¶ No more denying climate-fueled extreme weather is on the rise We can no longer ignore what we’re seeing. Nearly a third of all Americans are feeling the impacts of the climate crisis in real time — from historic droughts and wildfires to hurricanes and flooding. Florida alone has experienced 22 extreme weather events from 2010-2020, costing us up to $100 billion in damages. If we want a chance at reversing this, we must take bold action and invest in a more resilient, clean future. The time for debating is over: Major climate investment in the Build Back Better agenda puts us on the clearest path to cutting pollution in half by 2030, which experts agree will help us avoid the worst impacts of climate change. As the Senate considers these significant investments for our environment in the coming weeks, Florida’s leaders shouldn’t hesitate to vote yes. It’s good for jobs, it’s better for our health, and it’s what our communities need to modernize infrastructure and improve resilience to increasing disasters. As we’ve already seen for generations, the result of climate inaction will cost us more in the long run. We have a historic opportunity right in front of us to make smarter investments in our future; delaying is no longer an option. — Johanna Packer, Orlando
¶ It’s time to pass PODA, the Protecting Our Democracy Act It’s no secret that Congress is polarized. Rarely does an issue receive strong bipartisan support. That’s why it’s so striking that 4 out of 5 voters agree that we must do more to safeguard our democracy from presidential corruption. No president, regardless of party, should be able to exploit weaknesses in our political system for their personal gain. That’s where the Protecting Our Democracy Act comes in. If passed, it would prevent future abuse of presidential power and corruption, increase transparency, and ensure presidents of either party can be held accountable. If the average person used their office for personal gain, they’d go to jail. If the average person could pardon themselves, there would be no rule of law. Therefore, no president should be above the law. It’s just common sense. I’m urging Congress to pass the Protecting Our Democracy Act. It’s time we put safeguards in place to prevent a corrupt president of any party from abusing the power of their office. — Mayra Cruz Rivera, Hunters Creek
When Congress passed the STOCK Act in 2012, the law was supposed to stop congressional insider trading, improve transparency, and increase public trust in the legislative branch. But it didn’t go far enough. Recently, the news outlet Insider identified that many members of Congress have failed to properly report their stock trades, making it impossible to fully enforce the STOCK Act. We must go further and stop sitting members of Congress from buying and selling stocks altogether. That’s the best way to make sure that our elected representatives are responsive to our needs and not thinking about how a particular policy might affect their stock portfolio. Thankfully, there are several proposals before Congress to address this problem. I urge our leaders in Congress to come together and pass legislation for the good of the American people. — Aimee Owen, Union Park
‘THE CRUELEST PLAGUE’
BY CLAY JONES
orlandoweekly.com
●
JUNE 1-7, 2022 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY
7
