Winter Sucks

 

Ben Harper

Winter is for Lovers

2020, Anti-

produced by Sheldon Gomberg

Its probably not a big secret, I hate Winter, as a season, as a concept, as weather. The whole thing sucks. Cold sucks, snow is the worst, no meaningful sunlight for 3 months, everything dies. The 2020 pandemic, while lasting more than an entire year, and several seasons, certainly embodied the characteristics of Winter time. It was a dark year, many people didn't make it out the other side. It ended a lot of things, and gave way to other newer things. 

Ben Harper has been one of my favorite musicians since I discovered him in a Rolling Stone article when I was in middle school. Like many artists during the Pandemic, while locked down and sequestered, he still managed to produce art. Winter is for Lovers is just Ben Harper and his lap steel guitar, no words, just music. The record is definitely a vibe. Instead of dwelling on the misery of the season, it invokes the quiet, comfortable, and introspective themes of the season. If anything, this record hi-lites Harper's guitar playing talents. 

 Welcome back to whatever this is...

My New Year resolution this time is to write more nonsense. It's been over a year since I've posted anything on here, and several months since I've written about Batman villains. Quite honestly, the state of affairs has been pretty dismal, and I don't think anything I have to say about it will add to discourse in any meaningful way. But that doesn't mean I have nothing to say, or haven't been experiencing anything worth sharing or discussing. So... I will try to be writing and posting something on Mondays for as long as I can keep it up. 

Its a Mario Day!

 

Today is another one of those made up pop culture "holidays" created by internet people, but more likely its something socially engineered by Nintendo. This is very similar to May 4th being Star Wars day. March 10th only really makes sense when you abbreviate March, and also only in languages influenced by the Roman calendar. Mar 10... MarI0. Mario Day!

This video game character, in fact the entire franchise, has become probably the most recognizable video game character of all time, and probably the first video game character to become a pop culture icon. Created in 1981 as the protagonist in Donkey Kong, Mario has appeared in over 300 games since either as the main character, or in cameos. Below are some interesting factoids about everyone's favorite koopa stomping plumber...

Mario's last name is also Mario. 

Confirmed in 2015, Mario Mario is this dude's full name. Making his brother Luigi Mario, which actually makes the Mario Brothers make sense. Mario was known as Jumpman in the original Donkey Kong, and was almost name Mr. Video... so he was almost named Mario Video? I kind of like that better. Reduplicant names are dumb. 

Mario and Luigi were almost Carpenters. 

The idea was to create a working class everyman character. Carpentry was the first choice. Jumpman is a carpenter in Donkey Kong. The design of a dude in overalls seemed more plumber-like, and so Mario and Luigi became plumbers for their debut game Super Mario Brothers, which still fits the desired working class trope. Apparently plumbers are somehow synonymous with Italian-Americans in New York, so they became Italian-american plumbers from New York. Fix-it Felix from the Wreck it Ralph films is an obvious homage to Mario, and also has a working class occupation and design. This may make Mario a Socialist icon. 

Other Characters could have been Very Different

The original designs for Bowser the King Koopa were not a giant snapping turtle. Bowser was supposed to be an Ox. Giant Dragon Turtle seemed like a better option. 

Yoshi was going to be another koopa, but the design team created the green dragon character instead. 

Super Mario 2 was originally a completely different game called Doki Doki Panic, and Mario character skins were ported in instead. This explains why the storyline isn't a direct sequel, or why there is an entirely different main antagonist who never appears again, and all new minor enemies not seen in the first game. Also... you throw turnips. I think Super Mario 2 is under rated. 

This character is as old as I am. This means there hasn't been a time in my life where Mario, and Luigi, and the princesses, and toadstool people, and Bowser, and his koopas, haven't existed. I grew up being fascinated with Nintendo properties, enjoying playing, and being frustrated by their difficulties. Happy Mar10 day to everyone!

Royals are Gross

There has been a trend recently in pop culture that I think is stupid. At this point, I'm careful to examine whether something bothers me because its stupid, or because I'm just old and not hip anymore. This has actually bothered me for a while, and it seems to be getting worse. 

Using the words King and Queen as terms of endearment is dumb. While it is meant as a compliment, denoting that person as beautiful, strong, and showing leadership qualities, I'm pretty sure when confronted with what actual monarchs do, it should be seen as an insult. 

Royal titles used by normal people to describe other normal people started out in the Black community sometime during the Black Renaissance. It stems from this idea that all Black Americans are descendent from African Royal families, who were among the first to be sold into slavery in the Americas. While the Triangle Trade did rely heavily on the participation of African Kingdoms, I couldn't find any actual evidence of royalty being kidnapped and sold. Regardless of the historic truth, this idea is still an important metaphor for potential African greatness, robbed by Colonialism. The consequences of this crime are shared by American Natives, Southeast Asians, and Indians. So much progress and development was held back and straight up stolen. There are many books, papers, and studies to attest to the damage Colonialism is responsible for. 

While I understand the need to reclaim identities stolen by generations of racist supremacists, religious zealotry, and greed, trying to claim royal lineage of a bygone era is not the way to do it. In 2016, Damon Young wrote an essay about this same thing for The Root. He puts it very clearly: 

If you’re from a place where kings and queens existed, there’s a small chance you actually directly descended from them. And a much, much, much, much, much, much, much larger chance you descended from people who were ruled by them. And, if history is any guide, if you happen to be from a place with an unfathomably wealthy ruling class, that unfathomable wealth most likely ended with the ruling class. Everyone else was either some version of middle class (not very likely) or a peasant (very likely).

And this, basically, is my point. The chances that any American, no matter what their ethnic background, is actually a king or queen is near zero. This is very much like crazy white supremacists pining for Medieval Europe, because they think they'd all be knights and lords in an Aryan utopia. In reality, they'd most likely be serfs, and dying of plague in a Europe that was actually pretty diverse in the Middle Ages. More on Feudalism later.

First of all, there aren't that many monarchies left in the world, and those monarchies that still do exist are keeping very good records regarding who ascends to the throne. Karen from Alabama isn't on anyone's list. Also, even if there are a bunch of descendants of royals running around in America, only 1 can become king. That's how monarchy works. The word literally means "One Ruler". Also, whatever kingdom these hypothetical royals came from no longer exists. They'd be kings of nothing, unless you want to destroy an already existing state and set up a new kingdom. This sounds an awful lot like Colonialism, actually, which is where this all started. 

