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As Europe, Canada and Spokane burn...

American Nero: Why Trump is trying to burn down the National Academy of Sciences

By Dr. Ben Santer

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

July 26, 2026

Why does Trump care about an organization of scientists? A confederacy of nerds? Why does he care about climate science? Why does he believe, falsely, that climate science is fraudulent?

The National Academy of Sciences is on Trump’s radar because they are in his way. The climate science the National Academy of Sciences has assessed, for over four decades, is in fundamental conflict with Trump’s political agenda: the promotion of fossil fuels and the promotion of the powerful fossil fuel interests that have supported Trump’s rise. Science shows that fossil fuel burning is affecting Earth’s climate in harmful ways. So in Trump world, science is the enemy.

Read the full essay here.

Here's more coverage of Trump's attack on the NAS from E&E News.

Wednesday, August 19 at 5 PM PT,

join another timely presentation from

The Climate and Democracy Discussion Group (CDDG).

Zoom in here.

The next speaker will be Jeff Mangan, former Montana Commissioner of Political Practices and founder of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Transparent Election Initiative.

He will discuss the “Montana Plan,” an upcoming state referendum that would counter the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling by curbing election spending by “artificial persons,” keeping dark money out of Montana.

Citizens United held that corporations had a right to spend in politics. But if a corporation doesn't have the power to act, that right can't be used, which makes Citizens United irrelevant.

Here's how Harvard Law School describes it:

"A bipartisan team of former Montana officials have unveiled an oddly simple yet startlingly robust legal mechanism for undoing Citizens United that pares back the list of corporate powers granted by state corporation law. They have drafted a constitutional initiative (text here) and are steering it toward Montana’s 2026 ballot.

Ever since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in 2010, America has been told that only the Court or a constitutional amendment could stem corporate and dark money in politics. Not so.

Citizens United held that lawmakers cannot regulate a corporation’s right to spend independently in elections. But regulations are just one tool in the legislative toolbox. Another extraordinarily powerful tool has gone largely unexamined until now: every state’s virtually unlimited authority to define the powers it grants its corporations.

Corporations have only the powers that states give them— and no more. States stopped being choosy about the powers they granted to their corporations in the mid-1800s. But every single state retained the authority to be as choosy as they like. Every single state retains the authority to decide to no longer grant its corporations the power to spend in politics.

The Plan has the support of some heavy legal and policy hitters, including Harvard Law’s John Coates, former Yale Law dean Robert Post, and NYU Law professor and former SEC commissioner Rob Jackson. Robert F. Williams, former head of the Center for State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers Law, terms it “spectacularly important.” Issue One, End Citizens United, Public Citizen, and Free Speech for People are among the organizations supporting it."

Limiting money in politics?

How refreshing would that be?

Read Harvard's full analysis here

Tune in to the August 19th presentation here.

Here is CDDG's slideshow on how to participate in our democratic process for the midterms

You can find recordings of past excellent CDDG presentations here.

California North Coast CCL

invites you to their monthly meeting,

Saturday, August 8 at 9 AM PT here.

We'll discuss what's going on with the climate and what we ought to be doing about it; how you can participate in upcoming midterm elections; this month's actions, and highlights from the national conference in D.C. We'll have ample time for open discussion.

Then, at 10 AM PT, join National's monthly meeting here.

Flannery Winchester, CCL Vice President of Marketing and Communications, will debrief CCL’s 2026 Summer Conference and Lobby Day. From the impact and impression we made on Capitol Hill, to the insights and inspiration we got during conference programming — this call will catch you up on it all.

Videos of the conference are here.

Got Insurance?

Climate change keeps adding to the list of uninsurable assets, Allianz executive says

L.A. Times, July 22, 2026

This piece focuses on Europe, but the US is just as vulnerable, as many Californians have already found out.

• As Europe swelters through record heat, a top Allianz executive warns that climate-fueled fires, floods and storms are pushing more homes and infrastructure into the category of “uninsurable” assets.
• Insurance premiums and bank loan costs are climbing across Europe, as financial institutions price in mounting heat-wave risk for agriculture, real estate, leisure, utilities and key infrastructure.
• With the planet on track for roughly 5 degrees Fahrenheit of warming, insurers say companies that cut emissions and adapt early will gain a competitive edge in a riskier world.

Sweat through the entire piece, then think about why an effective carbon price is so urgent. Have you heard it mentioned even once in the coverage of the current fire disasters in Europe, Canada and here at home? Why not? We know it's the most effective lever available to reduce emissions. (See what the economists recommend below.)

