Yikes

We're not even finished cleaning up behind Harvey, and we're facing another historically huge storm: Irma. The thing that frustrates me most about all this is the continued Climate Change denial. I'm aware that the consequences have to hit businesses hard before attitudes are changed on a Federal/State level. I'll bet that if Trump's hotels in Florida are slammed he'll change his tune regarding the legitimacy of Climate Change. That's obvious. Sadly, most of that (stagnant) end of the political pool is self-motivated and will only budge in limited amounts when they understand their self-interest is at stake. (I say "when they understand" because, unfortunately, they can't see beyond the immediate connections. Longer term/enlightened self-interest doesn't seem to be a thing. Right up there with awareness of unconscious white supremacy.) Or, more importantly, when the leaders they look up to change their tunes. (Conservatives are group-followers and group-thinkers. They don't tend to stray from whatever the authority claims is 'right.') I'm not looking forward to the mess that Trump is making of America. At the moment, it's a testament to how great a president Obama was--the fact that we've been running on auto-pilot so well so far. (Anyone who has had a bad manager after a great manager has left the company will know exactly what I'm talking about.) Trump has spent more time golfing than running the country, and will only be able to do that for so long before it all starts catching up with him.

My hope is that he'll be impeached or arrested before it's too late. (Again, we've at least ten months before cynicism kicks in for me. America has seen this shit before--and I'm not even necessarily talking about Nixon. So, don't even go there.) 

Nonetheless, more frequent, larger storms are on the way because the ocean is heating up. (www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/07/oceans-heating-big-problem-blue-planet-iucn-report) In fact, a third storm, Jose, is right behind Irma. If both strike the continental US, that's going to be a catastrophic hit to the economy. We do not have leadership who will rise to the occasion. Trump will crumple under the pressure like a coke can. He doesn't have a support system to shore him up. He's run everyone off who is remotely competent--not that I'm convinced that he made any such appointments. (Anyone with a sense of self-preservation ran for the hills, I suspect.) 

Long story short, I'm concerned. I hope that the folks in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands come through the storm as safe as possible. I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you.