This brings me back to why I hear an insult when I hear King or Queen being used. Royals are literally the point source for all the world's current problems with equality. Royals financially supported colonies to start with. The Catholic Monarchs in Spain sent Columbus. Henry VII of England sent Cabot. Manuel I of Portugal sent the Portuguese Armada to Brazil. James I of England authorized the Virginia Company of London. And these colonies are founded on the premise that non-Christians, and therefore most non-Europeans (and quite a few actual Europeans) are inferior. 

Colonialism aside, though, why would anyone want to be associated with royalty? I know we have this weird fascination with princes and princesses in our entertainment which stretches back to some of the first ever fictional epics like Gilgamesh, and Beowulf. All of the ancient Greek heroes are kings. King Arthur. Most of Shakespeare's plays are about kings. Most of Disney's animated films are about princesses. But reading about actual historic royalty makes for some sick and twisted realities.

The way Feudalism works, Royals are at the top of a pyramid of land owning Lords. Basically, one family owns all the land, and has the power to grant land rights to lesser lords, or take it away. Everyone actually living on the land is expected to pay these lords for the privilege to exist there, through goods, services, or taxes. Feudalism relies on this idea that the lords provide protection through military defense. But... if the Lords' manpower and money come from the people, why does the people need Lords to start with? So, really a Royal family, at its core, only appears to exist to exploit the people. Feudalism looks an awful lot like a Medieval Pyramid Scheme. But systemic exploitation isn't the only terrible thing Royals are known for.

The Hapsburgs, the best example of the Royal Ick Factor, were so inbred we named a genetic deformity after them, The Hapsburg Jaw. Consanguineous marriage as a way to "purify bloodlines" wasn't just a Hapsburg thing, either. The infamous King Tutankhamen shows signs of inbreeding, meaning this crazy practice goes back at least 3000 years. The premise of this ridiculous concept originates in the narcissistic notion that royalty can't mix with common folk, for the normal people are somehow inferior. 

Observe, for example, the "rules of etiquette" when meeting the King of England. When the Royal Family visited the US in 2009, a bunch of news outlets published articles about this. The Mental Floss article is here. Basically, no one can speak before spoken to, no touching, they expect gifts. You are expected to be there before they arrive, and they have to depart first. According to the article, even the royal pets are assholes. They behave, essentially, like they're doing you a favor by meeting you. 

This notion that Royals have distanced themselves from everyone else, created myths that they are superior to the very people they rule over is at the root of the problem I have with an entire culture identifying with royalty. Royals are perhaps the worst people on the planet, and are not the role models for the strength, beauty, empathy, and leadership that this nicknaming trend tries to acknowledge. There has got to be better, more positive, more reaffirming titles you can give your loved ones. 

Trying to Redeem Country Music

 

    I've heard all the criticisms and complaints about country music. The genre is in the same company as disco, emo, mumble rap, and EDM, getting shit on by everyone who actually knows music. The genre is riddled with formulaic song structures. The recurring themes of trucks, alcoholism, farm life, sex, and men lost in their feelings, are regurgitated seemingly in every song. The genre trades in "good ole boyisms", which on the surface promote classic good manners, loyalty to family and friends, and simple rural living. However, misogyny, racism, and anti-intellectualism are baked-in features. There is a long history of the Country Music Industry making careers of POC and female performers difficult, from Charley Pride and Cleve Francis, to the Dixie Chicks, Maren Morris, and Lil Nas X. However, apparently Beyonce is Country now, so maybe the genre is finally beginning to embrace its diverse roots. 

All this combined, it shouldn't be a surprise artists are leaving the genre, reframing the music they make into other similar categories like folk, southern rock, and Americana. Americana itself was a genre created in 1999, borrowing the term from the 1940s, the goal was, as Rolling Stone put it,"to carve out a distinct marketplace for a wave of traditionally minded songwriters [. . .] artists whose work was no longer being served by (the) country music industry". This exodus of talent naturally leaves Country Music with the worst offenders, perpetuating the worst trends. 

I spent a long time disparaging this genre, like a lot of other people. I really couldn't see the appeal with the twangy country western sound. However, I do like similar adjacent genres, like folk, bluegrass, and blues. Bands like Creedance Clearwater Revival, the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, and Brett Dennen are all favorites, and all flirt with country music sounds. I'm also a big fan of the Outlaw Country guys Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristopherson. Recently, I've discovered some new country acts that appear to stay out of the terribleness the rest of the genre fell into. 

From the Willie Nelson wing of Country Music, Miss Margo Price won awards from the Americana Music Awards, the American Music Prize, and the UK Americana Awards, and also was nominated for a Grammy in 2018. Being a female talent, Price suffers from the misogyny baked into the industry. Her debut album was heralded as a stellar new talent by several publications, and nominated for awards. Her newest album, above, is a must have. She is most certainly a country artist who moved into the Americana genre. 

Sturgill Simpson, unrelated to Jessica, Ashlee, or OJ, has been compared to Outlaw Country legends Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard. This Outlaw Country thing may be a bit of a theme in this post... The above record, A Sailor's Guide to Earth, won the Best Country Album Grammy, and was nominated for Album of the Year. He has opened for Guns n Roses, and played with Willie Nelson, Margo Price and Bob Weir. 

Adeem the Artist needs to be protected. They have a strong and important voice within the genre, however, they also identify as non binary and uses they/them pronouns.... so... within the milieu of Country Music, they're a target for the highly conservative, highly misogynist, and homophobic culture. This record dropped in 2022 and targets racism, homophobia, fundamentalist religion, and Southern culture. This is a songwriter to watch, with a message that can help dissolve the stranglehold hatred has on poor white Southern and Western communities. 

Lukas Nelson, actually related to Willie Nelson, and his band, the Promise of the Real are as much a fresh look at Country, as they are a throwback. Also Neil Young's current backup band, The Promise of the Real are the vanguard of the left wing of Country music. This band has ties to Margo Price, Sturgill Simpson, Bob Weir and Neil Young (obviously) and have toured with BB King, Willie Nelson (also, obviously), and John Fogerty. 

The Dead South are Canadian, and like Stompin Tom Connors, Neil Young, and Shania Twain, they carry on the legacy of country sounds from the northernest North American nation. Technically a band that puts themselves squarely in Bluegrass as a genre, they cover a lot of the same tropes and styles of Country, especially the Appalachian styles that propelled early Country, bluegrass, and folk music. 

These three genres are very similar and share roots, and the Dead South does a great job of revealing that. In fact, the band has received criticism from "bluegrass purists" for dabbling in country and "African" sounds, and for supporting a punk ethos. This disregards the fact that bluegrass owes a lot of its genre defining sound to the banjo, a Black American instrument based on traditional African instruments. 

