September 28th, 2020 · Comments Off on Ashamnu: we have transgressed on climate change
Yom Kippur … the Day of Atonement.
After the period of reflection and engagement with others between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, this is a moment to turn to internal considerations and the relationship between the individual and G-d.
As part of the prayers for the Day of Atonement, the Vidui, the Al Cheyt or recital of sins, is perhaps the most important. (Modern Judaism being what it is, there are a myriad of translations and modern variations on the Vidui/Al Chet.)
A key word: Ashamnu or “we have sinned”.
Ashamnu is a recognition of individual and communal failures. The Al Cheyt is a recognition and statement about sins by ourselves (and our community) against others, against oneself, against G-d through action … and inaction.
It is clear:
One can do wrong purposefully and explicitly … and one can do wrong inadvertently and indirectly.
One can do wrong through action and words … and one can do wrong through inaction and silence.
And, one can … one should … one must act to recognize the wrongs that we, all — as individuals and communities, have done, seek to redress them, and work to avoid them into the future.
This Yom Kippur comes amid a divisive and ugly American Presidential campaign.
Amid the very stark difference between the two candidates, perhaps the starkest relates to climate change.
Donald Trump, reflecting core GOP value streams, rejects climate science and promotes policy concepts (to the extent that he has actual policy concepts) that would worsen the problem (and, perhaps, be the final nail in the coffin on hopes to avert truly catastrophic climate change).
Joe Biden, in stark contrast, accepts (climate) science, uses it to guide her policy concepts and views, and has laid out a serious agenda to have the coronavirus recovery centered on clean energy, energy efficiency, environmental justice, and other climate mitigation/adaptation programs and achievements.
Simply put, Donald Trump is to continue to act to worsen the climate crisis and Joe Biden plans to #ActOnClimate.
In our political sphere, there was once too much ‘climate silence’, a silence in our political leadership and among too many of us in the of rabid climate science denial and on the damage we are doing to the planetary system, the risks of climate change, and the urgent necessity for meaningful change to change our path toward something that enables sustainable prosperity for humanity. In September 2020, on this Yom Kippur, on the eve of what might be the most momentous election of U.S. (even global) history, that silence is gone. It is replace by the stark contrast outlined above.
Yom Kippur — including the viddui — is not typically focused on politics and political action.
It is, however, a time for reflection on our relationships and actions, including setting ourselves on the paths to addressing our failures — in essence, soul-searching to lay out a self-improvement agenda.
Amid this soul-searching, the piercing challenge of climate change, one action set is clear: we must work to push the political system (politicians) to #ActOnClimate.
And, with the stark contrast in our political structure, to make that a reality requires action 3 November:
Vote #Climate.
Vote to put the Democratic Party in charge of the Senate.
We are pushing the planet and its animal resources to the limit.
We want what we want when we want it.
We pretty much take, hunt, fish, and consume until someone or something stops us or until there is no more to be taken.
Do you remember the Viddui we will be reciting in a few minutes? It’s the Confession prayer that lists our sins alphabetically.
a…b…c…
We abuse. We besmirch. We consume. We destroy. We excuse ourselves. We forget the consequences of our actions. We are greedy.
I could continue through the alphabet, and I should go on because, as the saying goes, although religion ought to comfort the afflicted, religion also needs to afflict the comfortable. And we truly do need to be uncomfortable tonight. Remember an alternate name for Yom Kippur is Yom Ha-Din…the Day of Judgment. This night is meant to be a time for severity.
“a time of severity”.
We are living in a time of consequences, a time where humanity’s future (and our own, unless you are on your deathbed, futures) require confronting Inconvenient Truth, and acting in this regard.
The individual matters and we need, for Yom Kippur, to judge ourselves with “severity” — to push our own comfortable ways as to whether we ‘sin’ and damage and harm unknowingly or knowingly.
“I am doing what I can.”
I (and my family) recycle … I (and my family) walk and bike often where others are jumping in their cars … I engage with others to educate about climate issues and energy smart practices/opportunities … I have changed my career to work solely on clean energy / climate mitigation related opportunities …
But, judging in severity, there is certainty that “I” can do more.
“I” can find more droplets to carry as part of a larger effort to douse the mounting flames of Climate Chaos. And, perhaps most importantly, I can continued to fight to end climate silence and to have climate action/climate justice core to my vote (and political activism).
