Climate change and inflation; recognizing the dangers of imperialism; a metaphor for the election

Climate change drives up inflation

Presidential candidates Harris and Trump are speaking about the economy this week, and numerous news reports are reporting an economic PuzzleEconomists say inflation has fallen and the economy is strong, but households are desperate with rising prices.

In Colorado, for example, more than 23,000 households applied for assistance in paying their water bills in 2022 and 2023 (The Colorado Sun, June 2024).

In California, where forest fires are at risk, the cost of laying power lines underground and insulating overhead lines is Be passed on to consumers. Candidate Donald Trump is trying to woo voters by promising to cut electricity bills in half without saying how he plans to do it. (WSJ, August 15, 2024)

As wildfires and other climate change-related disasters become more frequent, home insurers are getting nervous and raising their premiums. A neighbor from Colorado confided in me This insurance is now his largest expense and exceeds his mortgage payments or taxes each year.

Forest fire fighting, water shortages, Insurance Risk model instability — these are Costs of climate change mitigation that are not accounted for in traditional economic analyses. In other words, “some prices rise because of factors other than traditional supply and demand.” (WSJ, August 13, 2014).

Let us look at climate change as an explanation for the feeling that inflation is still there and look for solutions to climate change. to relieve “Climate inflation.” Vote for candidates who recognize the climate crisis and support legislation with solutions. Thank you to Congressmen Joe Neguse, Michael Bennett, and John Hickenlooper for their continued climate action.

Trudy Heller, Boulder

Americans must recognize the dangers of imperialism

The United States is trying to dominate the entire world. This is the main cause of almost continuous wars, the relentless threat of nuclear holocaust, gigantic military spending, conflicts with other powerful countries, the inability to deal with climate change, and many other political dangers. The US obsession with dominance underlies the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the looming conflict over Taiwan.

The clashes in Ukraine and Taiwan were the result of the US determination to weaken Russia and China respectively. Israel is a useful ally of US imperialism. Its actions weaken Arab nationalism, thus ensuring US control of oil in the Middle East. For this reason, Washington continues to support Israel despite the horrific genocide in Gaza. This dangerous imperial policy is supported by both major political parties, which is why elections have little impact on US foreign policy.

Everything in the previous paragraph is obvious to most thoughtful people in the developing world, but completely opaque (and even offensive) to most Americans. Ideology is powerful. The imperialist ideology of the United States – propagated by the New York Times and other mass media – claims that our nation is waging a global struggle for democracy and against authoritarianism.

This self-serving ideology is utter nonsense. The U.S. government is largely controlled by rich people. The U.S. economic system creates enormous inequality, is inherently unstable, and basically fails the poor. The U.S. justice system incarcerates millions of Americans, disproportionately poor and people of color. Intellectuals in the developing world tend to judge a government by the benefits it provides its people rather than by the manner in which it came into office. For example, China's success in eradicating poverty is far more impressive to many than the fact that its leaders are unelected.

The safety of humanity and the duration of human life on planet Earth would be greatly improved if our country gave up its efforts to dominate the world. For that to happen, it is imperative that many more Americans recognize the enormous dangers of imperialism and the profound falsehood of imperialist ideology. Unfortunately, the likelihood of that happening is extremely slim.

Tom Mayer, Boulder

Metaphor for the upcoming election

Suppose you go to a cafe to eat a sandwich and the menu only offers two options: a bad-tasting sandwich and a chicken sandwich. Will you ask if the chicken is grilled or fried before making your decision?

Karen Morgan, Boulder