Star Wars ReWrites

It is no secret that I am not a fan of the Star Wars movies episodes 1-3, and 8. Don't mistake these huge critiques for disliking the enitre franchise. I think THE Space Western overall is a very cool concept and story (mostly) and a cool sandbox to create in, which is evident by Jon Favreau's Mandalorian and Boba Fett shows. However, as I've said previously, the prequels are a hot mess. At the heart of this hot mess is a terrible plot. I understand while I can criticize the bad choices made for these three movies, I havent really come back with an alternative. So...  here we go. For continuity sake, and to clarify, we are KEEPING episodes 4-7, and 9 probably in their entirety. Episode 8 doesnt really seem to be relevant to the overall plot, and can probably be thrown out altogether, although there are some intriguing ideas. We are also tossing everything Clone Wars related, but keeping Rogue 1, and Solo, as I don't believe the prequels are ever brought up in detail, so whatever we change, won't mess with continuity. 

WHAT WE KNOW: 

George Lucas establishes in A New Hope a few things about this universe. There is a Galactic Empire, ruled by an Emperor. Previously, there had been an intergalactic war known as the Clone Wars. There was also an order of warrior monks called the Jedi with telekenetic abilities derived from a natural and spiritual essence known as the Force. They are an ancient religion, and they fought in the Clone Wars. 

The Galaxy believes these Jedi had all been nearly wiped out somehow, but few may still be living in exile. Obi Wan Kenobi is one of these. Luke Skywalker's father was also a Jedi and knew Obi Wan, and was "betrayed and murdered" by Darth Vader. Han Solo knows the Jedi used to exist, but not much else, leading one to believe its been awhile since the Jedi disappeared, or they're so secretive, not much was generally known. Darth Vader is also a Force user, it is unclear what his relationship is to the Jedi Order. 

We also know, from A New Hope that there is already an established group in open rebellion against the Empire. Not much is revealed about how they are organized, but later scenes show they have an established base of operations, and operate much like a standing army with heirarchical leadership. They also appear to be fully funded and have a wide array of weapons, including several squadrons of star fighters. 

Conversely, we know the Empire appears to function as a government divided into several smaller territories run by governors known as Moffs. Grand Moff Tarkin being one of these. Darth Vader appears to be the senior representative of the Emperor, but not necessarily the Commander-in-Chief of the military, nor does he seem to have authority over the Moffs, as Tarkin appears to always have the last word. However, in Empire Strikes Back, Vader takes on more of an admiral role, and even has his own giant star destroyer. 

In Empire Strikes Back, we also learn Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker are the same person, and A: Luke is his son, B: there is another option if Luke fails and, C: Obi-Wan tried to train Anakin like he trained Luke and failed. 

In Return of the Jedi we learn Leia is the other option because Luke and Leia are twins. They also have little to no memory of their actual mother, so they had to have been separated from her when they were very young.  

The Mandalorian establishes at a point in the past, the Empire attacked Mandalore in retribution for something, seemingly making the planet uninhabitable, and forcing survivors to live in exile. It also makes clear, Mandalore was once respected in the Galaxy as a fearsome warrior society. 

In addition to these things, and all characters that appear and are talked about in the canonical films, I do like certain prequel characters and think they still have potential. I've decided to keep Mace Windu, Darth Maul, Jar Jar Binks, and some others. 

Episode One: The Phantom Menace

The original prequels fail in that they don't provide a convincing reason how a centuries long government can finally collapse. An upstart trade federation is ridiculous. No government on Earth has ever been taken down by a trade group. Usually giant empires fall due to environmental disasters, exterior pressures and internal conflicts, or invasion. 

My story makes far more sense, but can also use some of the element from the original plot. A galaxy is a pretty big space, with lots of diversity in both environments and lifeforms. However, economics is a shared element that can bridge all these differences. So, for hundreds of years, the Galactic Republic is able to secure trade and keep the peace. Everyone trades, everyone prospers, and all disputes are managed by the Republic's Diplomatic Corps and the Jedi Order of Knights. There is no standing Army or Navy, but several member systems maintain small forces to combat crime and piracy. 

That is until the economy hits a once in a lifetime recession. Now a few member systems have doubts about the Republic's economic policies. This establishes an internal conflict. At the same time, there is a external threat to the Republic from another wing of the galaxy. 

I looked into Star Wars Legends stuff for extant species to plunder for this purpose. Although the Yuuzhan Vong are intriguing on their own, created as an antagonist for the post-Return of the Jedi books, the Tof from the comics seem to be a better option. It is an Empire of its own, with several subject systems. They have a war-like culture, but are more interested in conquest than annihilation.  

That should probably be the only thing we take from the Tof in the Comics. In the comics, these guys look like green skinned pirates from the Caribbean, complete with spaceships that looked like pirate ships with sails and rigging. They will have to be completely redesigned because that is dumb. 

From another arm of the galaxy, until now not having any contact with the Republic, the Tof Empire begins raiding Outer Rim worlds, and making aggressive demands. The Republic is ill equipped to handle this situation, as there is no military force, only a diplomatic Corp and the samurai-like Jedi peace keepers. The Jedi ask for the Republic to act, as this is a threat unlike anything they have had to deal with in hundreds of years. 

A few Senators from Outer Rim systems, lead by the Count Dooku, the Senator from Serenno, and Jar Jar Binks, Senator from Naboo, propose repealing the Republic's demilitarization policy. This would allow for a new military to be built. In the meantime, a Defense Force will be built quickly by retrofitting large transport vessels, and conscripting independent states' anti-piracy fleets. They also propose building a force of Marines using new but highly unethical cloning technology. This proposal is fought by Senator Palpatine of Grizmalt and Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan. Instead they propose sending Jedi to bolster the already existing anti-piracy fleets and defend Outer Rim sectors until they can open diplomatic channels with the Tof. 

Bail Organa takes two Jedi, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker, to Mandalore to secure mercenaries to help reinforce the defenses in Outer Rim systems. The Jedi win the Mandalorians' respect and swear allegiance. 

Meanwhile, Palpatine, the biggest supporter of keeping the Union together, despite economic recession, thwarts an attempted assassination by Darth Maul. Jar Jar Binks uses this event to stoke fear in other Senators, calling the assassin an agent from the Tof. He succeeds in building a coalition for secession from the Republic. ("how can the Republic keep our home systems safe, when they can't even keep the Senate safe?") 

Palpatine requests Obi-Wan and Anakin to investigate the assassination further. 

