Month: December 2016

I’ll take your climate, energy, & politics challenges & rise to the occasion with policy, education, & heavy metal.

December 31, 2016

2016 rocked my world. From beginning to end I’ve been privileged to be involved with education for sustainability tackling issues like climate change, energy transformation, and environmental justice. Last year I was voted into municipal office which has given me a new way to serve my whole community. After a delegate withdrew from the Democratic … More I’ll take your climate, energy, & politics challenges & rise to the occasion with policy, education, & heavy metal.

When freedom of thought, inquiry, and speech thrive at universities so does American democracy.

December 12, 2016

Tomorrow, my friend, colleague, and Bernie Sanders supporter Sophia McClennen and I will be on FREQ’s The Morning Mixtape hosted by Jason Crane to talk about the Professor Watchlist. Here are my thoughts (with reference to McClennen’s) on the matter. In the last few weeks, the Professor Watchlist and its founding group, Turning Point USA have surfaced to set … More When freedom of thought, inquiry, and speech thrive at universities so does American democracy.

Evan McMullin is right. Unity, freedom, and people of good will defeat tyranny.

December 8, 2016

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”― Edmund Burke During the election, I followed former CIA official and 2016 presidential candidate Evan Mcmullin and his biggest Republican proponent, strategist Rick Wilson.As a lifelong Republican his positions are hardly progressive, but some we might have common ground on. Don’t get me wrong. I was a Sanders … More Evan McMullin is right. Unity, freedom, and people of good will defeat tyranny.

When Trump said the system is rigged. He was right. With Pruitt he’s rigging it in plain sight.

December 8, 2016

NPR is reporting that Donald J. Trump is going to appoint Scott Pruitt to head the E.P.A. Pruitt has been serving as Oklahoma’s Attorney General where he’s been at the forefront of fighting President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. An open climate change denier and buddy of the oil and gas industry, everyone should be really worried about … More When Trump said the system is rigged. He was right. With Pruitt he’s rigging it in plain sight.

The Ferguson Township Board stands for Equity & Inclusion

December 7, 2016

In light of recent events, this was necessary. Our board of four Democrats and one Republican passed it unanimously. It was especially important to me as the brother of a happily married queer woman (I love you Catharine and Julie), the elected representative of people from different races, the friend, co-worker and teacher of people … More The Ferguson Township Board stands for Equity & Inclusion

“No Mr. Fox. We won’t open the hen house.” When a developer goes for regulatory capture.

December 6, 2016

Last night, we were approached by a developer and their lawyers to revise an ordinance to make their proposed development economically reasonable. They had rewritten the ordinance for us. How kind. We did not accept it. One citizen, speaking on a different issue, was alarmed. She should be.   That, my friends, was an attempt … More “No Mr. Fox. We won’t open the hen house.” When a developer goes for regulatory capture.

Democrats should be inspired and push forward from Standing Rock

December 5, 2016

This is a fantastic day. The Army has announced that it  “will not approve an easement that would allow the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline to cross under Lake Oahe in North Dakota.” As Bill McKibben writes in The Guardian, “Today’s news is a break in that long-running story, a new chapter” in the novel with too many scenes featuring … More Democrats should be inspired and push forward from Standing Rock