Politics in Climate Change

        Rather interested in politics, I began my research of climate change on an impartial level. Over several of the past years, bringing up this topic of climate has lead to heated discussions, often ending in several disagreements. I called into question, “what’s the big deal about climate?” Turns out everyone’s opinion is different and must be heard. Immediately I recognized a pattern between each debate. The great divide between the discussion of climate were between conservative views, and liberal views. The two opposing views were on opposite ends of the spectrum, and this was causing an uncivil uproar in every debate.

        Beginning my research, I came upon a left-wing website. CNN simply begins an article with, "There is no debate." They do not address issues, instead they claim facts, and place the blame on the other party, simply implying that they are idiotic and do not respect the environment. This immediately answers my question of why these debates can be so heated. They are not willing to listen to what others have to say, only to call on the other’s mistake. I was shocked to find out how adults can become so childish on a subject they are extremely opinionated about. The only way to find a middle ground would be to argue in an anti dramatic way where everyone would be able to voice their opinions.

Politics in "Climate"

I am most interested in the political aspect in climate change because I am really curious how and why bringing up the subject of climate can cause such a strong reaction. I have always been interested in politics and debate, and allowing me to further try and answer questions about all aspects politics in climate would make this a really fun research project.

The Word Climate

Climate:
Weather
Humidity
Global Warming
Meteorology
Seasons

I picked the word "weather" because any climate anywhere has something to do with the weather.
Global warming describes the gradual increase in temperature, and permanently changes the Earth's climate.
Meteorologists study climate.
Humidity is a type of climate.
Every season has a different climate.

Questions related to "climate":
Are human activities responsible for climate change?

The Great Depression

Read about the Great Depression (Links to an external site.).  According to this article, what was wrong with President Hoover's response?  Why did people blame themselves when things went wrong, and how valid or invalid was this response?

President Hoover believed that the "Great Depression" would end in 60 days. He believed that the government should not help the lower-class population. Hoover met with businesses that preferred to lay people off, and was blamed for the Great-Depression. 

People believed that they were to blame for not having an income due to their belief of how money was earned. This response was invalid because just because companies, and the upper-class lost money to the stock-market class, men had to receive lower wages, or be laid off. It was not their fault that the stock market crashes. This could also be due to the amount of comfort items that were being bought. More and more comfort items were coming along, and people began to buy them. When they began to buy them, wages dud not steadily increase. They were spending more of their own money rather than saving it. 

Read about Black Sunday (Links to an external site.). How would you have felt if you'd been there on that day? What kinds of fears, concerns, or questions would be going through your mind during, and after, the event described?

If I would have been in the Dust Bowl in 1935, I would have been very afraid. May family members, belongings, and friends would be in jeopardy of their lives, and I wouldn't have any control over it. If the dust bowl ruined my job source, how would I support my family? Where would I live?

Read about The Drought (Links to an external site.).  What areas were affected by it?  What caused it.  The author ends this article with a pithy quote.  Do you agree or disagree with this historian's perspective? Why or why not?

The drought started in the east and then moved to the west. It affected the Great Plains. The Soil Conservation Serviced escribed the area as “the western third of Kansas, Southeastern Colorado, the Oklahoma Panhandle, the northern two-thirds of the Texas Panhandle, and northeastern New Mexico.” Drought and the Misuse of land led to the dust bowl. I agree with the historian's perspective that the world was very "unbalanced" and trying to find their sense-of-self, but I believe that it is not the ulitmate reason of the Dust Bowl. 

Read about Mass Exodus from the Plains (Links to an external site.).  Were does the migration of people out of the Dust Bowl rank in terms of other migrations in US History?  What made life hard for people once they arrived in California?

The Migration of people out of the Dust Bowl was the largest migration in US History. Once people arrived in California, it was hard because it was very over-crowded. Farmers in California had to learn how to grow different kinds of food, and others were paid very little.

Reflection of the 1920's Speeches

1. I believe that the speeches went really well, and we were able to learn a lot through everyone else's perspective.

2. I feel like Avani and Carson distinguished themselves due to the fluctuation of their voices and their seeming interest in the subject.

