I came up with an idea - let's see if you agree with me on this.
So yesterday a bunch of us had some extremely angry reactions to the news which was completely understandable, but thinking more deeply on it and wondering what could be done to nudge politicians to do the right thing, how about this.....
So the inspiration for this was finding out that 250 or so notable and pre-eminent scientists wrote a letter to the president begging him to do something substantive about climate change.
My thought- that's all fine and dandy and I remember when a large group of famous scientists also wrote a letter.....to Truman, begging him not to use the atomic bomb. Did it work? No. Does it look like this letter will work? No! So how about we try a different tactic. All scientists who agree that climate change is an existential threat should immediately walk out, go on strike, stop teaching, stop researching and whatever else they do in their jobs and careers. Quit if need be. We need a nationwide strike by all scientists of good will who think climate change is an existential threat. If they truly believe that it is, and it definitely, let's grind all progress in this country to a halt, right now. Not a week from now, not a month from now, not a year from now, right effing NOW. Stop researching new drugs, stop teaching at colleges and universities, even walk out of your government science jobs at the CDC, the NWS, leave all of it right now. Send a strong message that you won't tolerate this hypocrisy we have going on and being in bed with the dirty fossil fuel cartels. Let's have a major strike by all scientists of good will, just like we had major strikes during the civil rights era in the 60s. Shut everything down, grind all progress to a halt. I see nurses are going on strike for better pay......this is an even better reason for all people in STEM fields to go on strike and make this country grind to a halt. The world is watching and the world will notice this. It will show that we mean business, even if means crashing the economy and whatever else, if you truly believe this is an existential threat this is a sacrifice you MUST make. Just like it was done for civil rights. After all, no matter what some lame so-called "superpowers" might think civil rights ARE environmental rights AND environmental rights ARE civil rights! The two have always gone hand in hand and must continue to do so as we fight the existential crises that we all face.