We are here ⬆️

Science Lesson:

The Dice Are Loaded. Here's Why.

From Just Have a Think

(11 entertaining minutes)

Book Passage presents a special event with Congressman Jared Huffman and

famed narrator Peter Coyote

August 23 at Dominican University

Details here.

"Ask Me Anything"

Town Hall with Reps. Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson

Wednesday, August 5, 5 PM

(Sorry for the late notice.)

Ellis Hall, Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma Campus, 680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma

Representatives Huffman and Thompson will provide updates from Washington, discuss recent actions of the Trump Administration, and take questions from participants. This is an opportunity to ask them about anything. 

Register here. (Required)

This event will be recorded and posted to Congressman Huffman's YouTube page within 72 hours of the conclusion of the event.

Here's what the experts have to say about how best to shift the global economy away from fossil fuel dependence:

Economists’ Statement on Carbon Dividends

WSJ, January 17, 2019

"Global climate change is a serious problem calling for immediate national action. Guided by sound economic principles, we are united in the following policy recommendations.

I.          A carbon tax offers the most cost-effective lever to reduce carbon emissions at the scale and speed that is necessary. By correcting a well-known market failure, a carbon tax will send a powerful price signal that harnesses the invisible hand of the marketplace to steer economic actors towards a low-carbon future.

II.         A carbon tax should increase every year until emissions reductions goals are met and be revenue neutral to avoid debates over the size of government. A consistently rising carbon price will encourage technological innovation and large-scale infrastructure development. It will also accelerate the diffusion of carbon-efficient goods and services.

III.        A sufficiently robust and gradually rising carbon tax will replace the need for various carbon regulations that are less efficient. Substituting a price signal for cumbersome regulations will promote economic growth and provide the regulatory certainty companies need for long- term investment in clean-energy alternatives.

IV.        To prevent carbon leakage and to protect U.S. competitiveness, a border carbon adjustment system should be established. This system would enhance the competitiveness of American firms that are more energy-efficient than their global competitors. It would also create an incentive for other nations to adopt similar carbon pricing.

V.         To maximize the fairness and political viability of a rising carbon tax, all the revenue should be returned directly to U.S. citizens through equal lump-sum rebates. The majority of American families, including the most vulnerable, will benefit financially by receiving more in “carbon dividends” than they pay in increased energy prices." [Emphasis added]

Now that you've read what the experts recommend, here again is Marin CCL's Jonathan Marshall's summary of why a carbon fee and dividend can get the job done. Download it here.

And here is Jonathan's recent superb presentation to the Carbon Pricing Action Team, Why Carbon Pricing is More then Ever the Best Climate Policy. Update yourself on this very important issue.

Those wishing to get more involved can join the growing Carbon Pricing Action Team on Community. Next call Weds, August 26 @ 10 AM PT here.

CCL will soon begin an educational series on the current status of carbon pricing around the world. Sign up for more info here.

Even if the most extreme scenarios are, thankfully, less plausible, we are not moving nearly fast enough to avert calamity

Take some deep breaths and read this sobering report from Australia

"There is a chasm in outlook between the global climate policy-making elite with their focus on distant goals and slow, non-disruptive change, and activists and key researchers who see the world hurtling towards climate breakdown and social collapse."

Effective carbon pricing is fundamental to veering off the collision course we are presently on. Since money talks, we need the global economy on our side, which presently it is not.

Read it here

Do Not Miss This Series!

We post this every month. If you're wondering why so little progress has been made weaning civilization off of fossil fuels despite the evidence of their dangers, watch this series. If you've already done so, watch it again, imagining what it might look like if these energy sources had been paying a pollution fee commensurate with their true costs to society and thus weren't so profitable. Then scroll back up and read the Economists' Statement again to see what an effective, efficient and equitable solution looks like.

We have the technology to get out of this mess! But we need the economy to signal that it's full steam ahead.

You're invited, but... 

This is how one behaves inside The Capitol:

Make an appointment. Business attire recommended. Bring nothing that even looks like a weapon. 

Long live democracy.

Earth

Prepared by Peter G. Joseph, M.D. 

Peter.Joseph@cclvolunteer.org

Apologies for cross postings.

If you know someone who would like to be added to this distribution list, please suggest they join Marin or Sonoma CCL, or if not in this area, contact me.