U.S. Senator Schumer blasts Republican Denial of Human-caused Climate Crisis

By David Kowalski

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) delivered an important speech on the Senate floor (Feb. 14), standing up for the reality of a climate change crisis, its human causation, and the need for Congress to act to address the existential threat to the planet, our children, grandchildren and all of us right now. 

Schumer issued a challenge to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Republican colleagues, most all of whom deny the reality of human-caused climate change. Schumer said:

"I challenge leader McConnell to say that our climate change crisis is real, that it is caused by humans, and that congress needs to act. 

That is what two-thirds of the American people agree with, two-thirds.

I would say to our Republican colleagues this is no game. It is no joke. Climate change is deadly serious. And the time for all of us to treat it that way is now before it is too late."

Schumer's speech was a response to McConnell's plan to bring the Democrats' non-binding 'Green New Deal' resolution up for a vote so that he and Republican Senators could vote against it.

Schumer said: 

"I hope the American people are paying attention because they need to see what's going on here. The American people need to see that this is all there is to the Republican plan to deal with climate change. This is all they can muster. A political stunt, not designed to make progress, not designed to move the ball forward." 

"So when the Republican leader says he wants to bring the 'Green New Deal' up for a vote, I say go for it. Bring it on!"

Schumer concluded, "Let's see if anything is changed since 2015 when only five brave Republicans were able to vote yes on a resolution saying climate change is real and caused by humans."

The full Senate session was taped by C-span. I made a Video clip of Schumer’s climate speech. To view the Video clip on the C-span website, click here.

Below is the Transcript of U.S. Senator Schumer's Climate Speech:

Economic Inequality: Beware Plutocrats, the Pitchforks are Coming! TED Talk by a fellow Plutocrat

"Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming"

TED Talk by Nick Hanauer 

Nick Hanauer is a rich guy, an unrepentant capitalist — and he has something to say to his fellow plutocrats: Wake up! Growing inequality is about to push our societies into conditions resembling pre-revolutionary France. 

 

 Hear his argument about why a dramatic increase in minimum wage could grow the middle class, deliver economic prosperity ... and prevent a revolution.  

 

TED - Ideas Worth Spreading

Link to the Transcript is HERE.

Bill Moyers: Breaking Big Money’s Grip on Elections

What the Mainstream Media Won’t Let Bernie Sanders Talk About

By Moyers&Company

In the video clip below, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I - Vt.) tells Bill Moyers that he believes “one of the Supreme Court’s worst decisions ever” — Citizens United — has allowed Big Money to “deflect attention from the real issues” facing voters.

Sanders goes on to talk about the challenge of getting corporate media to cover the real issues. Watch the video (3 minutes):

To watch Bill Moyers' full interview of Sen. Bernie Sanders and to access the transcript, Click Here.

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Adam Zyglis on 'Big Money' and Elections in The Buffalo News

Putting the Freeze on Global Warming

By Moyers & Company .

The Archbishop of South Africa, Desmond Tutu, has called for an international “anti-apartheid-style boycott” against the fossil fuel industry in response to global warming. “People of conscience need to break their ties with corporations financing the injustice of climate change,” the Nobel Peace Prize laureate wrote in an essay earlier this month. Tutu’s call to action also urges a strategy of divestment, the selling off of stocks and other investments in the name of an urgent cause.

Bill Moyers talks with two leaders who helped inspire the new fossil fuel divestment movement that Tutu is encouraging. Ellen Dorsey is executive director of the Wallace Global Fund and a catalyst in the coalition of 17 foundations known as Divest-Invest Philanthropy. Thomas Van Dyck is Senior Vice President – Financial Advisor at RBC Wealth Management, and founder of As You Sow, a shareholder advocacy foundation.

They are urging foundations, faith groups, pension funds, municipalities and universities to sell their shares in polluting industries and reinvest in companies committed to climate change solutions.
Watch the video:

Read the transcript here.