Environmental Issues A Priority In Presidential Campaign

by Jackson Ingle
The environment will continue to be an issue in the 2020 presidential campaign. (ENN Photo by Chris Rabourn)

The changing climate will heat up the discussion as President Donald J. Trump prepares for his first debate against Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.

Throughout the campaign, President Trump has said he is against Climate Change calling it “Fake News.” Democratic nominee Joe Biden believes otherwise.

On one coast, Americans are facing wildfires. In the Gulf Region an active hurricane season has caused millions of dollars in damage. In California wildfires have appeared to worsen over time. Some experts say this is being caused by climate change and a steady increase in ambient temperature.

President Donald J. Trump at a campaign rally (Shutterstock).

President Trump met with the Governor of California Governor Gavin Newsom and other officials in California to talk about what was happening in the climate in California. According to The New York Times account of the meeting, the President told the leaders in California the temperature of the state will get cooler.

“You just watch,” Trump said. Wade Crowfoot, the secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, told Mr. Trump that he hoped the weather would, indeed, cool. “I wish science agreed with you,” Mr. Crowfoot said.

“I don’t think science knows, actually,” President Trump responded.

`While Trump may deny climate change, his Democratic rival feels differently.  Former Vice President Joe Biden has addressed the topic at his campaign rallies.

Former Vice President Joe Biden (Shutterstock).

The Times reported Biden called Trump a “climate arsonist.”  “If we have four more years of Trump’s climate denial, how many suburbs will be burned in wildfires?” Mr. Biden asked. “How many suburban neighborhoods will have been flooded out? How many suburbs will have been blown away in superstorms? If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze?”

Though California and other west coast states are being impacted by dry weather and fires, the opposite conditions are wreaking havoc on the Gulf Coast region. Hurricanes have hit Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi and other tropical storms are moving into the Caribbean and southwest Atlantic regions.  

According to White House reports, President Trump has promised federal assistance to all the areas impacted by the storm. 

“Well, I just wanted to say that all Americans are thinking of the great people of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and all of those incredible states that are affected.,” Trump said “It’s covered a big range of territory — probably more than almost anyone that we can think of. It covered a lot, and it went very deep into the country and is going deep into the country. It continues.” 

Biden responded to the crisis in the Gulf by calling for leadership. “Times of crisis often bring out our best as Americans — and we’re seeing that right now in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. Thank you to all of our emergency responders who are working around the clock to help people get back on their feet.” 

Oklahomans will return to the polls on November 3rd. Polling places are open from 7 a.m  to 7 p.m. Absentee voting has already begun in some states.

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