How do we live as a nation among nations with a Head of
State whose word means nothing? To Trump
down is up, dark is light, the grass is purple, and the sky is orange. Then tomorrow he will contradict everything
he said today and declare that he never said anything different. Truth means nothing to him. Facts are irrelevant.
He has said that he will pull the U.S. out of the Paris
Accords on Climate Change. He has named climate
change deniers to critical positions on his staff. On Sunday (11/27) his prospective Chief of
Staff Reince Priebus stated that Trump “has his default position [on climate
science], which most of it is a bunch of bunk.”
His disregard for the basic principles of science is stunning in its
ignorance.
Trump’s words and actions are the tactics of an abuser. They threaten the safety and well-being of
our country and of our world. The worst
of the damage resulting from his inaction on climate change will not become
evident until after he leaves office.
The harm to our international relationships will be much more
immediate. Our allies will lose trust in
our ability to keep our word and to fulfill obligations. They will quite likely diminish or withdraw
their support and cooperation. Our
adversaries will delight in the uncertainty, taking advantage of the confusion
and mistrust to further their own ends with little restraint.
We must be vigilant. We
must refuse to normalize Trump’s behavior.
We must demand honesty in our government. We must struggle in whatever
way we can to preserve our republic and to insist that all our elected
officials respect and adhere to the provisions of our Constitution. The generations coming after us deserve no
less.