“I am doing what I can.”
Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement as individual — an individual’s reckoning. Yet … yet … yet … it is also communal, the individual is part of something larger.
We live within a society. And, while each of us has a voice and role in that society, there are things that are beyond us as individuals to control. We — whether Libertarian or Socialist, Democrat or Republican, Christian or Muslim, male or female — are part of a community. Truthfully, there is no such thing as that perfect person (take a look and reflect on the Al Cheyt) nor is there such a thing as a perfect leader. But, we should recognize our own faults and seek to change our patterns. And, we should look to our leaders’ faults and seek to help them change for the better.
Most of all, we cannot afford more of the same timid politics when the future of our planet is at stake. Global warming is not a someday problem, it is now.
Who said this? Senator Barack Obama in 2007.
Sadly, during the 2012 election, our political elite provided crickets … true without discussion of climate in debates or speeches.
Regretfully, in the 2016 election, climate change — despite Hillary Clinton’s policy laydown and a few truly excellent speeches — was barely been an afterthought in discussions.
Amid our horrific political environment, where one political party is dominated and control by individuals and organizations suffering from an acute case of anti-science syndrome, real (political reality, not physical reality) barriers exist to the beneficial and cost-effective paths to mitigate Climate Chaos that should be at the centerpiece of national discussion and national investment. Erev Yom Kippur, as Donald Trump wreaks havoc on society and the climate, Joe Biden stood up to boost climate issues in national discussion.
What has been barrier to necessary action?
That too few leaders speak truthfully and forcefully on climate change. (To be clear, there are important exceptions. For example, Senator Whitehouse a shining example to others about leaning forward to speak forcefully and thoughtfully on climate change.)
We must seek ourselves and encourage our leaders to move beyond political expediency to leadership, to truthful and forceful engagement to help move the Overton Window on climate change from delusional science denial and ridicule to realistic engagement with the risks and opportunities.
We, ourselves, must be Climate Hawks. Being able to survey the entirety of the situation and see, with eagle-eyed vision, targets meriting attention. Beyond ourselves, we must encourage leaders — whether in our churches, schools, or Halls of Congress — to be Climate Hawks.
We don’t talk about it … even though we must …
As George Marshall has so eloquently discussed, not only is climate change a ‘wicked problem’ of complex interactions but it is a ‘wicked problem’ that is fundamentally at odds with how we, as humans, engage with the world around us.
While the media focuses discussions on horse races, rather than substance, Antarctic shelves are breaking up.
While the first Presidential debate doesn’t have a section related to climate change, California burns & Atlantic hurricanes have run out of names & …
Physical reality doesn’t bow to political reality — no matter the nightmarish and nearly unbelievably dystopian nature of America’s political reality — and climate’s physical reality is worsening with every passing second even as climate denialism continues.
Sen. Whitehouse has been one of the most serious climate hawks in the Senate. He has given speech after speech on the floor on a range of climate issues, introduced legislation, and spear-headed efforts to bring attention to — for example — the US Chamber of Commerce’s wrong-headed role in promoting climate science denialism.
Prof. Oreskes is one of the world’s leading historians on environmental issues and her book Merchants of Doubt remains a go-to reference and documentation of the systematic effort to create doubt as to climate change issues as a tool to undermine effective (or, well, any) climate mitigation efforts (that would, for example, threaten fossil fool business interests’ profits).
This should be a great discussion — please join in/register here (referral code: 102328013)
And, if you want Joe Biden to recognize that climate and clean energy matter to voters (to you as a voter), one way to signal this is to make your contributions (as I do) through events/activities/groups that relate to climate change and clean energy. If you want to signal while getting to hear from three top-notch voices on climate change science denial, then please join in/register here (referral code: 102328013).
with ever-more laws and efforts to hide the inhumane nature of industrial husbandry from the public
Health impacts from this husbandry, industrial processing, and the (often poor) quality/nature of the meat products are significant.
As they grow wealthier, humans (nearly uniformly) want more meat
While vegetarian diets can ‘solve’ the meat dilemma, the share of vegetarians in developed economies has remained relatively stable over time …
Humans want meat. They ask “Where’s the beef?” And, there are more of those “humans” going up the economic spectrum every day, thus the “where’s the beef” chorus gets louder with every passing moment.
