Is the environment the one area that may be salvaged?

[Sea]

Ukraine is fucked. Palestine is fucked. The middle east in general is fucked. Americans are fucked on several domestic issues.

But with RFK and Musk having Trump's ear surely the environment has a chance? Musk doesn't just make electric cars, his companies have done work on battery storage and solar power, and he's holding a competition for carbon capture tech ideas. I refuse to believe that he would only have a profit motive. People are rarely 100% in one political camp or another. Musk can be right wing on other issues while still having the correct position on climate change. Musk has made himself indispensable to Trump. It's corrupt, but if he decides the government should be doing more for the environment, Trump will not be able to ignore him. 

Edited November 7 by Sea

[BlueOak]

Trump can ignore anyone he likes at any time, and will.

The republicans will not suddenly start helping the environment no. Both parties are corporate parties and corporations are weighted against the environmental concerns still. Plus a lot of their base has been told its a lie and doesn't exist so, there is political capital in doing the opposite.

[Sea]

16 hours ago, BlueOak said:

Trump can ignore anyone he likes at any time, and will.

The republicans will not suddenly start helping the environment no. Both parties are corporate parties and corporations are weighted against the environmental concerns still. Plus a lot of their base has been told its a lie and doesn't exist so, there is political capital in doing the opposite.

This feels like negativity just for the sake of fitting in with the general "doom and gloom" narrative.

American politicians prioritize their big donors over the electorate. Musk has spent over $100 million on the Trump campaign. If he decides there should be more environmental policies, Trump will have to do something about it, regardless of the opinion of the Republican base.

In the livestream Musk did with Trump several weeks ago, he mentioned that high CO2 levels are bad for human health. It's a bit of an odd argument, but I take it as a sign from Musk that he still cares and that he hasn't become a climate change denier.

[BlueOak]

Its called decades of a pattern, watching it happen and people denying it to your face. You are touching on the main realisation others made, that it is a race against time. Will the Republicans (take that to mean the right or industrialists in other countries) take climate change seriously, or will they not before the climate gets too bad for human life to continue to exist at a level we are accustomed to? Because there are other levels of existence on earth we can endure.

Trump listens to people who shine him on. If Musk has someone smart enough to butter him up sure; otherwise, he'll drop him as soon as it suits him; he has done with everyone else when it suits him. While Musk has popularity and makes Trump feel good he's around for now. He's going to reform the system to make it even less likely he'll not lose next time, Musk isn't required, it's already rigged in that direction with the courts, media, and gerrymandering. 

I don't think you are yet aware of how fragile things are now regarding humans. For example, if bees go extinct, we go. If the climate gets to a certain level of heat, we are dead. There is a possibility that in a couple of hundred years, we will be extinct. That's where we are at now. I think we'll be around, but there will be less of us and more war over water, resources and migration issues. The earth will be more like a desert in several areas and coastal cities will be flooded, both are happening now at a gradual pace. Food costs will skyrocket as farming land and fish continue to decrease, etc.

@Sea

NB, But yes America listens to corporations, and corporations are still weighted to be anti-climate, so that is your answer.

Edited November 8 by BlueOak

[PurpleTree]

We’ll find out. 
Trump and RFK might fall out.

Trump did need him to get elected but if he keeps on yapping about the environment he might be gone. Because there will also the oil etc. lobby in Trunps ear.

Would be great if the right wing became more environmentally friendly though of course.

[enchanted]

Yes @Sea I agree we have to look for silver linings now.

Policies that have allowed for almost everything to be made in China has been a disaster for the environment. If Trump slows down the mindless consumption of cheap plastic junk from China that could be a really good thing for the environment.