And Then Along Came Sandy

Not a comment about global warming in the debates; not a word.  Governor Romney, as usual, has switched his position from one of advocating efforts to curb global warming, to a drill baby drill conservative collaborator.    President Obama, has not mentioned it, but his support of a balanced approach to energy includes at least attention to global warming or climate change.  These is a huge difference between the to mens' positions.

President Obama is saying the more we rely on clean energy sources, wind, solar, and yes, even natural gas, the more we approach a coordinated attack on climate change that is costing us billions every day.  Governor Romney's position is to use fossil fuels with no regard for the consequences, because not doing so will cost jobs.

But, then  Katrina was a long time ago.  The polar ice caps melting, the rise in ocean levels and temperature, did create larger Hurricanes and Typhoons but those did not hit populated areas.

Why worry?

And then along came Sandy.

"An Inconvenient Truth" which has been constantly attacked by conservative deniers, spent much screen time explaining the danger to cities like New York City, from rising ocean levels and warming  oceans.  Much of New York City lies at or near sea level, and the island nature of the city lends itself to storm surges and tidal flooding.

In short, New York and its Burroughs lies a few short feet from disastrous floods.  But, super storms never happen.  There is simply no evidence that a Hurricane of significant force could hit New York directly, because Atlantic waters are so cold, that Hurricanes typically lose force and swing out to sea.

Those few that have come inland, are of minimal power and force.

And then along came Sandy.

Sandy was a tropical Hurricane, that became a killer in the Caribbean and then headed north, to die in the Atlantic like all other Hurricanes had done.

But it didn't,  it suddenly dove west, taking dead aim at New Jersey and New York.

It did that because the Atlantic Ocean is degrees warmer than ever before.  Warm oceans feed Hurricanes.  Warm oceans create a beacon if you will, drawing the Hurricanes in.

Scientists, at first, were reluctant to attribute Sandy to climate change.  They still subscribe to the moderate position that no one weather "event" is a product of climate change.

So this time, local politicians, namely the mayor and governor of  New York, admitted that yes, Hurricane Sandy was a product of global warming, and the world had better wake up.  Mayor Bloomberg even went so far as endorsing President Obama, who he has criticized from a Wall Streeter's point of view in the past.  The reason?  The President's policies are addressing the climate change that nearly destroyed his city.

The Republican Governor of New Jersey, no friend of a Democrat,  was effusive in his praise for President Obama, because he needs federal help bad; since his state was dramatically damaged at huge cost.

Governor Christie had roundly criticized President Obama, has predicted his defeat, but suddenly could find nothing but superlatives to say about his disaster help.  What an amazing turn around!

I would not doubt that the governor has "seen the elephant" and now acknowledges climate change as the disruptor of  life on earth.  Many citizens from the east coast now are having the same realization.

Many deniers have lived in a false world of unscientific nonsense.

And along came Sandy.