Thursday, December 13, 2007

W Takes Us Another Step Down: Global Warming

For years the U.S. has been putting the world off on the question of global warming with imprecations to “follow the science”. The science, we have always maintained, did not support the idea that human behaviors were the cause of global warming.

Well, the scientists are now saying loudly and emphatically that there can no longer be any doubt. Humans are the cause of the dramatic acceleration of warming. So now what does the U.S. say? We just say, “NO.”

The world has met in Bali and examined the facts. As a result they have decided that scientists are right when they say we must reduce carbon emission by 25% to 40% of the amounts allowed by the 1990 protocols by 2020. The European Union and even China have agreed to this goal. Only the U.S., Canada and Japan and a few minor suck-up nations are holding out.

Mr. Bush, though, says we won’t go along with such an arbitrarily set goal. In true BushCo fashion he will hold his own meeting in Hawaii next year. He has invited everyone to come, but many will not. Germany has already announced that they won’t come and they are urging the rest of the European nations to stick with them.

Bush’s rationale is that such goals should be negotiated. Well, duh, W they negotiated the new goals at the Bali conference. Why wasn’t he there? Nobody but Bush himself did anything to keep him away, and now his call for negotiations isn’t a true call for dialogue, but a roadblock thrown up to try and stall the process.

The truth is that neither the U.S. nor Canada nor Japan is capable of meeting the 2020 goals because we refused to pare emissions down after the Kyoto Protocols were negotiated. The rest of the world did agree to those protocols so they are well ahead of us in the race to save the planet’s heating and cooling system. If we could just admit that we made a mistake in not recognizing the problem earlier and pledge to do our damnedest to meet the new protocols we would instantly do a great deal to reinstate ourselves as honorable members of the world community.

Would that really be so hard?

It seems that by now even W would be able to perceive that his bullheaded idea of diplomacy comes up a loser every time, but no. . . once again his stubbornness is leading us into unnecessary confrontation with our friends and neighbors around the world. W will stand in one spot and stamp his foot until either somebody pays attention to him or he falls through the floor. Sadly, he’s going to take a lot of us with him when he falls.


Be the change you wish to see in the world. -- M. K. Gandhi


Individually we have little voice. Collectively we cannot be ignored.
But in silence we surrender our power. Yours in Peace -- BR

The reason for going was to keep the crude flowing and raise a false flag abroad. – from a poem by Jack Evans titled 3500 Souls - http://www.myspace.com/paralegal_eagle

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