3. From this experience, I believe that I should have used some hand gestures, and have been louder.

Political Impact of the Radio

When the radio came along in the 1930's, it not only influenced normal people of all classes around the world, it influenced politics. When President Harding was elected, he became to first president to use the radio as a means of political communication. This allowed radio to become viewed as a democratic medium. Presidents were able to reach a large audience at home, at work, or even across the globe. The world could become informed on political endeavors, and be able to form their own opinions. Radio revolutionized debates. Franklin D. Roosevelt insisted upon "fireside chats" to help stay in touch with the community. Listeners at home felt as if they had made a connection with the leader of their country, and were more inclined to him as president. The fact that the radio made people become in-the-loop and informed, it allowed the country to be able to believe in the US government.



Franklin D. Roosevelt Fireside Chats


Radio's America
Radio's Political Past
Fireside Chats

1920's Speech

Even though the war was over in the 1920’s, a new war began. The war of opinionated controversy over the big questions of family life, national life, and even spiritual life of individuals redefined this era. The definition of individualism was challenged, and it created a debate over individual freedom. The significance of change in the view of opportunity of women was provoked. Women thought that they had the authority to decide how to live their lives, and that they should not be defined through the eyes of men. The increasing importance of school was due to the engagement of the local government and community, who thought that they had the authority to further student education rather than letting them have their own personal views. Nativists created myths to try and persuade people of the United States that immigration challenged the view of traditional culture. This authority helped instigate the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan. They said that they valued traditional white supremacy over Catholics, Jews, and immigrants. The Klan felt that they had the authority over individuals in the illusion of societal interest. Fundamentalists insisted that their view of taking the Bible literally to be the only view, and that they had the authority to force the United States to turn away from scientistic approaches. The country’s view of authority was unclear, and individual freedom was challenged. 

In the 1920’s the world was constantly changing. It became socially acceptable for women to smoke, go to parties, and wear less modest clothing. Through these changes, the “flapper” was newly introduced.  Traditional culture was being replaced with a new “modern” way of thinking. The fundamentalists were appalled. The modern, scientific, way of thinking challenged traditional christian beliefs. They went all around the world spreading the gospel, and trying to rid people of such methods as the “Darwinism”. This one track mind continued through the Nationalists and the Ku Klux Klan. There was a part of the country that did not welcome change, in fact they despised it. Whether it be a war against women, immigrants, beliefs, or culture, the opinions of others were challenged.

As people started to form and value their own opinions, they began to believe in their own authority, and their own perspective. The significance of authority in everything that the world stood for included: a world full of opportunity, freedom, and expression. Even though the Ku Klux Klan used their authority to harm people they see unfit, and Fundamentalists had a one track mind, these large movements helped impact the world around them in very large ways. Women started to gain their own independence, and the authority of forcing people to become educated helped the United States advance academically. This era was redefined in a way that allowed people to gain freedom of any government or state control. Different forms of authority created not only a multitude of expression, but it helped redefine individual freedom.

The Disenchanted: Review

The Disenchanted by Janvi Patel is a thrilling short story about the evolution of art and literature. It mentions many classic novels such as The Great Gatsby and Babbitt. Even though this novel may be short and to the point, it does have a sense of excitement. Set in the 1920's, literature was beginning to become popular, and people sought out to create a new generation. The penmanship is glorified, and the art is above average. This is a must read for a historical thrill-seeker.

The Life of Bill Cardio: Review

The Life of Bill Cardio by Thomas Beckman can be interpreted as a simple short story, but has a mysterious deeper meaning. The autobiographical character Bill Cardio has an adventurous approach  to buying the new fangled technology of a radio, having commercial flight, investing in a telephone, and a becoming curious about a computer. Even though that this story is written unconventionally, and has many grammatical errors, I am sure Mr. Beckman did it for a reason. The deeper meaning of this book is that no matter how old you are, the world is constantly evolving, and you can evolve with it. Mr. Beckman's penmanship and artistic ability may lack, but it somewhat evolves (and can further evolve) as the story goes on.

My Pocket Book

I wrote in my pocket book how life was for a guy not in the Klan in the 1920's. He was against the KKK, and listened in on a meeting. He explained to the reader how they arose, and how they failed. I used slang words that were fitting for the story and the era. Everything fit together really well.