Politics
Our Powerful ‘Eye in the Sky’ Just Multiplied
The Drain is a roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
Next month, scientists and diplomats from all over the world will arrive in Antalya, Türkiye for the UN climate conference known as COP31. The host country wants to make global progress on reducing planet-warming methane from landfills, which could be a big deal. So, UCLA’s STOP Methane used satellite data to create a Top …
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CONTINUE READINGOpening Shots in a War on Doctors
What began as a war on science has now reached your kid’s doctor.
The doctors we all rely on have now joined liberals and journalists as enemies of the people. RFK, Jr., is excited about eliminating “medical tyranny” by replacing doctors with AI. Texas AG Ken Paxton is investigating all the state’s pediatricians for misconduct. Medical associations are under fire. Fanning the flames of distrust for modern medicine has real consequences. We saw that Monday when the Governor of New York was forced to declare an emergency over the spread of measles, a disease once thought to be extinct in the United States.
CONTINUE READINGGet Out the (Green) Vote
The Drain is a roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
Paying people for their vote in the midterms was one of those bizarre ideas that Trump floated and even some Republicans dismissed. But there is actually an incentivized Get Out the Vote effort happening right now that makes more sense (and is legal). Patagonia, a longtime corporate supporter of environmental activism, is offering customers a …
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CONTINUE READINGWho Will Control the Next Congress?
The election could be very close — or things could break hard for one party.
As we get closer to the election, there are no doubt surprises ahead. Still, we can get a sense of where things are heading based on current information. Who controls Congress will impact a lot of issues, including environment and energy. Even with a President as wilfull as Trump, Congress has significant levers to pull. I’ll take a look at the key races. At present things look very close.
CONTINUE READINGElection 2026: Governor’s Races
Some key races are still too close to call.
When election night rolls around about a month from now, keep on eye on Governors’ races. They tend not to get national attention, but they’re critical in terms of state climate and energy policy. Although governorships were once considered relatively weak offices, they have generally accrued greater power, just as Presidents have done at the federal level. Who’s steering state government matters. States are key players in the energy transition. Some of these races will go down to the wire.
CONTINUE READINGWhither the Governor’s Mansion?
Some big environmental battles are brewing in Sacramento. But where will the next Governor stand?
Those of you who tuned in to the extra-long season finale of my favorite reality TV show, the California State Legislature, on September 1 (a full half-day after session was supposed to end, mind you: Drama!) may have, as I did, audibly gasped at the moment when the Assembly simply declined to vote on a …
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CONTINUE READINGWhat Explains Trump’s Energy Policy?
There’s no plausible economic explanation. It’s all about politics.
Trump’s energy policy rests on promotion of U.S. fossil fuel production and use. The instruments include orders forcing coal-fired generators to keep operating, relaxed air pollution standards for power plants, and repeal of as many energy efficiency standards as possible. Trump’s overall economic policy centers on mercantilism, the belief that countries get rich by exporting more than they import. That fits pieces of his energy policy but not others. There’s also some rhetoric about free choice by consumers, but Trump clearly is not a believer in free markets as a matter of principle.
CONTINUE READINGFour Tight House Races in California
None of these is a true toss-up, but they’re still very much in contention.
I can only see four California congressional districts where Republicans seems to have any reasonable chance (apart from those where Republicans have been packed as part of the gerrymander). They all lean at least slightly Democratic, but the Democrats are far from having these races locked down. I’ll start with the race that seems most in question and move to others that are tougher challenges for Republicans.
CONTINUE READINGThe Attack on California’s Coast Puts Us in Uncharted Waters
The Drain is a roundup of environmental and climate news from Legal Planet.
California’s coast faces danger from which of these threats: a) Increasingly likely Super El Niño b) Super king tides c) Rising sea levels d) The Trump Administration e) All of the above If you answered “e,” congratulations. California is staring down a rare convergence of El Niño, climate-fueled sea level rise, and big waves that …
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CONTINUE READINGPaying More to Stay Cool, Super El Niño, Solar Politics
The Drain is a roundup of climate and environmental news from Legal Planet.
Every time I walk by my mailbox these days I dread receiving my electricity bill for this summer, because it’s been hellishly hot and I know our bill is going to be higher than usual. I try to tell myself the good news: After installing an energy-efficient heat pump this year, our home has been …
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