The United Nations reports that animal agriculture contributes more greenhouse gas emissions than all of our cars, trucks, boats, and planes combined. It’s also a leading cause of rainforest destruction,03:11air, water, and soil degradation; and on top of all that, it’s just a grossly inefficient way to produce our food.
We have, it seems, two inextricable trends that can’t both continue indefinitely: either humanity stops eating meat from today’s climate-wrecking husbandry or, well, we lock in climate catastrophe.
A variety of researchers and firms are taking on this challenge (to reduce dramatically the environmental impacts while satisfying people’s “meat protein” desires) and are increasingly entering the market place. Fundamentally, there are two basic approaches.
The first seeks, in essence, to trick the palate: creating meat-eating like experiences using grains and vegetables. This offers significant environmental (reduced land, water, and emissions impacts of about 90 percent) along with reduced health impacts (though many current products have, for example, high salt content). Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are two preeminent examples of this, with serious investors and valuations with products showing up in restaurants, fast-food outlets, and on grocery store shelves. When it comes to these, as one reporter put it,
Both burgers were a breakthrough in the fake meat world, where previous veggie burgers were derided as tasteless pucks. If the goal is to get humans to eat less meat — for their health and the health of the planet — making a burger that simulates the taste and texture of meat is critical in winning converts.
Hmmm … “fake meat” doesn’t necessarily get buy-in from omnivorous humanity.
Another option is to grow meat: grow it not on the hoofs but in vats. To culture the meat from cells rather than raise living creatures for slaughter. ‘Vat-grown meat’, like plant-based options, offers easily order-of-magnitude environmental benefits like the plant-based products while delivering “meat”. While we already are eating significant amounts of vat-grown products (Omega-3 supplements in milk are just one example, and, well, there are always wine and beer to consider), these are essentially plant based food products. There is serious investment and valuation in firms pursuing cultured meat production.
With Clean Meat, Paul Shapiro has provided an excellent introduction into cellular agriculture. “This isn’t a substitute or replacement for meat, but meat without the animal.”
This is a technology revolution: growing leather; growing tuna; growing foie gras; growing beef; growing chicken meat in the “second domestication” which will offers the potential for continued meat eating and use of animal-based products (leather) with a softer hand on the planet and better human health.
If lab meats can replicate the taste and texture of traditional meat — at a lower cost and with fewer downsides — it would be a game-changer for global nutrition.
One way to consider the situation,
“Factory farming is kind of like coal mining. It’s pollutes and it’s damaging our planet, but it gets the job done. Cellular agriculture is like renewable energy when it was still its nascence. It has the promise of getting the same job done, but without so many terrible side effects.” Isha Data, CEO, New Harvest [p 19]
This is a rich and important space — with serious opportunities for radically changing humanity’s food system and impact on the planet. It also is a technology with massively disruptive impacts (and opportunities) for farmers, animal husbandry, slaughter houses, large multi-national firms, veterinary medical services (from rural vets to drug firms), animal transportation, and so much more. Vested interests with threatened revenue mean opposition.
This is an example of where, with passion and government, techno-optimism provides a viable vision of an improved life style with much lower climate impact.
If this works, slaughtering animals for the table could become something like hunting within a few decades. Only the ‘richest’, hobbyist, and ‘poorest’ eating from slaughtered animals (luxury, entertainment, & necessity).
Let’s be clear, clean meat has many challenges to overcome before it becomes a mainstream item. And, these aren’t minor as per these examples of still to overcome issues from a scientist acquaintance:
Culture media: Growing cells in a lab requires culture media that contain the nutrients to feed the cells. This is generally accomplished by using Fetal Bovine Calf Serum (FBS) in the media – generally at a concentration of 10%. There are two concerns with this:
1. it negates the very first goal of producing meat in a lab (bypassing animal farming);
2. there are already concerns of shortage of sources of FBS for research purposes (basic science and biomedical science), it does not seem to be a viable option for an industrial production of meat. [Note: scientists are trying to identify alternatives to FBS or develop serum-free media; perhaps that would solve the issue]
Pollution: growing cells in a lab is not a “green” activity. Everything needs to be performed in sterile environment: all materials (generally all plastic) are single-use and need to be disposed in biological waste containers for “safe” destruction in incinerators; at an industrial scale, closed systems may help reduce this waste (tbd).
