Fire From Heaven


Mike Huckabee is wiser than we- or even he- thought.  According to Politico

This could be a Mount Carmel moment," said the former Arkansas governor, referring to the holy battle between Elijah and the prophets of Baal in the book of Kings.  "You know, you bring your gods.  We'll bring ours.  We'll see whose God answers the prayers and brings fire from heaven.  That's kind of where I'm praying: that there will be fire from heaven, and we'll see it clearly, and everyone else will too."

Reverend Huckabee, who chose a reference to "fire from heaven" when speaking of Representative Todd Akin's remarks about abortion,  may have been speaking more literally than he thought.

The National Research Council has projected (map below) the increase in wildfires with a map which "shows the percent increase in expected wildlife burn areas" based on a conservative assumption of a 1% increase in global average temperatures and relative to the median area burning from 1950 to 2003.

Or perhaps the "fire from heaven" recognized by the ordained Southern Baptist minister is less literal, but more immediate, than wildfires breaking out at unprecedented levels fueled by drought brought on by climate change.  The Chicago Tribune reports

"Due to the severe weather reports for the Tampa Bay area, the Republican National Convention is going to convene on Monday August 27th and then immediately recess until Tuesday afternoon, August 28th," (chairman Reince) Priebus told reporters in a telephone briefing.

He said members of the RNC, the Romney staff and officals who are running the convention made the decision unanimously in light of the weather situation.

Tropical Storm Isaac storm has pummeled Haiti, killing at least four people and has now moved onto Cub.

Fueled by warm Gulf waters, Isaac was forecast to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane with 100-mph (160-kph) winds and hit the U.S. coast somewhere between the Florida Pahandle and New Orleans around midweek.

In 2004, the GOP cut short its convention in St. Paul, Minnesota because of Hurricane Gustav in the Gulf.    Senator McCain recognized climate change and campaigned as a supporter of cap-and-trade.   Since then, however, Republicans have become increasingly suspicious of science and far fewer of their elected officials and political officeholders have acknowledged the existence of global warming, let alone the human contribution to it, than have denied reality.   This year's party platform is reputed to be silent on the issue.

One party, in the presence of increasing heat, drought, wildfires, and extreme weather events, pretends nothing is happening as it has been forced to change the schedule of its national convention for the second time in a row.   In the presence of increasing heat, drought, incidence of wildfires, and extreme weather events, it bows to its corporate benefactors and averts its eyes.   Politicians suspend belief and the national media looks the other way.    God, however, is not so blind, and not amused.


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