Biden has plan to help climate; Trump does not
Severe storms threaten to unleash tornadoes in the Midwest and Southern states. A “heat dome” produces sweltering temperatures in the Southern U.S. and Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts another active hurricane season with 17 to 25 named storms expected. All these were reported in just one day’s edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The Earth is hotter than ever since records were kept, and Americans are paying a steep price. Solutions? President Biden has a plan to develop a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and is working to develop climate-smart innovations in food growing using American ingenuity and creativity.
In a meeting with oil and gas company executives, former president Donald Trump offered to scrap all of Biden’s climate initiatives and promised not to promote any new ones in exchange for $1 billion for his reelection campaign. He also assured these business leaders that they would easily recoup this expense from the tax cuts and deregulation he would put in place. Should be an easy choice.
SUSAN LAUTENBACHER, DUNWOODY
Oil companies should pay to keep communities breathable
Could the May 25 Atlanta Journal-Constitution article “19 states try to block climate change lawsuits” become a grand slam for climate action?
Similar to the tobacco industry’s deceptive practices, litigation in several states reveals the oil industry’s efforts to downplay the long-term threat posed by fossil fuel pollution.
Like cancer, a silent killer, most people now recognize the destructive consequence of excessive greenhouse emissions. The rise in sea levels, respiratory illnesses, extreme weather and wildfires, which will raise insurance rates beyond affordable levels, threaten our lives and welfare.
The oil companies knew but kept silent. They should pay to keep our communities breathable.
How? Price dirty fossil fuel producers. Give the revenue to the people.
Won’t prices rise? Yes, but hitting the curve ball of inflation with a carbon cashback and requiring utilities to maximize access to lower priced clean energy power, will trigger the umpire to call out at the next big hit — “Fair ball! Home run!” — for our kids’ future.
BOB JAMES, ATLANTA
