Category Archives: Letters

Correspondence with local candidate about climate crisis, flooding

This is from my correspondence with a Flagler county local candidate discussing business cards, the climate crisis, sea level rise, flooding, and the 27–9–3 rule that suggests brief, parsimonious political messaging.

I went with 1,000 one-sided cards at Staples for $19.99. I think they turned out nice.

Yes, the king tides in Miami Beach are bad as well… there are some houses along a road in the Keys that may have to be abandoned as the cost is too high to elevate the road. A recent News-Journal piece noted that Daytona Beach is narrower than in past decades due to 9 inches of sea level rise since 1992. Of course South Florida is the most vulnerable but the Tampa Bay area is rapidly building up in vulnerable areas too. We don’t want to end up like Wuhan, China, paving over all our wetlands leading to disastrous recurring flooding. Old timers bought and built on high ground… newer developments are in low areas that would flood even without climate change and it will only get worse as climate change brings more severe weather, harsher rain (e.g., Hurricane Florence), and so forth. Many homeowners in Gotha, Florida recently experienced unexplained disastrous flooding even though they aren’t in a flood zone.

I don’t know about this 27–9–3 rule. It’s important to get attention, boil things down, and even over-promise to build up a movement behind you, but sometimes deep dives are helpful too, particularly for potential voters who are more inquisitive and highly educated. Who knows—they may end up being a catalyst to get many other people to vote for you, too.

I will see you at future meetings and events!

Good night,
Richard