Challenges are there but could, well, be ameliorated (solved) through concerted effort. And, the benefits from Clean Meat are so large that dedicated investment to make that effort is more than merited.
Consider just some of those benefit streams:
No antibiotics
No salmonella, otherwise
Roughly 48M Americans/year sicked by contaminated food (Salmonella) … biggest is chicken & turky meat
Ability to control fat/etc content
No land damage
Localized production possible (think local brewery)
Greatly reduced water & feed usage for animal husbandry
Pretty much ‘total transparency’ (think about the bar with brewery there … will restaurants have vats where they directly grow for their own tables?)
Tour a factory like touring a brewery — and then have a burger at the end of the tour …
Eliminates moral issues with meat consumption
And, ends figuring out who is vegan or meat eating for that dinner party ….
We live in an age of massive change. LED lights were expensive and unusual a decade ago and dominate lighting today. Solar and wind are growing exponentially. Companies that didn’t exist 20 years ago, like Facebook & Tesla, are among the largest in the world and changing the world.
In 2010, this space wasn’t much more than a rarely expressed fantasy (that dated back awhile, after all Winston Churchill wrote essay in 1931 about ability to “growing parts separately under a suitable medium” rather than growing whole chickens [p 8]) with limited research and miniscule investment. In 2013, the first burger (a $330, 000 burger) was cooked and eaten at a press event. More than a few products are on the verge of market introduction. In 2010, with the exception of exception of synthetic rennet-makers supplying the cheese industry, not a single food company was growing animal products outside of the animal commercially. “In fact, not a single one of the companies profiled in this book even existed.” [p 222] Within a few years, more than a few of these could be household names.
“Regulation, absolutely,” says Chase Purdy, Quartz reporter and author of a coming book about cell-cultured meat. “The technology is ready—the science has been there for a while.” he says. “It’s really all about governments around the world figuring out how to regulate these products.”
Incumbent opposition — recognizing fight by seeking to ban use of term “clean meat”
We have a three-way battle for our future when it comes to “meat”: traditional interests seeking to defend their space (incumbency); plant-based alternatives seeking to trick our taste buds into going vegan; and, cellular meat firms seeking to deliver meat without the slaughterhouse. The first path resembles fossil fuel firms — seeking to lock in, as long as possible, their profitability without regard to environmental and health costs and risks. The second two offer paths forward (within larger efforts for a sustainable agricultural system to feed humanity) without destroying the environment and improved human health. Reality is, there will be a mixture of the three … we will be much better off if the second two dominate.
“Humans are great at rationalizing our conduct so we don’t feel mental conflict about our behavior …” [p 233] Would Clean Meat availability directly confront this and make many walk away from slaughtered protein?
Now, going back to the opening question, it is clear that “clean meat” is a framing that works.
“It’s important because words matter in how we describe how something makes a big difference,” said Paul Shapiro, a top leader at Humane Society of the United States and author of Clean Meat. “You can only make a first impression once.”
Now, not only Shapiro recognized this reality. Sadly, so did the much larger, much stronger livestock world. And, thus, they forced the issue and got emergent firms to abandon the term “clean meat” and use “cell-based meat”. That weakened framing will, without question, slow Clean Meat’s penetration into the market-place and its role as a climate-solution tool.
July 26th, 2020 · Comments Off on Environmental Justice (#EJ) is no laughing matter … Clean Energy 4 Biden #EJ event Monday, July 27th
Amid the fight to save endangered species, clean up rivers, end plastic pollution, address the climate crisis, and so many other environmental challenges, the painful realities of environmental injustice(s) too often seem to and/or are actually left-aside and left unaddressed within the activism. Picturing a polar bear on a melting iceberg doesn’t help in visualizing the urban youth asthma sufferers driven by diesel pollution or cancer clusters in minority communities suffering from chemical plant pollution. There are serious movements, at this time, that seem to be making a serious dent in (reversing) what has often been a seeming blind spot (for many) in seeking to create a cleaner future. From environmental organizations, to state legislatures, to the Democratic Party’s platform and VP Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan, serious environmental justice actions and investments seem core to plans for moving forward toward a clean energy future. Tomorrow, Clean Energy For Biden is hosting an event that will directly address environmental (in)justice realities, challenges, and opportunities — and how VP Biden will drive for real environmental justice. In that discussion will be Representative Raúl Grijalva and 350.org‘s North American Director Tamara Toles O’Laughlin , moderated by the Center for American Progress’ VP for Energy & Environment Ms. Christy Goldfuss,
The title for this post comes from a reaction to active Twitter humor about jokes. Amid these mainly laughable moments was a painfully on one of tomorrow’s speakers:
I have a climate justice joke but nobody sees color.
