I received a couple notes from Twitter.
The official White House blogger, Jon Carson, is now following me and responded to one of my messages.
JonCarson44
@A_Siegel thanks for helping me hear from folks about SOTU, getting lots of people talking about clean energy jobs Jan 09, 8:50 AM via web
In reply to…
A_Siegel WH asks: What should be in the SOTU? bit.ly/znyByR clear answer: #CleanEnergyJobs #Climate #Science @joncarson44 Jan 06, 6:07 PM via web
While it may be ‘cool’ to be one of the 1500+ Twitter accounts that the “Official WH twitter account” is following (Really? “Following” with how much diligence?), it is interesting that Jon Carson thank me (and others) about “clean energy jobs” while remaining (from what I have seen) silent when it comes to impassioned calls for the President to address (seriously, directly, substantively) climate change in the State Of The Union (SOTU) address.
Now, essentially at the same time that I sent the responded to tweet, amid my publicizing Jon Carson’s call for public thoughts as to what should be in the SOTU, I also sent in this one:
With warm weather records breaking across the upper Midwest, President needs to talk about #climate science in #SOTU #green @joncarson44
Now, when I let a few electronic correspondents know that I was now one of 1500+ Jon Carson followed, a discussion began about the White House’s studied silence on climate change issues amid weather disruption that, too sadly, seems to match the media’s stony silence on climate science. And, one of those thoughtful correspondents sent me this
I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s getting as many about climate as clean energy jobs and what he is trying to do is say “I’m being responsive”…..i.e., when the President says “clean energy jobs” he is responding to “your concern” about climate (and that’s all he’s willing to say because, you know, climate is really a drag politically). Twitter lends itself marvellously to this kind of “wink wink get it?” game.
While ‘proud’ to be one of those 1500+ being followed, I’d gladly put aside the honor for the chance to see “the official White House Twitter account” engage forthrightly on climate science issues. And, more importantly, to see the President lay out clearly and directly climate science within the State Of The Union speech.
UPDATE … No longer crickets. From the inbox:
JonCarson44
.@A_Siegel saw your DailyKos post, hearing lots on POTUS talking about #Climate too! check out this from EPA too: http://t.co/2vXxil5y
Jan 12, 4:42 PM via webIn reply to…
A_Siegel
WH asks: What should be in the SOTU? bit.ly/znyByR clear answer: #CleanEnergyJobs #Climate #Science @joncarson44
Jan 06, 6:07 PM via web
What about the political risks of addressing climate change directly?
Too many ‘politicos’ seem to view climate change and climate science as a losing game to play. After all, those denizens of democratic ideals like the Chamber of Commerce and USCOC President, Tom Donahue, the Koch Brothers, and Rush Limbaugh will weigh in heavily to attack any White House effort to educate the public truthfully about climate chaos, the risks that we face, and the opportunities created if we forthrightly address those risks.
This ‘traditional’ analysis is almost certainly at odds with a realistic look at the political landscape.
- Will Limbaugh, the Koch Brothers, Tea Party faithful, and other anti-science syndrome sufferers suddenly convert to fervent supporters of President Obama because he doesn’t enage on climate science issues?
- Will this motivate traditional base voters, who have a higher concern about climate issues than the overall population and many of whom find reasons to be dispirited about the President’s policies, find reasons for enthusiasm if the President lays out a truthful and honest message about climate science, including a contrast between the major parties’ stances on the science?
- Would this not educate the ‘undecided’ voter and influence their perspective on the choice come November 2012? After all, the American people have a high regard for science and scientists. The Climate Zombie dominance, at this time, of Republican Party politics is seriously at odds with the scientific community. (See here and here as well.) The American public will not, writ large, be aware of this yawning gap between the Party’s status within the climate (and other) science communities without forceful Presidential engagement.
Very simply, it would be a winning strategy to lay out — clearly and forcefully — why November 2012 is truly an election about science.
And, I ‘retweeted’ a range of powerful comments re the need to address climate change in the SOTU. Perhaps the most accurate and cogent one came from Friends of the Earth
@JonCarson44 — not talking about climate change in the #SOTU is another form of climate denial