The Trump administration has once again shown an extremely cold and heartless attitude toward just about everything. Republican and Director of the Office of Management and Budget has made a few astounding statements this week. Mick Mulvaney has said compassion is not a reason to keep Meals on wheels and kid’s school programs, he has now added the environment to the government’s ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude.
At a White House press conference Mulvaney was asked about cutting the budget of science programs dedicated to climate change. When asked to explain the cuts, Mulvaney said:
“We think they do things that are outside their core functions… this comes back to the President’s business person view of government, which is if you took over this as a CEO and you look at this on a spreadsheet and you go why do we have all these facilities?”
This is the problem, a country is not a business, Trump is not a CEO of America. He is supposed to be a leader, it is not just about balancing budgets and cutting costs. Governments are not companies, they are supposed to be about providing hope and the opportunity of a good life for citizens.
A successful and functioning government looks after the poor, educates people, provides healthcare, and looks to innovators to try and overcome problems we will face in the future. Climate Change is not optional – the environmental problems we as a globe are facing demand innovation. We urgently need more science, more investment, and more resources.
In addition to this response, Mulvaney then specifically addressed the cuts for spending on climate change research:
“I think the President was fairly straight forward, we are not spending money on that anymore, we consider that to be a waste of your money.”
This is crazy thinking. This is denial of science. This is a president with his head in the sand and the people who will suffer will be the next generations. Money will mean nothing when there is no livable Earth left.
The world cannot afford to look short-term environmentally. We must oppose the Trump administration on this and many other issues, there is way too much at stake.
Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcyKZX_puWs
Featured image via YouTube.