Perhaps, as might get discussed tomorrow, we are seeing — are creating — a new reality where climate and environmental justice are taken seriously as we — collectively — see color.
As to the CE4B event, for which the initial/lowest donation amount was deliberately set quite low ($10) to encourage broader participation, here are the details:
Clean Energy for Biden event on Environmental Justice
Monday, July 27, 2020 at 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM ET
Please join Clean Energy for Biden with Representative Raúl Grijalva and Ms. Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, moderated by Ms. Christy Goldfuss, for a discussion on environmental justice. Speakers will discuss what Vice President Joe Biden can do to support this important issue when he takes office, both by working on the ground with environmental justice communities and leaders, and with Congress. Joe Biden has demonstrated his commitment to this topic in his recently unveiled $2 trillion Build Back Better plan and this discussion will focus on what all of us can do to execute on this mission if he’s elected.
As a leading Congressional voice on environmental justice, Representative Grijalva has championed the Environmental Justice for All Act and has held several hearings on this topic through his role as Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. Ms. Tamara Toles O’Laughlin is the North America Director of 350 Action and has long been a tireless advocate and leader for environmental justice policies, communities, and programs through her work in the state of Maryland and Washington D.C. Ms. Christy Goldfuss is the Vice President for Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress and led the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Obama.
Comments Off on Environmental Justice (#EJ) is no laughing matter … Clean Energy 4 Biden #EJ event Monday, July 27thTags:2020 Elections · Clean Energy 4 Biden
July 16th, 2020 · Comments Off on #BuildBackBetter Plan: @JoeBiden Virginia Roundtable with Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Donald McEachin, and Delegate Kathy Tran
Friday afternoon, the Biden campaign is holding a roundtable discussing the range of benefits and opportunities that the Vice President’s Build Back Better Clean Energy plan (announced Tuesday) will create for the Commonwealth, Virginia businesses, and Virginians.
Join Team Joe, Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Donald McEachin, and Delegate Kathy Tran for a virtual Biden for President roundtable in Virginia on Joe Biden’s plan to help America’s economy Build Back Better and create the good-paying union jobs we need to deliver an equitable clean energy future. Joining McEachin and Tran will be President of the Virginia Building and Construction Trades Council Jason Parker and Virginia Climate Leader Harrison Wallace.
This online event is from 3 to 4 pm Friday. Specific details will be sent to you after your register here.
There is a lot to discuss here.
With Democratic control of the legislature, Virginia has now gone from being a laggard to real leader – especially for the South – when it comes to clean energy and climate issues. A path toward a 100% clean power system has become law. There are significant investment paths for energy efficiency. Virginia joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Virginia’s first two offshore wind turbines have been installed and there is now a legal basis for these 12 megawatts to become 2.6 gigawatts (2,600 megawatts) of capacity by the middle of the decade. And there’s a lot more. The measures passed by Democratic Delegates and Senators will create jobs, boost Virginia’s economic competitiveness, foster a more resilient energy system, and reduce the Commonwealth’s pollution with a wide range of benefits from reduced asthma rates to lowered climate impacts.
The plan that Vice President Biden laid out earlier this week calls for $2 trillion of investments in clean energy. Building on the progress that Virginia’s elected Democratic leadership was able to establish in the legislative session and Governor Northam initiatives like using VW settlement money for electrification projects across the Commonwealth, Virginia will be well positioned to leverage (soon to be) President Biden’s program to accelerate and expand what is already planned for Virginia. And, in the process, create even more jobs, boost the economy even more, have an ever more resilient energy system, and even more significantly reduce pollution impacts on Virginians’ health and Virginia’s environment.
