‘The good news’
In this time of investigations, hyper-partisanship, discontent and distrust, our community could use some good news.
We’ve all been hearing the dire reports about climate change and what’s in store if carbon emissions are not drastically reduced in eight years.
The good news is that there is a bipartisan movement now to address climate change.
In February 2016, two congressmen from Florida — Rep. Carlos Curbelo, a Republican, and Rep. Ted Deutch, a Democrat — started the Climate Solutions Caucus in the House of Representatives. By October 2018, the group swelled to 90 members — 45 Republicans and 45 Democrats.
When some of the caucus members lost their seats in the 2018 election, the caucus reformed and continues.
In January 2019, five Republicans and five Democrats introduced the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The bill proposes real solutions created by people working together to find real answers. And the best news, to the surprise of many, is that Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, have just started the first Senate Citizens Climate Caucus.
We’ve all watched the fighting in Congress on television every day. In the midst of all the rancor, there are senators and representatives, Republicans and Democrats, working together to find real solutions.
It’s been hard to read the almost daily news reports. But you can do something about climate change, and it is not a hopeless situation.
These good men and women need our support. Write letters to encourage them. Ask our own Reps. Ed Case and Tulsi Gabbard and Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono to support them. You can also join the Citizens Climate Lobby, the citizens’ organization that supports these House and Senate caucuses.
You can read more about all of this at citizensclimatelobby.org
Diana L. Van De Car
Volcano
A waste of money
So, Gov. David Ige indicates the state has spent (read, “extracted from Hawaii’s taxpaying public”) $15 million “trying to provide safe and secure access for Maunakea” as the blockade of the Maunakea Access Road enters its sixth month (Tribune-Herald, Dec. 17).
What kind of gobbledygook is that? The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ blockade of the mountain access road has closed any public access to the entire eastern half of the mountain.
Apparently, County Councilman Aaron Chung is the only elected official to question what the money is being spent for, other than operation of a vehicular speed trap.
Kudos to Mr. Chung and shame on others hell-bent on bleeding the public treasury dry for no discernible purpose. This is not merely irresponsible government, it’s lunacy.
Richard Hoeflinger
Keaau