Indeed, in the Administration’s new National Security Strategy, it’s “an anti-growth energy agenda” that’s a threat to the world, and that only American can lead the way out of.
Which sounds like a weaselly way of saying that climate change is too expensive to deal with, particularly in terms of energy company profits, and the oil/coal/gas must flow, so suck it up, future, because Donald won’t be around in a few decades, so what the hell does he care what happens then?
Trump Administration Dropping Climate Change As National Security Threat
Hurricanes, floods, and fires don’t count.
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The statement that Donald Trump won't be around a couple of decades from now reminded me of another anti-environmentalist who was accused (perhaps falsely) of having similar sentiments – James Watt.
In June 1983, William Greider wrote this assessment of Watt for Rolling Stone. It was written after Watt had praised Wayne Newton over the Beach Boys, but before his infamous description of the diversity of the people who worked for him.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-james-watt-survives-19830609
For the record, here is what Watt says his true views on the environment are, in the context of statements by Bill Moyers and Grist magazine:
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Last December Moyers received an environmental award from Harvard University. About three paragraphs into the speech, after attacking the Bush administration, Moyers said: "James Watt told the U.S. Congress that protecting natural resources was unimportant in light of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. In public testimony he said, 'After the last tree is felled, Christ will come back.' Beltway elites snickered. The press corps didn't know what he was talking about. But James Watt was serious. So were his compatriots out across the country. They are the people who believe the Bible is literally true — one-third of the American electorate if a recent Gallup poll is accurate."
I never said it. Never believed it. Never even thought it. I know no Christian who believes or preaches such error. The Bible commands conservation — that we as Christians be careful stewards of the land and resources entrusted to us by the Creator.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/20/AR2005052001333.html
Ah. James Watt. Now there's a memory from yesteryear.
It appears the "last tree" quote is, if not debunked, without substantitive documentation. Alas, if that were the only example of Watt's whackadoodleness, he'd be in much better shape, reputation-wise.
In one sense, Watt was right. I was reading a Beach Boys biography that talked about the Beach Boys' appearance in Washington after the Wayne Newton debacle. Dennis Wilson's own appearance was haggard. He died soon afterwards.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-beach-boy-who-went-overboard-19840607
Space Aliens are in the WH.