State of Florida flooded by a 5-meter rise in sea level (dark blue) and a 10-meter rise (light blue). Attribution: Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
The University of Miami will be hosting the Republican debate on March 10. To date, debate moderators have yet to raise the issue of climate change for the GOP candidates to answer. There have been some softballs thrown at Marco Rubio, which accounts for just a couple of minutes of coverage.
On March 4 of 2016, 21 mayors from Miami to Tampa have publicly pleaded with debate moderators to ask questions on how the candidates will deal with sea level rise. Florida is the first state to get a kick in the shorts, but it will affect every single coastal community on the planet at some point. I believe Florida deserves a detailed explanation from all candidates on what steps they will take to prepare for the inevitable destruction, evacuation and relocation of millions of people. If the question is not asked in Miami, exactly where will this issue ever be raised?
Continue reading: Florida mayors beg debate moderators to discuss sea level rise. Local scientists fear mass exodus.
The Secular Jurist 
Brilliant! May the topic dominate the debate. (That’s hoping for too much, isn’t it?)
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We can only hope, John.
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They should hold the debate right on the southern tip of Florida, in the swamp, just to emphasis what’s happening. Also, the Republican candidates have a better chance of being eaten by alligators down there. I’d like that.
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Me too.
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A great idea would be to have local journalists host debates and be allowed to set the tone of the discussion – preferably people not beholden to corporate powers and with the courage to demand truth.
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That’s a very compelling idea.
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Obviously, the establishment will never do something like that. People need to demand this type of thing to get it done.
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Absolutely. In the Democratic Party debate on Wednesday, CNN/Univision did ask the candidates about this letter from south Florida mayors. I didn’t watch the GOP debate last evening, so I don’t know if it was asked of their candidates as well; but, I suspect that it wasn’t.
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It wasn’t, unless I missed it. Trump last night seemed like he was on multiple milligrams of Xanax. The dude was half asleep. Maybe this is all starting to get to him. The guy says one thing, and 60 seconds later, says the exact opposite thing. Crazy.
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Thanks, Jeff. Trump is a very disturbed individual, and that explains his wild mood swings and ideological incoherence at least to some extent. However, after the torrent of bad press directed against these childish and hostile GOP debates lately, I can’t help wondering if the RNC finally put its foot down and demanded more civility from its candidates.
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Perhaps. Let’s see how long it lasts, especially if this race drags on into the convention.
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