There was never any doubt that our country’s 250th anniversary celebration would be long remembered.  But for what?  Perhaps it will be that that was when nature said, “Enough!”

The weekend was awful in the entire Northeast, thanks in part to policies and actions of the Trump administration that are speeding global warming.

Here are some of the misfortunes that hit Washington, D.C., over the weekend.

Hundred-degree temperatures that caused the cancellation of the Independence Day parade,

Thunderstorms that necessitated the evacuation of the National Mall,

Trump’s speech and the huge fireworks demonstration extended to the wee hours of the morning by dangerous torrential rainfall, and

Countless residents and visitors treated for heat-related ailments.

There’s more and worse.  The overdone Trump fireworks show caused Washington to experience the worst air quality of any city in the world on Sunday, according to a company that ranks global air pollution.

Here in NEPA, we suffered:

Hundred-degree temperatures; 

Large and long power outages;

Downed trees that created traffic hazards; and

Losses of thousands of dollars at grocery stores and pharmacies when they lost power, causing refrigerated groceries and drugs to be thrown away.

Back to D.C.: Here’s an ugly Trump irony.  While severe weather was wreaking havoc, the White House announced pardons for 11 of the worst environmental violators in history, people who took major steps to avoid or thwart environmental regulations.

The Trump administration’s policies have sped global warming, aided by enabling GOP Congressmen like Rob Bresnahan.  

What can we do about it?  Protest in every way you can through social media, demonstrations and such public forums as letters to the editor.  Make phone calls to complicit Congressmen and demand environmental action.  And, most of all, vote them out in November.

The clock is ticking.

Virgil Scudder
Lehman Township, PA