A few Outer Rim systems have started building their Navy anyway in secret, led by Count Dooku and senator Mitth from Csilla (the Chiss). Their efforts are seemingly aided by two shadowy agents who have been traveling all over the galaxy making deals to secure the resources necessary. It is unclear who these two women actually represent, but they are protected by a ninja like figure (Darth Maul). The cloning begins, using infamous Mandalorian outcast Jengo Fett as its blueprint. 

As systems begin to secede from the Republic due to economic recession and safety fears, the Tof raids in the Outer Rim continue to escalate. Jedi forces are taxed to their limit in protecting Outer Rim systems even with Mandalorian reinforcements. The Anti-Pirate fleets borrowed from Mid Galaxy and Core systems, have left these areas defenseless, leading to an unprecedented crime wave, strengthening the Hutt, Black Sun, and Crimson Dawn crime families. This creates even more uncertainty among Republic member planets and puts more pressure on the Union. 

During their investigation of Bail Organa's assassination attempt, Obi-Wan Kenobi and his protege, Anakin Skywalker investigate a tip given to them by Senator Palpatine. They uncover the secret Navy being built by rogue Outer Rim systems in direct violation of the Republic's Orders. This scandal rips through the Republic. Several more systems secede. Obi-Wan continues to investigate the assassination further on his own. 

Seeing the weakness, the Tof begin to invade Republic systems. They mount an invasion of Coruscant, but the Mandalorians, assisted by Jedi Mace Windu, Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker, manage to push the Tof away and defend the Core system and the center of Republican government. However, several other Outer Rim systems fall to the Tof. 

After the narrow victory, Palpatine, with support from his biggest detractor Senator Dooku, calls for the Republic to give him emergency dictator powers to oversee the defense of both member and separatist systems. The motion passes, and Palpatine commandeers the secret Navy and the cloned Marines, and ramps up military spending and training across the rest of the Republic. The Jedi finally get the support they asked for and begin the Clone Wars against the invading Tof. Palpatine is seen as the great leader who has preserved the Union in a time of strife, and has rebounded the failing economy through his military spending. 

Meanwhile, Anakin is seen as a hero of the Battle of Coruscant and is awarded his Masters robes by the Jedi Order at the request of Obi-Wan. He is charged by Yoda and Qui Gin Jinn to train the newest group of apprentices.

The Clone Wars

This second film opens with the Clone Wars already in full swing. Anakin, as a master, has been leading a strike force of Jedi apprentices. A new apprentice has been added to the group, Ahsoka Tano, a young Togruta girl. Meanwhile Obi-Wan and Mace Windu have been leading squads of clone troopers. As the movie begins, these 3 groups are reunited on the Bothan planet Bothawui, preparing a push to free the world from Tof control. During the ensuing campaign, Ahsoka begins to discover the true nature of Anakin's strike force. The Bothawui campaign is a success and proves to be the turning point in the Clone Wars. 

As the war comes to an end, and the Tof are pushed out of Republic Territory. Bail Organa calls for opening diplomatic talks and ending the war, but Palpatine, refusing to give up his dictator powers, opposes the motion, and with Count Dooku, and Mithh, and Jar Jar Binks in his ear, seeks retribution for the Tof's aggression by invading the Tof Empire outright. The Republic Senate is left in an uproar.  Meanwhile the Mandalorians discover the source of the clones (Jengo Fett, the banished Mandalorian), and despite the best efforts of the Jedi, they desert the Republic Armed Forces and return to Mandalore. 

Obi-Wan Kenobi's investigation finally uncovers the assassin, at the same time, Ahsoka blows the whistle on Anakin. She informs Obi-Wan and Mace Windu of Anakin's seeming treachery, unclear of his motives, and of a plot to destroy Serenno. Obi-Wan asks for Mace Windu's assisstance. They attempt to arrest these alleged terrorists, and end up battling Darth Maul and his two female operatives. The female agents are revealed to be Padme Amidala and her sister Sola Naberrie from Grizmalt. 

In the ensuing fight, Padme is killed. Darth Maul and Sola escape, and the Jedi are left to chase and stop the planned terror attack. 

In the epilogue, we see Anakin, distraught. "This wasnt supposed to happen". A voice offscreen tells him they have the technology to clone. 

REVENGE of the SITH

Darth Maul, and Sola are confronted by Mace Windu, and Obi Wan Kenobi. However, Sola escapes, leaving Darth Maul to fight the two Jedi alone. The Jedi understand Maul to be Sith, an offshoot of the Jedi Order obsessed with the Dark Side and thought to have been outlawed and eradicated. Before Maul is seemingly killed, he reveals there are Sith in the Senate, and he is but one of 4. 

Meanwhile, Skywalker confronts Dooku. The Count is surprised the Sith have gone back on their deal. Dooku exposes the pact made between him and the Sith lords. They planned the economic recession, the war, the assassinations, everything to spark a coup disguised as legitimate procedure to defend the Republic. Dooku and his allies in the Senate would benefit from lucrative defense contracts previously banned by Republic law, and the Sith would gain power as Prime Senators for life. Skywalker tells Dooku the Sith had no intention of sharing power and wealth. Skywalker kills him.

Sola ignites the city, destroying it and polluting the planet. She escapes to rendezvous with Anakin. 

The Jedi also escape and split up. Mace Windu takes two other Jedi Knights to share with Dictator Palpatine what they've learned about the Sith presence in the Senate, as news of the tragedy on Serenno reaches Corsucant. Meanwhile Obi-Wan Kenobi goes to confront Skywalker about his betrayal and arrest him. 

While Obi-Wan fights Skywalker, Anakin reveals why he turned to the darkside. He could never understand why the Order had to be celibate, and renounce all wealth and power. His new Master, Darth Sidious showed him the kinds of wealth and power he can obtain while building a life and family with Padme that the Jedi refused to allow him. But now Padme is dead, and all he wants is revenge. Obi-Wan presses Skywalker about the identity of Darth Sidious, but he doesnt give up Palpatine. Obi-Wan incorrectly guesses Jar Jar Binks is the Sith Master. 

As Obi-Wan defeats Skywalker, cutting off his arm and leaving him to die in the fires of Mustafar, Mace Windu arrives in Coruscant. He intends to meet with Palpatine and the Economic Council, made up of the heads of the most powerful trade organizations in the galaxy. However, he is stopped by Senator Jar Jar Binks, revealed as the Sith Lord, Darth Tyranus, for the first time. Windu and the other 2 Jedi fight Jar Jar Binks. The Sith Lord manages to kill the other Jedi, but is overmatched by Mace Windu. Mace Windu defeats Darth Tyranus, but doesnt kill him. 

