“We’re eroding the capabilities of the planet to maintain human life and life in general.”
—Gerardo Ceballos, an ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and lead author of a new study that indicates that we are in the midst of a mass extinction driven not by any catastrophic natural event, but by humans. [At the current rate, about 500 more terrestrial vertebrate species will become extinct over the next 20 years, the number that would normally occur over 10,000 years. If allowed to continue, Earth will lose vast ecosystems and the necessities they provide, including fresh water, pollination, and pest and disease control. In language the computer generation can understand: Earth may need to reboot.]
“No, I don’t support defunding the police. I support conditioning federal aid to police based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and honorableness.”
—Joe Biden, expressing his opposition to calls to defund police departments.
“The funding of police is a local matter, as you know. From the standpoint of our legislation, we’re not going to that place. What we’re doing is talking about how we change policy to make our policing more just,”
—House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on defunding police departments.
“There won’t be defunding. There won’t be dismantling of our police, and there’s not going to be any disbanding of our police. Our police have been letting us live in peace, and we want to make sure we don’t have any bad actors in there.”
—Donald Trump, on defunding police departments. [Is this what’s known as bipartisanship?]
Louisiana Voice 
Some believe the reboot will happen and the only question is how soon. Even if that is true, there is certainly no reason to hasten the tipping point unless, of course, you are 73, already have poor health habits, probably have a retreat in New Zealand or somewhere with enough of what you need to live in luxury for at least 25 years, have enormous, unchecked power, and are totally lacking in empathy.
If you can find it, I recommend you watch the 2017 science fiction comedy, Downsizing. If you don’t find it funny (and it wasn’t, particularly, IMO, though it had an interesting concept), skip to the very end and watch the last scene.
No surprises here….and, while chaos rules, Trump is quietly lifting just about ALL of our regulations that were meant to protect our environment. NO ONE is questioning his actions in this area. NO Congress person (Democrat or Republican) has even casually mentioned this. NO MSM has reported on the number of these regulations and from which agencies this lifting of regulations have come from. We are so easily distracted and so easily is our focus framed by the “breaking news or tweet” of the moment. Trump has withdrawn America from the international vehicles to protect the world environment and has lifted all regulations to protect America at home. And we are going “quietly into that good night….?” Trump will raise the questions: Do American Presidents have way too much power and what can we do when our elected officials fail to protect us from a way too powerful president?
Amen, Edith. In answer to the last question, given the failure of impeachment and the unwillingness of Pence and the cabinet to invoke the 25th amendment and the difficulty in removing senators and representatives from office during their terms, we have but one power – the vote.
Once again we are about to face another humanitarian crisis. A crisis far larger and pose a greater danger to human existence than anything we have ever seen. A crisis that will make the coronavirus pandemic seem like a minor occurrence. And once again we are being warned about it by scientists. We are told that climate change is happening to a degree that if left unaltered and unless something is done about, we could face human eradication on this earth.
Many countries and many people are taking these alarms seriously. And trying to do something about it. But too many are still not listening. Once again corporations are fighting to erode and eliminate government regulations that protect the environment. And once again the ignorant deny that climate change is any more than a normal earth cycle with human actions playing no part in its cause. You know, Trump and his supporters.
But it is happening. And happening at a faster rate than even scientists have anticipated. In our lifetime. And not enough is being done to slow it down or turn the results around. We can hope that technology will save us. We can hope that a united world effort will save us. We can pray. But what we cannot do is delay any longer. Mankind is faced with the real possibility of extinction and calling it fake news will not save us. Nor can we not do the things we need to do to prevent it. People need to educate themselves on the dangers. Will they?
Here are two websites that summarize and articulate how climate change is happening. One is a two hour Nova, but certainly one of the best explanations of what the earth has been through in the past and how it relates to today that I have ever seen. The other site is from recent New York Times articles on climate change.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/polar-extremes/
You do realize that were he elected, Joe Biden would be the first President to face the impact of the 25th Amendment. Just a dislike of Trump is not sufficient.
With regards to comment one, you must realize what these people want is less population, perhaps 1/2 or less of current population to reduce human impact. That will resolve pretty much all that they see as bad for the environment.
Stephen, there were zero grounds for impeachment and you know that. If the bar has been lowered to the standard set by Ms Pelosi, than pretty much every future President will face that. Clearly the 25th is invalid in this circumstance.
And Edith, the “international vehicles to protect the world environment” are non-existent. Anyone who can read realizes the Paris Accord accomplished nothing but a drain on our economy ie. a transfer of wealth. I believe we can control pollution. Our environment is entirely another matter.And giving money to third world countries will do nothing.
I recommend you both watch the movie “Idiiocracy” which pretty much sums up where we are heading with out current education system.
And Tom, surely you do not support the concept of “defunding” police anywhere ! That is an invitation to chaos.
As my former boss wrote on a position paper of mine with which he disagreed, “This means nothing.”
Zoe, I have only one question: Where on earth did you get the notion that I support defunding police? I’ve never said that because, frankly, even with the bad sheriffs I’ve written about and the bad cops we’ve read about, the vast majority are good, decent people and without them, we would have complete and total anarchy. There must, above all else, be order.
It’s irresponsible to advocate defunding police departments and I’ve never once suggested otherwise.
I believe Trump has already brought the “impact” of the 25th Amendment to our attention. And no, Zoe, what “these people” want to see carbon emissions reduced and less dependence on fossil fuels – there are alternatives, but Koch Industries and AFP successfully fought those because they threatened the oil and gas industry. I could go on with your other points (like your claim of zero grounds for impeachment), but I don’t feel like beating my head against the wall.
Nothing we say is going to change your mind and nothing you say is going to change ours.