GOP Plots Global Climate Pact Attack

[Attorney in Texas]

Source: Politico

Top Republican lawmakers are planning a wide-ranging offensive — including outreach to foreign officials by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office — to undermine President Barack Obama's hopes of reaching an international climate change agreement that would cement his environmental legacy. ... A top policy aide to McConnell (R-Ky.) has had conversations with a select group of representatives from foreign embassies to make it clear that Republicans intend to fight Obama's climate agenda at every turn, sources familiar with the efforts say.... He has had conversations with officials representing both developed and developing countries. Environment & Energy Publishing first reported on his efforts.

McConnell himself warned foreign leaders last spring to "proceed with caution before entering into a binding, unattainable deal” with Obama, noting that "two-thirds of the U.S. federal government" — Congress and the Supreme Court — hasn't signed off on the president's plans.

Republicans have no direct way of interfering with December's climate summit in Paris, and Obama's domestic climate strategy relies almost entirely on executive branch regulations that don't require Congress' approval. But the resistance could threaten to gum up progress in carrying out Obama's policies, making it easier to undo them if the GOP retakes the White House in 2016.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/gop-congress-climate-pact-paris-213382#ixzz3l4ZFGoas

[BadGimp]

1. This takes their undermining of the President to a new Low/Level

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. It's not just the president they're undermining - it's the world's future

Imagine what future generations are going to think of them - not just people who didn't know enough about climate change, but people shown all the evidence, and who then conspired to block any action, for the sake of that year's fossil fuel dividend.

[tclambert]

20. Yes, but they are protecting oil companies.

The fossil fuel industries see admitting the existence of global warming as a threat to their existence. Rightly so. If the public accepts that burning fossil fuels could lead to a climate catastrophe, we will want to decrease our use of fossil fuels. The fact is, we need to get to the point where oil companies sell less than 10% of the oil they sell today. The oil industry is fighting for its life. They do that by buying politicians.

The oil companies know they are doomed. Our problem is they want to delay their own doom as long as they can, and risk dooming everybody else. Maybe they already have. If we stopped using fossil fuels this minute, the CO2 now in the air will continue to raise the Earth's surface temperature for decades. Then it will stabilize at a higher equilibrium temperature for about a thousand years, unless we work hard to pull carbon out of the air and put it somewhere else.

Fossil fuel companies try to portray any efforts to counter climate change as a threat to the economy. Any such efforts would likely stimulate the larger economy, but would destroy the economy of fossil fuel companies. It seems like some people still think whatever is good for Exxon Mobil is good for America. That really stopped being true (if it ever was) in 1973.

[brooklynite]

2. Because interfering in foreign policy worked out so well?

[jtuck004]

3. Might be a good time to identify Republicans that live near beaches, in the South.

They will be swimming to their meetings soon, and should prepare.

[Hortensis]

9. They'll swim proudly and virtuously, knowing they're the finger in the liberal hole in the dike.

[Hulk]

14. They are all wealthy enough to buy homes on the hill.

These low life sons-of-biotches couldn't care less about the welfare of their constituents nor the country. They are simply out to stop anything this President promotes.

Fact is, they'll be well away from the beaches when the oceans rise and wash away the land of the peasants. Castles on the hill.

[jtuck004]

16. 1 quick note. Given that home ownership in our new poverty, now with home ownership back to '65,

we have moved decades of wealth earned by workers to the bank$ter/donors of both parties.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/111671372

So they own not only the ones on the hill but the ones at sea level.

The ones at sea level are where labor earns the wealth they steal. If it is covered with water they will have to die, because their only other alternative is to plant rice and work. That won't happen.

It is in their best interests to cooperate with us. It is in our best interests to gather together and compel them to whether they want to or not.

Them and Us.

[november3rd]

4. McConnell and the Supreme Court

Our saviors in the "War on Coal!"

[AgingAmerican]

5. I have been saying for years

That the GOP is a suicide cult

[Dont call me Shirley]

6. And when aren't the GOP planning some kind of attack on the earth or humans?!

[Herman4747]

7. short-sighted, selfish fools nt

[tclambert]

21. The alien commander in "Plan 9 from Outer Space" got it right.

[Fred Sanders]

8. I remember when the GOP were going to attack and resist the Iran peace deal with equal insanity.

Once again it is the firmly upheld religious and corporate beliefs, all firmly debunked and proven to be lies, of the GOP political cult versus the world.

[pampango]

10. No surprise. They don't believe in international cooperation or in climate change.

These negotiations combine both of their 'disbeliefs' into one.

[drm604]

11. They must really hate this country.

They're intentionally doing everything they can to undermine our credibility with the rest of the world. "Don't make any agreements with the US because you can't trust us to keep to any of them!"

Like everything else they do, this is stupid and shortsighted. They may get what they want short term but they'll undermine any future ability to enter international agreements, and that will hurt us long term.

[PSPS]

12. "...if the GOP retakes the White House in 2016."

Republicans have no direct way of interfering with December's climate summit in Paris, and Obama's domestic climate strategy relies almost entirely on executive branch regulations that don't require Congress' approval. But the resistance could threaten to gum up progress in carrying out Obama's policies, making it easier to undo them if the GOP retakes the White House in 2016.

1. This isn't really news, let alone breaking news. All proposals coming from Obama get this treatment.

2. Despite all the doubt being sown by the ratings-driven ad-profit-driven corporate/state media, the GOP won't be "retaking the White House" for a very, very long time. Only the younger among us might live to see that happen.

[Hulk]

13. ZERO chance of losing the White House

I knew this would grab some reads. I know, I know..there is always a chance those m-fook'rs would do something to steal the White House again; but the fact is it's very unlikely, even with Clinton in the dust storm the reich wing has created over this stupid email nada.

Honest to God, have the repuKKKes done ANYTHING for the good of this country in the last 35+ years? I can't think of it. Worthless ass holes.

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Heaven Help Us

I could have some respect if they wanted to go slow, or acknowledged
there is a problem but wanted the private sector to solve it, but in this
case many corporations are far out ahead of the GOP on climate change.

What a do-nothing Congress, McConnell is such a blockhead.

[ananda]

18. Really?

Reeps are living in cloud cuckooland if they believe
that foreign officials are as stupid as they are.

Sheesh.

[onehandle]

19. I see no reason for the GOP to exist any longer. They are the enemy of man.

If this was the Middle-East, foreign powers would be targeting them with drones.

[SmittynMo]

22. How can this be legal?

Sure sounds like treason to me.

This is yet another example of why the GOP isn't even in the ball park with Trump. None of the others have a prayer in hell of winning against Trump.

People in this country are sick and tired of all the bullshit of the current GOP establishment. More obstruction? Lies, Lies, and protect the almighty coal dollar, at all expenses to humanity. It's sickening. Why can't we nail them and Cotton on treason?

[orange you glad]

23. This assumes there WILL be a climate agreement

Personally, I'm not optimistic.

Republicans are traitors, though, regardless.