Climate Change is the Big Picture

In “Full Circle? The Writing is on the Wall” on outofunitedstates.com I reflect on my personal journey, moving to Japan in the 1980s due to an interest in Buddhist teachings and residing in India's Himalayan foothills since 2008, suggesting an alternative to living under extreme ideological shifts in the U.S.

Regarding one of President Trump’s many threats to our allies, I quote Dave Pell: “Why an American president would ever consider annexing Canada: a dramatic acceleration of climate change causing an extreme concern about water access and habitable living land. I guess even the people who lie about climate change understand the threat.” managingeditor.substack.com/p/blame-canada

“Climate change is expected to bring about major change in freshwater availability, the productive capacity of soils, and in patterns of human settlement…Predicting scenarios for how climate-related environmental change may influence human societies and political systems necessarily involves a high degree of uncertainty, but the direst predictions about the impacts of global warming warn about greatly increased risks of violent conflict over increasingly scarce resources such as freshwater and arable land.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S096262980700087X

“The world is witnessing the largest number of violent conflicts since 1946, with one-quarter of the global population now living in conflict-affected countries. As of May 2022, a record 100 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes. All the while, many of the countries are also battling record inflation, deteriorating GDP per capita growth, rising youth unemployment, and a widening income gap. The economic burden further weakens countries’ institutional structures.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2452292924000626

The Financial Times has come to the conclusion that climate change is a battle of the rich against the poor with increasing political instability and conflict on the way…The wealthiest already expect violence directed against them in the face of climate collapse…https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07393148.2022.2028122#d1e235

In “Full Circle?…” I discuss the rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States and its implications for governance and individual freedoms, and reference a 1986 appearance by musician Frank Zappa on CNN's "Crossfire," where Zappa warned of America moving toward a "fascist theocracy"—a government that enforces a specific religious moral code through legislation. This historical perspective sets the stage for examining contemporary developments.

Central to the discussion is "Project 2025," described as a manifesto aiming to establish a theocratic governance model in the U.S. The project advocates for policies such as: 1.Sanctioning only heterosexual monogamous marriages; 2.Dismantling administrative structures to enforce a specific interpretation of biblical law; 3.Restricting immigration; and 4.Promoting individual rights as defined by their interpretation of the Bible.

My article highlights the appointment of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, noting his Christian Nationalist affiliations and actions like dismissing non-loyalist staff and advocating for education aligned with Christian theocratic principles. Concerns are raised about the potential use of military force to maintain such a regime. In summary, it warns of a growing movement toward a government that enforces a specific religious ideology.

Hegseth dismissed several top judge advocate generals and the Chief of Naval Operations, Lisa Franchetti, stating a preference for legal advisors who provide "sound constitutional advice" over those he perceives as "roadblocks." He ordered the Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia, aiming to encourage negotiations to end the Russo-Ukrainian War.

The appointments of Kash Patel as FBI Director and Dan Bongino as Deputy Director have further intensified concerns. Known for his alignment with former President Trump, Patel's appointment has led to fears about the FBI's independence. Reports suggest he has prepared an "enemies list," indicating potential internal purges that could compromise the agency's impartiality. A former Secret Service agent and conservative media personality, Bongino's appointment as Deputy Director marks a departure from the tradition of promoting career FBI officials to such high-ranking positions. His history of promoting election denialism and other conspiracies raises questions about his commitment to unbiased law enforcement.

The consolidation of power by individuals with strong ideological biases in critical national security positions poses several risks:

• Erosion of Checks and Balances: The dismissal of inspectors general and top military lawyers undermines independent oversight mechanisms essential for a functioning democracy.

• Suppression of Dissent: With the FBI's leadership potentially aligning with partisan interests, there is a heightened risk of the agency being used to target political opponents and suppress legitimate protests.

• Militarized Response to Civil Unrest: Changes in defense leadership could lead to a more aggressive stance against domestic protests, increasing the likelihood of violent suppression.

The world is at a turning point, and I fear that accelerated climate change will inexorably force people and governments to become increasingly lowest-common-denominator totalitarian.