From: "Macdonald Stainsby" <mstainsby@resist.ca>
— By Bill McKibben
Fri Dec. 18, 2009
The President of the United States did several things in his agreement
today with China, India, and South Africa:
* He blew up the United Nations. The idea that theres a world community
that means something has disappeared tonight. The clear point is, you
poor nations can spout off all you want on questions like human rights
or the role of women or fighting polio or handling refugees, but when
you get too close to the things that count —the fossil fuel that's at
the center of our economy— you can forget about it. We're not
interested. You're a bother, and when you sink beneath the waves we
don't want to hear much about it. The dearest hope of the American right
for fifty years was essentially realized because in the end coal is at
the center of America's economy. We'd already done this with war and
peace, and now we've done it with global warming. What exactly is the
point of the UN now?
* He formed a league of super-polluters, and would-be super polluters.
China, the US, and India dont want anyone controlling their use of coal
in any meaningful way. It is a coalition of foxes who will together
govern the henhouse. It is no accident that the targets are weak to
nonexistent. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves with
targets, he said. Indeed. And now imagine what this agreement will look
like with the next Republican president.
* He demonstrated the kind of firmness and resolve that Americans like
to see. It will play well politically at home and that will be the worst
part of the deal. Having spurned Europe and the poor countries of the
world, he will reap domestic political benefit. George Bush couldn't
have done this because the reaction would have been too great. Obama has
taken the mandate that progressives worked their hearts out to give him,
and used it to gut the ideas that progressives have held most dear. The
ice caps won't be the only things we lose with this deal.
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From: Wolfgang's Vault
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 10:57 AM
Subject: Concert Vault Weekend - December 18, 2009
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