Climate Change: Alarms and Silencers

The vast majority of Americans have either witnessed or at least heard of the effects climate change has brought about.  However, there is much debate over how serious this problem (if it's considered a problem) is, and what, (if anything) can or should be done about it.  I believe that the media is largely going to answer these questions; but still, vast differences of opinion exist among different media outlets.  For example, programs such as Democracy Now!, Moyers and Company and magazines such as The Nation and Mother Jones have been and still are sounding the alarm about climate change and its consequences.  On the other hand, Fox and other conservative programs and papers either completely ignore or downplay the climate issue.  One can carry this divide to politicians, where the debate is so partisan, it becomes extremely difficult to make even basic legislative progress on environmental issues.  The most outspoken and passionate  about this issue include former Salt Lake City Mayor and 2012 Justice Party Presidential Candidate, Ross C. (Rocky) Anderson and Independent Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders.  These two have not only acknowledged the crisis before us, but have worked tirelessly to enact meaningful legislation. There are others, 2012  Green Party Presidential Candidate, Jill Stein among them; but they constitute an overpowered minority.  The fossil fuel industries can and are winning over lawmakers across the nation with lucrative campaign funds.  These companies have overwhelming stacks of money and power.  Take Citizens United for just one of many examples.  Perhaps that's why we've seen President Obama adopt an "All of the above" approach, attempting to satisfy both those concerned about our environment and those clung to coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear.  While this might sound reasonable on the surface, it doesn't give climate change the needed attention to at least slow down the race towards catastrophe.  Scientist, Anthony Leiserowitz of the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication said this on a recent episode of Moyers and Company:

"The earth's climate does not care whether you are a Democrat or a Republican...The point is that climate change will affect all Americans no matter what your political beliefs,  your religious beliefs,  your race, class, creed, et cetera..."

See the full interview on billmoyers.com

Leiserowitz stresses the need to bridge political ideologies and work together to create and sustain comprehensive climate reform, comparing the few degrees change in the earth's temperature to a human's body temperature during a fever.  Like other well respected scientists, he urges meaningful political reform before it's too late.  The question is who will amplify Leiserowitz's comments, and who will silence it?  The answer to this reveals where leaders and major figures really stand in the heated climate debate.