Palpatine watches this all happen, a spectator this whole time. As Darth Tyranus is defeated, Sola enters and stands with Palpatine. Mace Windu recognizes Sola from their encounter in Serrano as Palpatine turns on him, revealing himself to be the Sith Master, Darth Sidious. Darth Maul, Darth Tyranus, and Anakin were his apprentices. Dooku was only a manipulative pawn, "much like the Jedi Order itself". On a television screen to the side, a news broadcast shows a few Senators including Mithh at a press conference, revealing the Jedi Order are behind the deadly attack on Serenno, and Count Dooku has been murdered by Jedi operatives. 

At the same time, the group of Apprentices trained by Anakin, turn on unsuspecting fellow Jedi, with the help of a small group of Mandalorian mercenaries led by Gar Saxon. Anakin and Palpatine have been poisoning these young Jedi, turning them to the Dark Side in secret. Dozens are killed, and the temple is burned down. This attack begins the Jedi Betrayal, which will culminate in the Jedi Purge, years later completed by Darth Vader and Gar Saxon. Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn and a small group of other Jedi are cornered. The group fights back, but are overwhelmed. Qui-Gon Jinn falls, sacrificing himself so Yoda and the rest of the group can escape. He vanishes in a pile of clothing (obviously). Yoda's group flees and contacts several Jedi operating off planet, including Obi-Wan. Dozens go into hiding. 

Palpatine is able to overcome Mace Windu, with the help of Sola, killing him. 

Anakin's apprentices rescue him from Mustafar and bring him back to Palpatine, to be rechristened Darth Vader. Palpatine casts the Jedi purge as the necessary response to their treachery, blaming the Jedi Order for inviting the Tof to start with. When the Tof invasion failed, he says, the Jedi destroyed Seranno, and killed Dooku in retaliation. In addition, Palpatine says, they attempted to do the same to Naboo and Grizmalt, and attempted to assassinate himself and Jar Jar Binks, but luckily they failed. 

He then declares himself Dictator for Life and shuts himself away with his consort. Jar Jar Binks, and Wilhuff Tarkin expand the war and press into Tor space, unveiling new military, including Star Destroyers, Tie Fighters, marching storm troopers, and even a glimpse at plans for a Death Star. 

At the very end, we see doctors at Vader's bedside, he is expected to make a full recovering, including some modifications. The cloning process, he is told, was successful. The doctor moves away and the Padme clone is revealed behind him. 

In an epilogue, we see a new cabal of characters uniting to rebel against this new Empire, including Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Ackbar, Obi-Wan Kenobi, some wookies, bothans, and others. Of course, R2D2 and C3PO will be there. I want to include Owen Lars here too, maybe. See below for details. 

Afterward

You see... this plot sets up a more believable government in jeopardy. Because things like the Rule of Two don't exist, we can have a cabal of Sith Lords working together to create chaos and gain control. Because we have internal threats (failed economies) and external threats (outside pressures), the threat to eternal peace doesn't seem far fetched. We get a Space Western with Magic Space Samurai and Space Diplomatic Intrigue. We are actually getting a real Star War!

This scenario sets up Tarkin as an antagonist in A New Hope, sets up a good reason for the destruction of Mandalore (they deserted the Republic Navy), makes Darth Maul's resurgence in Solo more believable (he doesn't get cut in half). It also shows the potential for a Palpatine bloodline, which seemed to come out of nowhere in Episode 9. Also, the prototype planet destroyer, seen in Rogue One, will be seen in an even more protoypical stage as it rips through Serenna. 

And... Jar Jar Binks is a dangerous Sith Lord instead of a bumbling, borderline racist stereotype. This sets up a potential future rivalry between Darth Tyranus and Darth Vader, as they both survive the prequels as Sith lords. But, by the time we get to a New Hope, only Vader remains. So, something needs to happen to resolve this. Plenty of fodder for a film or series that takes place between episodes 3 and 4, or even between 3 and Rogue One. 

There will be a foundation for the kinds of rotten Capitalism shown in Episode 8. Fascist takeovers like described here can only be successful when the Upper Class either is in cahoots, or does nothing. In this case, Jar Jar Binks, Dooku, and Tarkin have all been working behind the scenes to make deals with the people who will become Palpatine's Ministers, and Grand Moffs. Speaking of Grand Moffs, introducing a Chiss character helps set up for Thrawn in the future AND gives an easter egg to some crazy fans. 

It also gives Vader purpose. He needs to seek and destroy the Jedi and introduces his group of accolades (his Jedi apprentice Strike Force) who will be known as something like the Sith Inquisitors, or the Emperor's Hands, or the Knights of the Sith, which then makes the Knights of Ren more understandable, if Kilo Ren intends to reproduce Vader's legacy. 

In addition, we don't get a huge spoiler by knowing who Luke and Leia are at the end of the 3rd Episode, thereby ruining the surprises in Empire and Jedi. Nor do we have to wrestle with the Prequels' weird Padme/Anakin relationship. She is no longer 10 years older than he is, or a virtuous protagonist. 

Padme doesn't really die. I mean, she dies, which helps toss Anakin completely into the Dark Side. But... clones. We can bring her back. This also means Luke and Leia don't have to be born immediately. The Empire can exist for more than 18 to 20 years before the 2nd Death Star is blown up. We don't have to wonder why Obi-Wan Kenobi looks 30 something in Revenge of the Sith, and 70 in A New Hope, when he should only be in his early 50s. 

Also, it allows for a movie or tv show about how Vader's twins end up kidnapped and separated. I imagine its probably an assassination attempt on Vader himself, but he's out of town, and Padme becomes the target instead. The Rebel assassins didn't plan for twin babies, and so they take them with. Or... something similar. Bail Organa takes Leia to Alderaan. Owen Lars, one of the rebel assassins, takes Luke to Tatooine, where he will retire to be a moisture farmer, disillusioned by his experiences in the Rebellion. He hopes raising this kid will atone for some of the terrible things he has done. Also, Owen Lars's history in the resistance would explain why he has such a disdain and dismissal of Obi-wan, who also exiled himself to Tatooine. Their relationship, or lack of one could also be explored in another adjacent film or tv show. 

This scenario also allows Rey to mirror Luke and Leia as products of their upbringing, as opposed to slaves of their bloodlines. Even though Luke and Leia and Rey have evil, Fascist parents, they turn out to be virtuous defenders of the Light Side, by being raised outside of those families. 