There is far more to discuss than one hour can accommodate but this hour should be a good start for that discussion.
When Trump thinks climate, he thinks hoax. When I think about climate, I think JOBS! Vice President Joe Biden, 14 July 2020
Is it any surprise that the clean energy world is mobilizing to help elect Joe Biden, a Democratic-controlled Senate, and a larger Democratic Party majority in the House?
Comments Off on #BuildBackBetter Plan: @JoeBiden Virginia Roundtable with Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Donald McEachin, and Delegate Kathy TranTags:economics · Election 2020 · Energy · Joe Biden · virginia
July 15th, 2020 · Comments Off on “Basically means no windows …”
Amid his Rose Garden ranting against (soon to be President) Joe Biden yesterday, Trump went after Biden’s Build Back Better powerful Clean Energy plan. Evincing his normal shallow ignorance and gaslighting bravado, Trump fumbled through fossil-foolish talking points. Amid this, Trump attacked Biden’s call for a move toward net zero buildings. Of course the facts are wrong about what Biden proposed. The more absurd gaslighting is how ever-so-tremendous building developer Donald Trump stated absurdity after absurdity.
When it comes to gaslighting, a simple summary would be that the (would-be) demagogic autocrat demands that cult followers don’t believe their lying eyes.
For well over a decade, I (and others) have been calling and waiting for forceful Presidential language and speeches directly tying economic performance, job creation, and climate mitigation. Today, our next President, Joe Biden pretty much gave that speech in a strong call for job creation with significant clean-energy investment that will boost U.S. economic competitiveness while setting the United States on a path to a net-zero emission economy.
We can’t just build things back to the way they were — we’ve got to build America back better. Tune in as I deliver remarks on how we're going to invest in infrastructure and clean energy and create millions of jobs in the process: https://t.co/c3kocZapIH
In this speech, (our next) President Biden draws a strong contrast between Trump’s destructive anti-science, anti-clean energy, anti-economic performance antics and Biden’s plans for rejuvenating the American economy and creating millions of well-paying clean energy jobs in a package that will reduce pollution and the nation’s climate risks.
When Donald Trump thinks about climate change, all he can muster is one word: “hoax.”
When I think about climate change, I think of a word as well: “jobs.”
Position the U.S. Auto Industry to Win the 21st Century with technology invented in America
Achieve a Carbon Pollution-Free Power Sector by 2035
Make Dramatic Investments in Energy Efficiency in Buildings, including Completing 4 Million Retrofits and Building 1.5 Million New Affordable Homes
Pursue a Historic Investment in Clean Energy Innovation
Advance Sustainable Agriculture and Conservation
Secure Environmental Justice and Equitable Economy Opportunity
Within each, Biden(‘s team) lays out serious proposals that will have real impact … these are Win-Win-Win paths to boost the economy, create jobs, and reduce climate impacts.
The transition to clean energy is an opportunity to rebuild our economy, jumpstart American manufacturing, and end environmental racism. @JoeBiden's clean energy proposal—modeled after @JayInslee's plans—will move America forward.https://t.co/nXo7pJHDpb
July 9th, 2020 · Comments Off on Energy Bookshelf (catch-up): A taste of Randy Olson
Regretfully, I have allowed (over the years) my Energy Bookshelf to build up (and up and up) to all too many bookshelves. Simply put, Marie Kondo wouldn’t be pleased with me. In this process, there are many books which have left a lasting impression and which I quote/reference in interactions which I have not given just recognition with reviews but I haven’t held up my end by giving recognition in blogging space to those who are influencing me. Therefore, I will strive to do some catching up beginning with Randy Olson.
June 30th, 2020 · Comments Off on DNC Platform Committee seems intent on dictating, not listening (climate edition)
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) Platform Committee is holding a series of (pseudo-)public hearings this week en route formalizing the Platform. Amid the reality and necessity of tRump’s mismanagement of Coronavirus response, these hearings reasonably are being held online. “(Pseudo-)hearings” as these are scripted events with no active public comments and engagement other than the chance to submit videos for DNC consideration with between-the-lines implications that what is really wanted are paeans to the DNC’s perspicacity and brilliance rather than actual comments seeking to fill gaps and strengthen the platform.
