For a president who ran on the plank of compromise and incorporating opposing ideas, he sure likes to jam his views through. He did it with Obamacare, and so far, it has cost him and the Democratic Party dearly in collapsing political support. And now, the Guardian obtained a memo indicating that he is apparently going to take the same approach internationally about global warming. From the story:
But the key phrase is in paragraph three where the author writes: “Create a clear understanding of the CA’s [Copenhagen accord’s] standing and the importance of operationalising ALL elements.” This is the clearest signal that the US will refuse to negotiate on separate elements of the controversial accord, but intends to push it through the UN process as a single “take it or leave it” text. The accord is the last-minute agreement reached at the chaotic Copenhagen summit in December. Over 110 countries are now “associated” with the accord but it has not been adopted by the 192-nation UN climate convention. The US has denied aid to some countries that do not support the accord. The “take it or leave it” approach divided countries in Bonn this weekend and alienated most developing countries including China, India and Brazil who want to take parts of the accord to include in the formal UN negotiations...
Last night Jonathan Pershing, lead US negotiator at the Bonn talks, said he “had no knowledge” of the document. But he endorsed one of its key messages. “We are not prepared to see a process go forward in which certain elements are cherry-picked. That was not the agreement we reached in Copenhagen,” he said.
Here’s the thing: If you are going to force your will on others, which has its place, it had better first, be truly imp0rtant, and second, a decision the wisdom of which people will soon come to perceive and support. I think global warming fails on both counts. Indeed, worry about global warming is plummeting along with support for Draconian and binding international standards that would stifle our economies and radically redistribute our wealth.
Besides, even if Obama can jam this thing down the world’s throat in November, a dubious proposition, I don’t think he can do likewise at home. If a Mexico Treaty is agreed to, it will be a treaty that the USA never ratifies—just like Kyoto. I find it amazing that as our economy bleeds out, our president wants to inflict further arterial wounds.
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