And, the best part, no Anakin as a child. Unnecessary. No mommy issues, no ties to Tatooine. No speed racer scenes. No midichlorian Force algae causing an immaculate conception. Oh, and no building a droid by hand who becomes an important main character in future movies and never mentions it once. 

There. I fixed it.  

They Command No Respect

 

As anticipated, the NFL's Washington Football Team unveiled their new mascot and logo on February 2. After 18 months of contemplation, a year and a half of brainstorming and vetting ideas, the big brains within the Washington Football Club committed to....

The Commanders

At this point, everyone on Twitter has made the same jokes. But I'm going to put them here too, because they're funny, and this mascot is lame. For starters, team names often have shortened nicknames. The Patriots are known as the Pats, the Packers are called the Pack, the Cavaliers are known as the Cavs, etc, etc. The Commanders...  wearing maroon... The Commies is just too easy!

Also, a name like Commanders is going to invoke allusions to other things....  like commanding organizational skills....

I guess it is an Organized Sport...

Even better than a cheap hook joke, most Gen Xers, and elder Millennials will more than likely make the GI Joe comparison...

Anyway...  I obviously think this choice is a joke. But apparently, I'm not alone. The Washington Post conducted a survey between February 2 and the 14th. As you can see below, fans who like or love the new name account for only 41%. Negative Opinions add up to 49%, and if you include "no opinion" as being apathetic and therefore also negative, that equals 60% of all polled. In addition, it appears most fans would have preferred remaining the Washington Football Team, which was the placeholder name until they came up with a new one. 

Interest level	Percentage points
Love	5%
Like	36%
Dislike	32%
Hate	17%
No Opinion	11%

Team name	Percentage points
Washington Football Team	43%
Commanders	26%
Redskins	22%
Other	5%
No opinion	5%

It seems this franchise can't get a break. But then again, all these investigations into office conduct doesn't really make me sympathetic. In addition to lukewarm response to their new name, the team has also been called out for their new logo (shown above). Apparently they trademarked the dates for the Superbowls, not the championship season. This sounds like semantics (and it is) but the Superbowl played in Febuary of 1983 was for a season mostly played in 1982. This article explains the issue, and its pretty funny, because its such a stupid problem to have. 

At least they are no longer clinging to their old mascot and nickname. And I think most of us can agree on that. And perhaps all these issues they're having now is just karma earned from decades of propping up a racist slur. 

Investing in Invasives

 I recently wrote a paper for a Climate Law class. I wanted to write about invasive species, as I find this to be intriguing. The consequences of cultural exchange, global trade, and colonialism are another sort of devastating conquest, an ecological invasion. This is an old problem, dating back to ancient times, and yet, it appears to be even more of an issue lately. I wanted to study this in depth. Has climate change played a role in making invasive species more prevalent, and more dangerous? Below is my abstract, followed by a summary of my paper. 

Abstract: Invasive species have been a harmful issue to both ecosystems and economies for hundreds of years. Invasives can both take advantage of and cause stress to environments. Climate change is one of the biggest stressors to ecosystems in the last 30 years and has been accelerating invasive species behavior, exasperating the issue. It became clear, through research, that many of the goals for combating invasives mirror those of combating climate change. This is good news, as policy can be built together that will solve both issues. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), invasive species and climate change are two of the four driving forces behind biodiversity loss. Since climate change and invasive species population surges have been linked, both driving forces, as described by the USDA, can be seen as one larger connected driving force. This paper will explore this idea and analyze the legal underpinnings of invasive species regulation and determine if United States law is adequate to meet this challenge to our ecosystems and reliant economies during this climate change crisis. 

Climate Change, while not a new phenomenon, is at the moment an important global issue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) not only specifies that climate change effects are causing consequences right now in water, energy, transportation, agriculture, and human health, but ecosystems are also experiencing shifts in seasonal timing due to unusually warmer summer seasons and shorter, warmer autumn and winter seasons.

Warmer seasons make extreme heat waves more likely. Studies in 2018 concluded the likelihood of an extreme heat wave will increase from 1 every 20 years to 1 in 4 by 2050. Winters, by comparison, will continue to warm, and produce up to 12 times fewer extreme cold days. This temperature disparity will impact snowpacks, reduce soil moisture, and greatly increase severity of droughts.  These droughts can then lead to perfect conditions for wildfires. 

Not only are the seasons changing, and extreme weather becoming more likely, but the composition of ocean water has changed acid levels. This affects marine ecosystems. In addition, rising sea levels increases risk of shore erosion, and surges in salt content to inland waterways. This affects wetlands ecosystems. 

All of this, due to manmade increases in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the ocean water acidity, the salt, the rise in temperatures, the increase in probability of extreme weather events, shifting in seasons all contributes to stress on ecosystems. 

Ecosystem stress is discussed in a paper published by The American Naturalist. “The ecosystem-level distress syndrome is manifest through changes in nutrient cycling, productivity, the size of dominant species, species diversity, and a shift in species dominance to opportunistic shorter-lived forms [. . .] Inability to cope leads to further dysfunctions and, perhaps, to irreversible ecosystem breakdown"  This paper was published in 1985, and included over harvesting, pollution, and extreme weather events as major contributors to ecosystem stress. No doubt, if this paper were published recently, climate change would be at the top of the list. Although climate change is absent, invasive species is on the paper’s list of known stressors. 

Invasive Species are defined as being a non-native species introduced to an ecosystem with the ability to cause harm. Because the existing ecosystems are unfamiliar with the invading species, there are often no natural defenses ready to keep the balance, and control the populations and growth of these alien species. Instead, the new species contribute to system stress, ravage host food sources, outcompete similar species, and alter soil and water compositions.

Invasives can cause harm in three ways: biodiversity loss, disruptions to agriculture leading to food insecurity, and disruptions to infrastructure and sustainability which can harm economies and quality of life. 

Biodiversity is key to sustainable ecosystems. Why is this important to people? Ecosystems are not limited to Natural systems. Biodiversity affects economics, health, and water resources. Therefore, Biodiversity loss will impact poverty, hunger, health and water, and according to the UN, will undermine programs aimed at development targets to fight these issues globally. 

A paper published in Nature Communications studied forest disturbance regimes in Europe. The paper concluded that even though wildfires and windfalls cause more damage, insect damage is on the rise and due to climate warming. 

Stressors reduce ecosystems’ resiliency. Both climate warming and pest populations are high stressors. Ecosystems haven’t high resiliency with alien pests to begin with, and combined with climate stress, invasive insects and plants could damage systems beyond repair. Once established, these alien species then challenge the native ecosystem, creating more stress and more biodiversity loss. 

