Trump as President? Meaning for Landscape Architects?

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

I can’t tell you why liberals tend flock towards our profession. Maybe it’s compassion.

I don’t fit very well in the typical liberal box. I like to consider myself an open minded person who believes that the left and the right both have good ideas and the answer falls somewhere in the middle. I even believe that some of the president’s ideas just might work for the good of the people. This is why I really wanted to support and give him the benefit of the doubt once he got elected, even though I didn’t vote for him. It wasn’t easy considering all of the craziness coming from him and his posse during the campaign. Somehow I was able to put aside the disrespect he showed Mexicans, Muslims, blacks, women (including his wife), fellow candidates and even to his own supporters when he spoke. I figured once he takes office he’ll mellow out and conduct himself like an adult. I was wrong, it seems like he got worse. The vindictiveness, pettiness and lying continues.

His cabinet picks were the first thing, then his new found love for Christianity as a tool, the EO to allow the coal companies to dump their waste into streams, the stupid post election ego boost rallies, the expensive weekends at Mar-a-Lago (don’t forget the national crises that played out over a dinner party with foreign dignitaries present), the wife’s security needs in NYC, the travel ban, the stupid wall, false claims of job creation, more Russian crap every day, accusing his predecessor of wiretapping, etc. The thing that really got me going was when I read earlier today that the president actually tweeted about a silly Snoop Dog video portraying him as a clown in which he gets shot by a clown gun. At a time when NK is threatening us, health care for millions of Americans is in jeopardy, the Russians are hacking us, and we have military all over the world in harm’s way, we have a leader who’s focused on a Snoop Dog—a fricken’ Snoop Dog.

Let’s be honest Bob, the last eight years have been a struggle. But, do you remember where we were in 2008. We’ve had nothing but positive growth for several years now. It didn’t just happen. I know it’s hard for you, but you have to give some credit for that. Obama was a flawed man and he made his mistakes like anyone else, but he was a good man. He made it easy to support him. I can’t say that about the current guy, who lies constantly, feels it’s ok to just touch a woman’s body because he’s rich and famous and allowed another man to describe his daughter as “a piece of ass” to his face. Seriously, how do you make yourself ok with that kind of behavior and vote for that kind of a human being? 

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

[Laura Sommet]

And why is it Mr. Wainner, that people assume those who talk about scientific facts are liberals?  I don’t identify myself as a liberal. Why does science and math have to be politicized?  Probably because fossil fuels are so embedded into our way of life (I have to drive my car to work everyday) and disrupting that way of life is hard for people to accept because that would mean big changes to our lifestyles. 

I wish that science and climate change didn’t have to be political.  I wish it wasn’t real.  I wish I could deny it, but now I have a 6 month old daughter who may look to me and her dad one day and ask why our generation didn’t do something about it when we could.  And I can’t rest in peace with that guilt. 

Politics should not be involved in science.  Is that how you choose your doctor?  97% of scientists who study climate change, say that yes, it’s happening, and yes, it’s largely caused by human activity currently. If 97% of oncologists say you need to have surgery to remove a tumor, and 3% say that nothing is wrong…who would you trust? 

Nobody disagrees that the Earth’s climate has been changing for millions of years BUT, humans, us, you, me, have been causing the global warming we’re experiencing now due to carbon dioxide pollution and the greenhouse effect since the Industrial Revolution. Yes, solar variation, volcanoes, and clouds also affect the climate but humans release at least 100 times more carbon dioxide than volcanoes.  Since 1950, hot days have become more common and cold days have become less common around the world.

Despite the polar vortex storm that hit the eastern U.S. in 2014, it was the hottest year (globally) recorded. 14 of the 15 hottest years recorded globally have occurred since 2000.

The Earth’s temp. has risen 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880.  That may not sound like a lot but we’re already seeing the effects in terms of melting polar ice, sea level rise (look at Louisiana and Miami), loss of animal populations and more frequent extreme weather.

