Post Election - Now what for the Ocean?

Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci, who died in a fascist jail, wrote:

“We need to create sober, patient people, who do not despair in the face of the worst horror and who do not get excited about every little thing.? Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.”

For those of us who’ve committed to protect what we love it’s always been clear that restoring healthy seas will be the work of our lifetimes and that of others who’ll come after us.

Unlike the majority of Americans, I believe the Biden administration did a good job, particularly in responding to the climate emergency we’re now living through, with two major pieces of legislation, the bipartisan infrastructure law and the IRA climate law.? Blue Frontier and our allies even built an ‘Ocean Climate Action Plan’ and coalition that helped add $10 billion dollars to that law.? Unfortunately, in this the hottest year in recorded history, President-elect Trump and the Republican Party have embraced climate science denial as key to their ideology, identity and fundraising.

Whether you voted for or against Donald Trump you should be clear-eyed that the health of our public seas is not one of his priorities.? ?And while he’s made clear that he intends to ‘drill baby drill,’ and get rid of regulations (and agencies) that protect our waters both salty and fresh, he is also very attuned to what is popular and what is not.

Protecting the blue in our red, white and blue, is one of the few remaining issues popular with all Americans both red and blue.?

That’s why by the end of his first term he’d not gone through with plans to open up the U.S. coastline to offshore oil drilling because of massive grassroots opposition, including from some of his staunchest MAGA supporters like Senator Rick Scott of Florida and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.?

As Ralph Nader has pointed out in conversation with Blue Frontier,

‘No one takes their family to the beach and if it’s closed because of pollution says, ‘I’m OK with that because I oppose regulations.’

Trump also shut down the Pebble Mine in Alaska that threatened Bristol Bay’s world-famous salmon runs because his older son and a major contributor took the side of the salmon.? Then again, as they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

I believe there are dark days coming for our nation once founded on the rule of law.? Plus, as a freelance journalist for most of my life, I don’t like being called an “enemy of the people” for trying to expose the machinations of those in power.? I fear the divisions that mark our country and the world today will get worse before we might hope they get better.?

Still Blue Frontier, with your support, will continue to work through our media projects, educational campaigns and other efforts to unite people to protect our ocean, coasts and communities.? ?

We’ve had victories and we expect losses but we still agree with author Isak Dinesen who wrote:

“The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears or the sea.”?

So, exercise hard and sweat because we need to toughen up, cry some tears for the state of our nation and then go visit the ocean.? It will help clear your head for the difficult work ahead for all of us.

- David Helvarg for the crew at Blue Frontier