In fact, according to another paper published in Nature, not only are insect pests positively affected by climate warming, “plant invasion is expected to be boosted by climate change” as well. Up until recently, invasive plant species were kept out of colder climates where frosts and temperate zone winters controlled spread. But warming has drastically altered the range for many plant and insect species.

Agriculture is tied to food security. Those "No Farms No Food" bumper stickers aren't just a clever slogan. Agriculture focuses on reproducing certain cultivars in large volumes for higher yields. Not only that, but we’ve spent thousands of years breeding crops with reduced defense systems, and higher tolerances of being planted in high volumes in close proximities. 

The rise of industrial farming has made monocultures very popular. The monoculture, or single mass reproduced species, is beneficial to commercial agriculture. It is easier and cheaper to plant, manage, and harvest single varieties of a product, especially at the quantities required in an industrial business. By removing the complexities of a variety of cultivated species, the business is able to speed up the planting and harvesting process, identify and correct problems in the growth cycle earlier and quicker, and continue to utilize the same land repeatedly for the same product. There is no need for crop rotations, or resting acreage. There are drawbacks, and invasives pose a real threat to this model.

Infrastructure is more than roads. The Invasive Species Advisory Committee published a white paper in 2016 that studied invasives’ impacts on infrastructure. The paper highlights a few species that cause damage to four major categories of infrastructure: Power, Water, Housing, and Transportation. Some of the species highlighted include zebra mussels, which are so damaging, we created an entire Act of Congress to deal with it, a few other mussel species that behave very much like zebra mussels, giant land snails, comb jellyfish, and bufflegrass. These species alone contribute to billions of dollars in infrastructure damage and property loss. 

Speaking of Acts of Congress, since this isn't a new phenomenon, what has the US government done for ecosystem  protections, and non-indigenous species invasions? 

The Lacey Act

The Lacey Act is the first federal mandate on environmental protection, drafted and introduced by John F Lacey, Republican from Iowa, and signed into law by President McKinley. Since its adoption, the act was amended several times since to incorporate more species. This act was originally a response to declines in game populations due to commercial hunting, and built to address this issue.  

The original purpose of the act was to prohibit the poaching of certain species with the intent to trade or sell. The Lacey Act makes it unlawful to “import, export, sell, acquire, or purchase fish, wildlife, or plants that are taken, possessed, transported, or sold” in two ways: if in violation of U.S. or tribal law, or in violation of state or foreign law in interstate or foreign commerce. The act regulates in two ways. Not only does it protect native species from being moved within the country’s borders by limiting interstate trafficking, but it also regulates international trafficking. 

Over time, this act has been used successfully to restrict the trafficking of wildlife across borders, mislabel imports and exports, and cut down on introducing harmful species. It can be used to limit the exotic pet trade, like pythons introduced to the Florida everglades. However, it does nothing to address accidental introductions, like the wooly adelgid, the emerald ash borer, or zebra mussels. 

The National Invasive Species Act

In 1990, the Non-Indigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act (NANPCA) was introduced into the House by Dennis M Hertel from Michigan’s 14^th district. Initially, the act gave powers to the Secretary of the Coast Guard to prevent further spread of aquatic nuisance pests into the Great Lakes region. In addition, it set up an Aquatic Nuisance Task Force to study ballast exchange, determine the effects of species introduction on the economy, and “determine need for controls”. The task force includes the Coast Guard and the EPA, but also Fish and Wildlife, NOAA, the Army Corp of Engineers, the Forest Service, the National Parks Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. The act also mandates the secretary to confer with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for international cooperation.

The NANPCA was amended in 1996 as the National Invasive Species Act (NISA). This amendment included more aquatic species, and several other key waterways, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Chesapeake Bay, San Francisco Bay, and Hawaiian and Floridian inland waters. 

NISA does have its drawbacks. Coordinating all those federal agencies into one cohesive group is difficult. Coast Guard funding for ballast control has to be reauthorized every year. But most importantly, NISA has no targets or goals to meet. There are no reduction goals, or a timeline, or even the appropriate population numbers for pest species. They release guidelines, but have no measurable policy objectives. 

In contrast, the IMO does have certifiable standards of enforcement, with achievable benchmarks. But the US has decided to go it alone instead of join the IMO ballast exchange treaty, which has been signed by 78 other nations. 

The Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act was meant to replace the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966. The 1973 edition, signed by Nixon, combined the endangered list created by the 1966 act with comprehensive coverage for habitats, and ecosystems, with a much expanded definition of protected species and classes of fish and wildlife. 

In addition, there were some other new features created within the act that changed pest management. The act created the Office of Pesticide Management within the EPA. This office uses the endangered species list, and protected ecosystems to determine pesticide label restrictions. The 1973 act, therefore, promotes integrated pest management approaches, and reduces reliance on chemical controls. 

Legislation can only go so far. The law can only be as strong as its enforcement. This brings us to a brief history of Executive Orders pertaining to invasive species enforcement and management. 

Executive Orders

In 1999, President Clinton signed Order #13112, which used the Environmental Policy Act of 1969, NISA, the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act to create the Invasive Species Council within the Cabinet. This body authorized the creation of the Invasive Species Monitoring Plan, and created federal policy authorizing action needed to identify, and respond to invasive species threats.

The Clinton Order revoked an earlier President Carter Order #11987. This earlier order attempted to address invasive species threats by ordering the DOI and USDA to "restrict introduction of exotic species". The order failed miserably, mostly due to the Reagan Administration failing to enforce it. 

Barack Obama signed Order #13751 in 2016. This order, unlike Clinton's, bolstered the older order, strengthening it, instead of revoking it and attempting to rewrite it. The Obama Order clarified department duties, strengthened cooperation, and most importantly, included provisions for public safety, and climate change. 

With both legislation and executive policy in sync, enforcement of the laws and policy need to be examined. What exactly are we doing to limit invasive species population growth?

Management Tactics: What are we Doing?

The prevailing wisdom for invasive species management is a three-fold response. To effectively manage pest populations, the vectors for entry must be closed, the pest population must be lowered to acceptable, healthy levels, and the environment must be rebuilt to withstand future infestations.

The legal backbone for the management plan and its initiatives appears to be strong enough combined to give the executive branch power to create the policy. A big drawback seems to be how these initiatives go from recommendations and coordinated plans to actual action on the ground. As discussed previously, Executive Order 13751 allows for the task force to set up a fund, and make recommendations on how that fund is used, but doesn’t actually have the power to fund the recommendations. The funding has to come through Congress, and budgets need to be reallocated every year, also as previously discussed in Coast Guard ballast water enforcement.

