Are Americans ready to sacrifice for something other than war?

Question

In an online global warming debate, John Edwards said something along the lines of

"Americans are ready for a president who will ask them to sacrifice for something other than war"

http://www2.grist.org/webcast.html

Do you think he's right, that Americans are willing to make some sacrifices to address global warming?

Answer 1

We just need good leadership that represents the interests of the people, which we have not had for a very long time. Ask yourself what has been done in the name of the American people for the last thirty years or so short of war and religion. I claim it is all political. Not for the people but for this party or for that one, this corporation or that one. For this religion but against that one...If a corporation can have the rights of person hood, if embryos can have person hood why can't my dog have person hood too and register to vote? Do you have a lobbyist? What we have allowed to happen is there is no longer a representative government in this country, it has become pay to play government. Look at the revolving doors... Look at our millionaire Senate... look at the lack of equal time for opposing opinions and new ideas anywhere except on the Internet and places like this. The MSM sucks, and they are a key to keeping the people informed... but they do not inform any more, they provide infotainment to dumb us down.

Sorry, you asked if Americans would make sacrifices to address climate change... Many already have, and more will. But then there's that crowd out there that wont do anything for anyone except themselves and unless there's a profit to be made. Will they down size from their 10,000 square foot Mac Mansion for two? Will they give up that second and third home? Will they give up that waxed SUV or Pick-up truck with 4 doors and 4 wheel drive that they drive around in all alone never hauling anything and never going anywhere we they might acctualy need four wheel drive? Will they do anything they don't want to with out a screaming 2 year old temper tantrum?

No

We now have 2 Americas, we live in another guilded age of class and privlege. The sacrafice will come when the revolution starts... Re-Read our constiution, we need to start over.

Answer 2

I am! I believe in global warming, whether it be by man or just nature, it is happening! It isn't just the Americans that need to give up things, it is the world that needs to cut back on it's carbon footprint! Please, don't try to tell me that the carbon from all of the cars in the world are not causing part of the problem; the forests that covered Louisiana are gone & now are emitting carbon into the air also, at a rate of something like, at least, a 100 X's more than the fires in California!
It's really foolish to argue about the carbon problem from cars, because we are running out of gas, so what difference does it make if you make that change now or later when you must in order to drive anywhere?
I have changed all of my light bulbs to low energy, buy products that can be recycled, have turned down my heat & wear warmer clothing or layer my clothes. We don't just drive, we combine several tasks to accomplish in one trip.
Even if I'm not doing anything to help stop global warming, I'm saving on the cost of heat, electricty & gas! With the costs of all of these things rising, it's not a bad deal for me, so why shouldn't I do it, if it helps, great, if it doesn't, what have I really given up by saving money?

Answer 3

Wars are fun. You can explode things. You can make movies and video games about them. They're exciting and technological and patriotic, not to mention coarageous and relatively easy for the average, non-enlisted American. Before "An Inconvenient Truth", global warming never struck Americans as any of these things. However, Gore's Oscar-winning film brought it to the table as something deadly, real, and important. As well as something exciting enough for the silver screen. The tide well may be changing for the issue to move from the wastebasket containing World Hunger, Peace, and The Whales to America's center stage with IslamoFascism, Creeping Outsourcing, and less deserving issues such as Gays and Abortion. No offense if you consider those to be important.

Answer 4

Sounds patriotic, its a sacrifice not only on the part of the americans but the whole world. I am glad to say that other nations are already taking the necessary steps to counter global warming.

Answer 5

I'll get clobbered for this answer but I think the last generation of Americans to see real sacrifice were those that lived and died during WWII. Most of those born afterwards were raised by parents that didn't want to see their kids have to go through what they went through. The younger generations have been sheltered and wouldn't have a clue as to what sacrifice really is. Waiting in a line for gasoline is not sacrifice, waiting in a line to buy what food is available is.

Answer 6

What sacrifice for the war? All I've seen since 2001 is a bunch of greedy little children driving gas guzzling behemoths to the mall to buy cheap crap from China.

As soon as gas prices get high they start whining, and as soon as the war gets tough half of the 66% who supported starting the thing in the first place jump ship and want to quit.

Answer 7

The sacrifices are not by "the American people". They would have to come from automakers, oil companies, and industry using fossil fuels. Your everyday American of course could rike bikes and not drive as much, or at all (like I do). But Americans will drive whatever the Jones' drive, you know, status and look-at-me-in-my-SUV-with spinning shiny wheels, while I talk on my cell phone and try to look important or like an athlete. Corporate America does not want you to drive an economical automobile because it means they would have to retool their assembly lines drastically, which reduces profits. And since the oil companies own most of the patents for efficient engines, they aren't going to change over to them until they are TOLD to do so - or the consumer just stops buying them.

Answer 8

Those who choose to listen to the garbage he is spewing ,which by the way,is more harmful to the earth than a huge Methane Fart from beneath the Ocean, are welcome to make all the sacrifices they want.I hope it makes them feel all warm and fuzzy.The only concern for Gore, Edwards and alike is what kind of new taxes they can levy in the name of Global warming.Total control is the goal of the U.S government of Today.The one thing that can't be controlled is the change in climate ,anyone that believes that is sucking down Hog Wash.When the time comes you can feel better Knowing you contributed that minute reduction in CO2 driving your Prias to work while Edwards and Gore were Flying their private Jets and living in their 20,000 square ft. Mansions that they have acquired through graft and Royalties from the big oil companies that they are supposedly going after.

Answer 9

Oh we Americans already are sacrificing quite a bit for the argument of global warming...

Rationale
Skepticism
Logic
Intelligence
Quest for truth
Independent thought
etc...

Many seem to be willing to sacrifice all of these things for a lot longer than this recent debate.

Answer 10

One thing's for sure, I don't think Americans are ready for a self absorbed Miss Prissy loon like Edwards for president.

Mayor of San Francisco maybe.