Journalist Forrest Wilder Reports on Texas Wildfires, Severe Drought and Climate Change

DemocracyNow.org - Texas Gov. Rick Perry was back on the campaign trail at last night's Republican presidential debate, where he questioned the science behind human-caused global warming. On Wednesday, Perry announced he was returning home to focus on a historic wildfire season in which some 3.6 million acres have burned — an area larger than the size of Connecticut. Perry has used the crisis to complain the federal government is not acting fast enough to assist firefighters, but critics have been quick to note the governor has slashed the budget for the Texas Forest Service, the first line of fire defense for most of the state. The wildfires come amidst a record drought. The state has seen its driest consecutive months since record-keeping began in 1895, and the impact on the state's agricultural industry has been devastating. Democracy Now! speaks with Forrest Wilder, reporter with The Texas Observer. His latest article on this is "Texas' Permanent Drought: Our water deficit didn't start with this drought. And it won't end with this drought."

For the complete transcript, to download the podcast, or for additional reports on Democracy Now! about extreme weather and climate change, visit http://www.democracynow.org/

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• amy goodman
• democracy now
• dn
• news
• politics
• juan gonzalez
• rick perry
• climate change
• global warming
• gop debate
• mitt romney
• drought
• wildfire

[MrBushlied]

God hates holy rollers. That's why he answered my prayer to turn Texan holy rollers into holy raisins and not theirs for rain. If Texans want rain to end their drought, they must worship the fire goddess Pele by ripping out Rick Perry's heart and throwing it into Pele's sacred flame whilst still beating. Once Pele's thirst has been quenched, so shall Texas thirst be quenched.

[Tunnelfish2]

I wonder how many of Perry's contemporaries who were talking denying help for hurricane Irene's victims are now rooting to get help for him.

[bluehoneycomb]

So, trusting science is non-sense, but putting America's economic future in the hands of prayer makes perfect sense!

[dwdeclare]

screw ranchers. feedlots and the raising of cattle is part of the problem of climate change. maybe once people actually start to give a damn about the other creatures we share the planet with, instead of viewing them as merely objects to exploit for the greatest financial gain, ecological systems won't collapse all around us.

[dermagrafa]

Like it or not, He is right...



[GingerSpice94]

The situation is disastrous! Texans need NOT to vote for governor Perry in the next election!