The Climate Satellite Mistake
The new President did not believe in climate change, that it was a weird ruse by woke people to change the economy. He worked to stop green energy, instead promoting oil and coal. The facts were not relevant. What was relevant was what he believed.
His nation had sent into outer space satellites to measure CO2 in the atmosphere, tracking a major cause of global heating. The satellites cost a great deal to build and send up, but cost next to nothing once in place. He shut them down. The President also eviscerated earthquake, tornado and hurricane warning systems.
It was not related to climate change denial, but overall denial. What was important was what you saw and felt when you walked out the door, the President told the public. And he felt fine outside, playing golf. He heard that the climate satellites had been shot down before they could be shut off, but no one saw anything. His denial of facts was a judgemental.
It made the aliens really angry.
They felt what Earthlings were doing to their planet showed a lack of respect for themselves and their extraterrestrial neighbours. And then, when the aliens shot down Earth satellites, Earth did nothing. For the aliens, the denial was a lack of respect. They flew to Washington and met live, on TV, with the new President and his Vice President. The new President criticized the aliens for not wearing proper clothing to the meeting and not providing a gift. The VP complained to them they were ungrateful–for Earth not attacking them and their not appreciating the dainties provided.
The aliens continued to feel a lack of respect.
They could have blasted the Earthlings to dust with their ray guns, but believed you can not force respect. It must be earned. They offered an intergalactic deal, providing Earth with resources. The new President said he would impose tariffs on any foreign goods. The patience of the aliens was finally gone when they saw the gold toilets.
They returned to their space craft and altered the Earth’s climate still more, creating worse extreme weather events. The nation’s cities were flooded, pummeled with ice storms and earthquakes and tornadoes. Because the new President had eroded emergency and health services, many suffered and died. The new President thought, sitting on his gold toilet, all he had to do was apologize. Finally, he and his Vice President met again with the aliens.
“We are really sorry you feel so bad,” he told the aliens. “I will reduce the tariffs and believe we are really terrific friends.” He offered them diet coke and the aliens, finally fed up, went for the ray gun option, hoping his replacement would be an improvement.
His replacement, the former President, was in his eighties and often was not certain what day it was, but he knew how to show respect and compromise.