na stunning move, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed the re-election of Barack Obama almost solely because of the issue of climate change. In a piece on the Bloomberg news web site, he said that the destruction caused by hurricane Sandy had led him to his decision. He wrote: The floods and fires that swept through our city left a path of destruction that will require years of recovery and rebuilding work. And in the short term, our subway system remains partially shut down, and many city residents and businesses still have no power. In just 14 months, two hurricanes have forced us to evacuate neighborhoods — something our city government had never done before. If this is a trend, it is simply not sustainable. Our climate is changing. And while the increase in extreme weather we have experienced in New York City and around the world may or may not be the result of it, the risk that it might be — given this week's devastation — should compel all elected leaders to take immediate action. Bloomberg has up until now been harshly critical of both candidates, refusing to endorse either. Perhaps more surprisingly, Bloomberg very directly castigates Romney for reversing his position on the topic, saying that his previous stances about climate change were driven by free-market, centrist ideas. He digs up a quote from when Romney was governor of Massachusetts, and signed on to a regional cap-and-trade plan to reduce carbon emissions. " "The benefits (of that plan) will be ...
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