since 2010. Icecaps and glaciers continue to melt all over the planet. Obviously some cities will have to move inland a bit. Of course, in storms, the consequence of this sea level rise can be absolutely catastrophic. This seven inch rise is an average of calm water. We don’t live in a calm world at all.
The US House scrapped a continuing budget resolution to keep the government open and provide up to $100 billion in repairs for natural disasters (Hurricane Helene, etc) because billionaire Elon Musk was displeased with a provision in the bill (about his possible business interests in China) and tweeted against passage. The bill was subsequently passed after the language that offended the richest man in the world was removed. President-elect Trump had little involvement in the matter.
The US agricultural economy is in a recession. Farmers mostly receive direct subsidies to produce unneeded grain products (corn, soy, wheat). Beef ranchers are losing money but receive emergency payments though the meat is no cheaper to the consumer. Animals are often fed grains since grasslands are very dry (and the grain makes the meat fattier). Meanwhile, we use deep well irrigation to grow alfalfa in Arizona and California to send to Saudi Arabia to feed cattle, horses and camels - a preposterous use of both water and energy. (The Saudis own some of this land.) We have a Department of Agriculture that administers many programs, but any “vision” for our country’s agricultural and environmental future is legislated by Congress, which is completely dysfunctional. The average farmer is almost 59 years old. The average cattle rancher is over 60. It is hard to imagine food prices going down, something even the Trump administration-in-waiting admitted.
US representative Kay Granger (R-TX) was found - the week of December 18 - to have been living in a memory care unit in the Fort Worth, TX, area since July, while still serving in Congress. She had retired but not resigned. Meanwhile, Representative and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi fell on a congressional junket to Luxembourg and required a hip replacement at a US Army hospital in Germany. I say this not to cast shade on these two elderly women, but Kay Granger, a nice woman, should have resigned. Nancy Pelosi, whom some consider a national hero, should have wondered if it were necessary for her 84 year old self to walk up marble stairs in a palace in high heels for no good reason. This notion that “I am special” permeates American affairs, permeates human affairs, such that Musk would be willing to deny assistance to suffering Americans for at least a month just to get his way, despite already being the richest man in the world. These ethical question are rarely even spoken of and something we should all consider as we destroy the planet.
On December 18, the Montana Supreme Court ruled in favor of 16 young defendants, in the lawsuit Held vs. Montana - that the plaintiffs were entitled to a “clean and safe environment”. Montana Gov Greg Gianforte (R) a software billionaire who is not from Montana, raised concerns what the ruling might do to harm Montana’s energy production. There are other as yet unresolved cases of youth trying to use the court system to protect their rights in society where 50% of eligible voters (35% of the population) continue to back destructive administrations.
Lastly, the great Ricky Henderson died this week. He was the all-time leader in stolen bases and a baseball Hall-of-Famer who played mostly for the Okland As. I watched him many times and remember watching him doing stretches as he stood around second base, trying to stay limber while still in his 40s. He wanted to be the best base runner ever. He would have been 66 years old on Christmas Day.