Down to the wire : confronting climate collapse / David - Index of

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98 politics and governance
assumptions that guided the effort were straightforward. The issue
of climate destabilization is of such overriding importance that he
would have no time for delay and procrastination. The situation
called for quick, decisive, effective, and sustained federal action to
drastically curtail carbon emissions and deploy renewable energy.
On the positive side, an effective energy and climate policy would
lessen other problems pertaining to the economy, security, environment,
and equity.
It is clear, however, that every president from now on will face
many of the same choices, beginning with the question of where
to position climate and energy policy in their larger agenda. If this
or future presidents regard climate policy as just another problem
on a long list of problems, which must therefore compete for
resources, funding, and attention with many other issues and the
crisis du jour, the chances of failure on all counts will be greater. If
a climate and energy policy, however, are permanently regarded as
the linchpin connecting other issues, including policies for security,
economy, environment, and justice, the road ahead will be
a great deal easier, and the chances of coming through the long
emergency with the nation intact will be much higher.
The immediate situation that President Obama faced was rendered
more diffi cult because capacity and morale in many government
departments and agencies had been badly eroded in prior
years. The remedy requires both engaging and retaining talented
and committed people in public service and the adroit remodeling
of the machinery of government. In addition to selecting
members of the cabinet, President Obama made another 7,000 or
so appointments to positions in the federal government, including
400–500 members of the White House staff and 1,200–1,300
in the executive offi ce of the president. As always, the ability to
implement policy of any kind depends in large part on the intellect,
experience, energy, creativity, character, and personal skills of
presidential appointees and White House staff. Beyond administrative
and executive skills, from now on those in such positions