Even if we stop emitting carbon pollution today, we’d still continue to experience warming for a considerable amount of time because that pollution stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. It’s difficult to stop it right away but if we do something now, there’s a chance that we can limit warming to 2 degrees. If we do nothing, and continue business as usual, it could reach 6 degrees by next century.  Unless there’s another earth-like planet we can inhabit, that’s not the sort of legacy I’d like to leave to our grandchildren and future generations.

Why can’t the US lead the world as the #1 renewable energy producer independently?

Why can’t landscape architects lead in utilizing and implementing innovative sustainable tactics that would also contribute to the economy without using fossil fuels?

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Gee Bob, you’re killing me with kindness and I have to respect that. I have to admit that I am a bit disarmed by your response, because I’ve been in full blown fight mode since the Women’s March. That day I saw a unity in this country that I had never seen. The politeness and cooperation between all kinds of people gave me a feeling of patriotism that has fueled me to do more to at least offset the some ugliness we are currently living through. Which is why I’m here on this thread.

I can’t get mad at you because I think you’re just a product of your environment and I don’t mean that in a condescending way. I figure that you’re probably pretty set in your ways, so the chance of winning you over are slim. I’m here to counter the argument that you’re making.

After reading your post, I find it interesting that the negative things that you say about Obama over two terms are pretty insignificant compared to what Trump has done over the last year and a half. These are your words. Seriously, you may need to do a little soul searching my brother. The fact that instead of answering my question, you deflected. Maybe you’ll answer these. How does it feel to have to defend the indefensible? Do you really want a president that behaves like one only on good days? Sometimes you have to do what’s right. If Obama did half of what Trump has done, I’d be one of the first to sign up to run him out of town. That’s because I love my country more than some BS political party.

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

Uh welp, maybe the ASLA has the answer to your question. ASLA STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PROPOSED BUDGET

[Anonymous]

Very reasonable response, thanks Bob.

[Anonymous]

ALSA’s response is damn spot-on!

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

I guess that means I’m not going to get my maglev train to the west coast anytime soon. It won’t be long before we’ll have to pay tolls to do local errands.

Don’t worry LAs I think we’ll be ok, this might mean that sprawl will become the new “green” and we can stop worrying about planting natives and SWM. I’m angling to capture the private prison and ultra-secure gated community niche.  

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

I see how it works. DT and co. want to starve old people, ruin the environment, build a multi-billion dollar wall that might be an inconvenience to smugglers for a while, slash programs that help poor white children in Appalachia, give false hopes to coal miners and steel workers and on and on. And your defense is a word gumbo of Billary, pinko liberals, we need more aircraft carriers to fight terrorist in Toyota pickups, Monica Lewinsky, Benghazi and repeal Obamacare.

Don’t get me wrong, the dems are full of poo too, but at least they take the time to polish their bs and sell it in a package that makes sense. And eventhough they’re working for big business, they understand that they have to break a little off for the peasants to keep them content. The Republicans want to create a government that does nothing for the people but monitor and control their lives.

Face it Bob, your guy is a dud. It’s embarrassing what’s happening right now. Shame on his elder children and cult-like followers for letting it go this far. My mother retired about 10 years ago and I remember her telling me,”Son, you’re wise enough to know when it’s time to take away my car keys”. In all seriousness, I think it’s time to save the man’s dignity, as well as our country. The Donald’s got a very dangerous hobby right now.

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

[Leslie B Wagle]

[Craig Richmond, RLA]

I’m sorry Leslie, but I’m having a really hard time understanding where you’re coming from. As an independent I can see something like Clinton vs. Kaschic (sp?) being a tough choice. But the guy who brags about grabbing women’s crotches by force (while married), checks out under aged beauty contestants and tries to physically intimidate his female political opponents, made it a no brainer. Then he’s teamed up with a bunch of other guys (old men) who seem to show an unusual interest in lady parts. I don’t buy into all of the spin coming from dems, but most of what we are witnessing is real and in our faces. No wonder folks are in a state of panic.

America just elected the guy our mothers told us boys not to be like. I’m from the mid-west and I call it as I see it in plain language. If it makes people feel better, I think Bill Clinton is a scumbag, but he’s not sitting in the White House at the moment.

[Leslie B Wagle]

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