The Sheriff of Nottingham once said... absolutely nothing.

Similarly, last week President Trump signed an executive order… passing construction on the Keystone XL Pipeline and I’m disgusted due to scientific evidence forecasting negative side-effects from this decision, for generations to come. But why? And as an American civilian I believe that this event took place because conservatives in office feel increasingly marginalized by their very own government. How else do you explain our nation’s leaders acting in such a disregard for climate science? And in a country of nearly 350 million people where some of our culture is eroding and forming, “a new America,” it’s not uncommon for many Americans to feel increasingly ignored by American politics. But due to this sentiment, “that culture is eroding,” either through; music, politics, or even sometimes education, I believe that many of our leaders seem to be lashing out this month through legislation such as the Keystone XL Pipeline. Furthermore… conservatives in particular… seem to be acting out in this way despite overwhelming FACTS regarding climate change.

This period of American history is uniquely challenging for many people and in many ways. On one hand, while Millennials will point to the fallacy of land development opposing Baby Boomers will continue to leverage markets in their own favor instead pointing out the negative consequences of cultural assimilation. This is the Baby Boomer’s legacy. (See also; NCAA pay structures, 2001 mortgage crisis and/or suicide rates.)

What was it about Donald Trump that landed him in America’s highest office? Was it the man himself? Was it his platform? Or was it a prior generation that felt increasingly marginalized by an ever changing America? It’s hard to say but one thing is for certain… Donald Trump is our President, today.

So what are, “silent majorities? And furthermore, how does our democracy deal with these, “grey areas,” of modern American politics? For example; America has adopted big pharmaceuticals in opposition to, “the war on drugs,” yet… in many ways this has gone on without any leader or politician formally expressing this policy to the media. Whereby, this type of legislation is often pushed forward by, “silent majorities,” or groups who are now enabling a pharmaceutical drug revolution in opposition to street drug dealers without anything being said publicly. Which is to say that everyone might not see what’s going on but they can feel it. And for me personally, this means one thing, this means that now more than ever Americans must call on our very own government to push forward transparency both domestically and abroad.

But this circumstance is particularly true in regards to issues such as the Keystone XL Pipeline where this legislation has long term negative side effects and mild short term gains. So, specifically, I think that we as Americans have to stop letting, "the silent majorities," win and put a face and a name to these decisions. And should Donald Trump's legacy be attached to the Keystone Pipeline or his entire political party?

Donald Trump won a fair election; not because of his skin but because he wasn’t afraid to say how he felt about these issues but decisions such as this should be attached to a name and a family's legacy.

And despite the current sentiments surrounding Mr. Trump’s presidency signing off on the Keystone XL Pipeline marked a turning point in American politics. Nevertheless, I now believe that because legislation of this sort… signals an era where the American mass media has grown eerily over-sensitive to unpopular opinion, the media may be all but lost to corporate agenda's and name-less financiers. Furthermore, in effect this allows corporate America to pervade Washington through grassroots bias and in many ways this sole act of approving Keystone stands in the face of America’s future because now leadership isn’t even voicing their beliefs and opinions for the public to confront but instead they're simply manipulating the media.

Whereby, in this way and despite overwhelming scientific data... once again the federal government has acted with a total disregard for climate science and the American public. So, where we used to call this system of government a, "democracy," I find that these decisions have grown overwhelmingly unpopular at the grassroots level which is not indicative of a, "democracy," at all.

-William Larsen