Real working policy on climate change is going to require investment, global cooperation, and longterm strategies across multiple departments and agencies. This sounds very much like the same requirements needed for invasive species management. The big difference between climate change policy and invasive species policy, is the government framework already exists. We already have coordinated, cooperating agencies mandated through executive orders and supported by settled legislation. The Invasive Species and Endangered Species Acts already give government authorities to adequately combat these problems, both domestically and with foreign cooperation. 

So, then, what is missing? How can we best invest and act on these existing legal frameworks? Recently, Congress introduced a resolution pledging investment, restructuring, and longterm strategies aimed at combating climate change. This resolution should also include invasive species management.

What Exactly is The Green New Deal Anyway?

In 2019, the 116^th Congress submitted the Green New Deal in House Resolution 109. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, and House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced this resolution to Congress. The idea for a Green New Deal actually dates back to 2007 when Thomas Freidman coined the term as a solution to Climate Change. He realized that this issue could only be solved with money, effort, and upsetting of norms not seen since Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Depression. Since then, the term Green New Deal has been discussed by Barack Obama, Jill Stein, and Howie Hawkins. The Green New Deal was the centerpiece of Ocasio-Cortez’s run for the New York’s 14^th district. It is now a reality.

            

But what is in this resolution? The non-binding Green New Deal is not legislation. It acts more as a framework going forward, guiding principles and goals for future legislation and policy. The resolved contains four conclusions, containing goals for a sustainable future. It calls for achieving net-zero emissions, building economic security for all, building infrastructure to sustain a 21^st century economy, securing clean air, water, providing climate and community resiliency, and access to healthy food, nature, and a sustainable environment.
            

Some of the ways the Green New Deal will do this include investing in sustainable agriculture, restoring ecosystems through afforestation and land preservation, and working with the international community on climate change solutions. These are all also the goals of invasive species management. I propose adding invasive species management as a critical step in achieving Green New Deal aspirations.
            

Currently, in Europe, a similar strategy is being implemented. The European Union proposed its own Green Deal in 2019. Inside this deal is the Biodiversity Strategy. The targets for this strategy include reforestation, recreating free flowing rivers, and diversifying agriculture. There is also a provision for funding, calling for €20 billion a year earmarked for biodiversity, the same biodiversity threatened by invasive species. By collaborating with this European New Deal, the US can start to fulfill the international community outreach provision in the resolution. It is also a provision seemingly ignored in NISA.
           

 By folding invasive species management into the Green New Deal, we can better realize our goals for harmonizing the many enforcement agencies participating in the Invasive Species Management Plan. Shoring up discrepancies between agencies like we saw between the EPA and Coast Guard with regards to ballast exchange will make it more difficult for agencies to issue exemptions, or make deals based on adjacent legislation. In fact, by collaborating with the EU Green Deal, the US can honor its pledge to collaborate with ballast water exchange by joining the IMO’s ballast water treaty.  This would allow the Coast Guard to enforce NISA with real goals and targets, and universally approved systems and standards that align with the rest of the maritime community.  
            

The Green New Deal will be able to provide funding for crucial habitat restoration projects, repairing areas damaged by invasives, and strengthening systems at risk of being overrun. Biodiversity is crucial to withstanding invasive species degradation, and is also at the heart of the Green New Deal. Ocasio-Cortez has proposed a Climate Corps, a plan to resurrect the FDR era Civilian Conservation Corp using Clinton’s AmeriCorps model, to provide the labor resources for rehabilitation projects. The newly proposed corps would hit many of the Green New Deal goals by providing jobs to complete projects aimed at rebuilding sustainable ecosystems, creating community resiliency, and building infrastructure for reliable clean energy.
            

In addition to civilian jobs corps, there have been, in recent Congresses, proposed legislation to bolster invasive species response. For example, Senator John Barrasso from Wyoming introduced the Federal Land Invasive Species Control, Prevention, and Management Act in 2017. This bill would have mandated the Secretary of the Interior to draw up plans and set management goals to curb invasive species populations on federal lands in coordination with states, and also set annual funding requirements.
           

Peter Welch, Congressman at Large from Vermont, introduced a bill recently to combine eradication efforts with forest restoration. The aptly named Invasive Species Prevention and Forest Restoration Act seeks to amend the Plant Protection Act, expand emergency authorities for invasive species management, and create grants for forest reclamation. 
           

Both of these introduced pieces of legislation are seeking to strengthen environmental protections, introduced by members of both parties. Framed within the Green New Deal, this could be a chance to bring bi-partisan support to solving long lasting problems.

In Order to Summarize

To sum up, both climate change and invasive species create stress to planet-wide systems. Together they compound the stressors and make recovery much more difficult. They go hand in hand and are causing harm to both industry and quality of life. The estimated damage to infrastructure, economic yields, ecosystems, and contributions to flood and fire disasters is priced in the billions of dollars annually. My policy recommendations are to use the Green New Deal resolution and our already existing legal frameworks to harmonize our enforcement. Our agencies need clear goals, and benchmarks to hit with regards to enforcement. Regulation is meaningless without clear expectations.

Because climate change and invasives are so intertwined, policy must also be intertwined. Biodiversity, economic diversity, sustainability, reducing ecosystem stressors, and reducing economic harm are all goals of the Green New Deal and invasive species management, it makes sense to connect them.

I recommend planting Invasive Species Management firmly in the context of a system stressor influenced by climate change and empowered to do more damage because of climate change. If the Green New Deal recognizes invasive species management as a goal that will help reach other goals in the resolution, policy will benefit from already existing legal and enforcement frameworks created for invasive species management. Invasive task forces and management plans, after all, are blueprints for combating environmental stressors and have bipartisan support, which is something the Green New Deal desperately needs.

The Green New Deal resolution can provide long lasting funding packages allowing the new conservation core the ability to support sustainability programs and ecosystem rehabilitation. The philosophy of the IPM plan can be modified and implemented for climate change rehabilitation.

The Green New Deal can make joining the IMO’s ballast water treaty an executive priority. Both climate change and invasive species are global issues. As a global trade hub, the United States must put itself in a leadership role. The Green New Deal resolves to reach out for international support. Joining an already existing treaty meant to decrease global ecosystem harms seems like a good first step. The two predominant executive orders discussed above make invasive species management priorities across all executive branch departments and agencies. Joining a treaty resolved to uphold these same values should also be an executive priority in keeping with those already existing orders.