WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS
DEMOCRAT
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6
“The Future Can Be Ours.”
480-607-9726
Dear Friend,
U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, who was appointed the head of the House
Environment Subcommittee this past January, “has argued that the idea of
man-made global warming may be ‘folklore.'” (“House Republicans Pick
Climate Skeptic to Head Environment Subcommittee,” by Kate Sheppard,
Huffington Post, Jan. 16, 2014, www.huffingtonpost.com).
A recent article on the website “Global Climate Change News and Analysis”
states: “Climate change is already damaging crops and coral reefs,
changing seasons and melting glaciers and Arctic ice, while recent heat
waves and storms illustrate a rising threat, the UN’s climate panel said
on Monday.”
Further: “In one of the most dangerous early impacts, the IPCC” (the
U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) “found that climate
change was already undermining food production, threatening the world’s
poorest people.
“’Based on many studies covering a wide range of regions and crops,
negative impacts of climate change on crop yields have been more common
than positive impacts,’ it said.
“’Climate change has negatively affected wheat and maize yields for many
regions and in the global aggregate.’
“Warming had also impacted natural systems, including fish stocks and
coral reefs, with ocean acidification a rising threat this century.
“’Many terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species have shifted their
geographic ranges. Glaciers continue to shrink almost worldwide due to
climate change.’
“Without cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, more serious impacts would
damage the world economy and wipe out species.” (“Climate Change is
already here, poses serious threat–IPCC,” by Gerard Wynn, Global Climate
Change News and Analysis, March 31, 2014, www.rtcc.org).
Because of obtuse and obstructionist Republicans in the House and Senate,
President Obama has had to develop another strategy: “The Obama
administration is working to forge a sweeping international climate change
agreement to compel nations to cut their planet-warming fossil fuel
emissions, but without ratification from Congress.
“In preparation for this agreement, to be signed at a United Nations
summit meeting in 2015 in Paris, the negotiators are meeting with
diplomats from other countries to broker a deal to commit some of the
world’s largest economies to enact laws to reduce their carbon pollution.
But under the Constitution, a president may enter into a legally binding
treaty only if it is approved by a two-thirds majority of the Senate.”
(“Obama Pursuing Climate Accord in Lieu of Treaty,” by Coral Davenport,
New York Times, Aug. 26, 2014, www.nytimes.com).
Moreover, to understand where the opposition to President Obama’s efforts
comes from, Senator Mitch McConnell, “who has been one of the fiercest
opponents of Mr. Obama’s climate change policy, comes from a coal-heavy
state” (Kentucky) “that could be an economic loser in any climate-change
protocol that targets coal-fired power plants, the world’s largest source
of carbon pollution.” (Ibid., Davenport, New York Times).
Obviously, I am sympathetic to the workers in the coal industry if their
jobs should be threatened by efforts to cut back on carbon pollution, but
neither can we back off on our attempts to make the earth a habitable
planet. We don’t want there to be food shortages, nor do we want our
coastal cities to be engulfed in water from the melting glaciers.
My approach to this crisis–and, yes, it is a crisis–is, as I said to one
of my Junior English classes where I teach, not to throw up my hands and
say “We’re all going to die,” but instead to ask the question: “What can
you do to solve this problem? Let’s get to work.”
When elected to Congress on November 4th, I will support the President’s
efforts to get meaningful climate change legislation passed in the House.
In addition, I will support his efforts to bring into being an
international “climate accord” that will be respected by all parties so
that greenhouse gases and carbon emissions can be effectively reduced. We
owe it to our children, and ourselves, to do this.
If you would like to contribute financially to my campaign, please check
out my website at williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on “Make a
Donation,” and, by means of safe and secure PayPal, join many others who
have made a monetary contribution to support my efforts as a dedicated
Democrat to become your next member of Congress from CD6. You may also
contribute if you live outside the District, or even in another state.
Please note: If you wish to pick up a yard sign, please let me know, or I
can take one to you.
The Future Can Be Ours if we reject the glibspeak of such climate change
“deniers” as David Schweikert and accept the reality of the abject crisis
that we face with global warming. So many species of animal have become
extinct or are nearing extinction already; elephants, tigers, lions,
zebras, and other wild animals we have taken for granted are becoming more
threatened every day. Are we heading for a world where we will be
surrounded only by computers and cell phones? Studies have shown that to
be creative mechanical and civil engineers, kids must grow up in a natural
environment and spend time outdoors so that their spatial imaginations can
develop properly. I reject Rep. Schweikert’s skepticism about global
warming. He and the other members of the Flat Earth Society can babble all
they want and deny the existence of climate change; but let him do that as
a NON-member of Congress. Elect me as your next congressman from
Congressional District 6 so that someone responsible and aware can
represent your interests in Washington.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
John
W. John Williamson
Scottsdale, Arizona