It must be so easy to rail against big government and taxes and effectively kick the serious issues that face this country down the road. Anyone could win if they promised over and over again to give you all the candy that you wanted for free. It’s an affliction that seems to be quintessentially American. “If I want to eat as much as I want, I will, and no one but me will suffer…me and the tax payers that will end up paying for my Medicare bills when I’m bed ridden with heart disease. If I want to drive the biggest car I can and I will, no matter the origin of the oil that fuels it and the inability to provide that fuel for myself.” Aren’t Republicans all about self-reliance? If so, wouldn’t it figure that energy bills that help to make America more self-reliant would be a great thing? Or are corporate profits more important than the difficult task of building a strong country with a sustainable healthcare system, a self-reliant energy grid, a military and inclusive social fabric.

That is unless they really don’t believe the things that their entire platform is built on. It seems to me that there are many smart people in the Republican party. Smart enough to recognize that most people are sheep and are easily manipulated. It takes a true coward to twist trusting people’s thoughts and feelings into passionate ignorance. It takes real guts to make the hard decisions that are absolutely necessary for a sustainable future. We’re a very myopic bunch. We want what we want and we’re used to getting what we want at the speed of light. That’s why the idea of less taxes makes us shake with anticipation, but also keeps us from the reality that huge, unnecessary wars, tax cuts that wipe out revenues, out-of-control military spending, a failing healthcare system all begin to take their toll on American education, economy and security. I’d be willing to bet if Republicans had not done some of the unsustainable things that they’ve done over the last 30 years, we’d not be being strangled by a powerful and ever-growing China.

Why take on the tough decisions when it’s easier to rot America’s teeth slowly with loads and loads of candy that tastes great but, in the long run, leave you sucking on a straw and licking the wounds your once powerful self.

Ha! Isn't this a funny global warming joke?

Just to clear up any misguided cynicism on global warming—just because we still experience snow and cold weather every once and awhile, doesn’t mean climate change isn’t occurring. Incremental increases in temperature raise ocean surface temperatures. This in turn causes unstable weather patterns and glacial melting. This in turn causes disasters like increases in large storm systems (i.e. Katrina and the Indonesian Tsunami) and the droughts that fuel massive wild fires. This in turn begins to misplace millions of humans around the world due to lack of water, raising water levels and storm devastated mainlands. These changes will be gradual and won’t deliver the Star Wars effects that are required to actually make policy, but I can safely say, when global warming’s effects are finally causing people to stomp around demanding accountability for the failure to act when it was necessary, it’ll be too late.

So,while it’s entertaining to watch the cynics thumbing their noses at the problem, it’s actually really sad to see them simplify a problem by watching the snow fall in their back yard.