It’s no longer a surprise that the former Massachusetts governor who once pledged to close an old coal-fired power plant because “that plant kills people” now condemns President Obama’s clean air standards and pledges all-out exploitation of our coal, oil, and gas resources, health and environmental safeguards be damned.  

 But this part of Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech last night did surprise me – and, yes, shock me:    

President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet. MY promise…is to help you and your family.

Romney’s task, many pundits said, was to show us his heart.  With these words, he told us a lot about his head and his heart. 

In the first sentence Romney simultaneously denies the reality of climate change and shows that he couldn’t care less. 

And the second sentence is an appalling values proposition:  Romney pits caring for the planet against caring for your family. 

This summer’s extraordinary extreme weather should be enough to show anyone that carbon-fueled climate change is a direct threat to American families.   

My gosh, has Romney forgotten the great drought already?  The wildfires out West?  Has he forgotten Hurricane Isaac even before the storm is over? 

American families are suffering this year from drought and floods, fires and storms. 

It’s not a choice between saving the planet and caring for our families.  We care about saving the planet because we want to save our families today, and our kids and grandkids tomorrow, from ever-worsening heat, drought, and weather extremes.  It’s for them that we must curb the carbon pollution that’s driving climate change.

Our families, our children, and our grandchildren cannot afford a president who has so callously sold himself to the coal and oil barons who bankroll Republican politicians these days.