Los Angeles was being devastated by fire, two months after the terrible fires in northern Calif., as the Republican Congress passed a tax bill with huge financial support for the fossil fuel industry, drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, and severe reductions in support for the clean energy industry, health care, and the social safety network.

California Governor Jerry Brown told reporters, “this is the new normal…severe droughts driven by global warming leaving vegetation tinder-dry…. and more droughts to come…”

We also suffered three mega-hurricanes in our country and devastating torrential rains this year from an ocean warmed by carbon. Climate change damage is already here. We were out of time yesterday! Still, the administration and Congress pursue a reckless, greedy, and suicidal course, for all of us, not just for themselves.

Reducing the social network serves them because people are necessarily more preoccupied with short-term hardship and survival issues, with less energy to look at the larger climate crisis and speak out.

How hard can we fight this coming year for climate justice, and to support candidates who will fight for the world we leave for our children?

The Rev. Bonnie N Lawlor

North Bend