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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Bill Clinton: “We Just Have to Slow Down Our Economy” to Fight Global Warming

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Former President Bill Clinton was in Denver, Colorado, stumping for his wife yesterday.

In a long, and interesting speech, he characterized what the U.S. and other industrialized nations need to do to combat global warming this way: “We just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ‘cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.”

At a time that the nation is worried about a recession is that really the characterization his wife would want him making? “Slow down our economy”?

I don’t really think there’s much debate that, at least initially, a full commitment to reduce greenhouse gases would slow down the economy….So was this a moment of candor?

He went on to say that his the U.S.—and those countries that have committed to reducing greenhouse gases—could ultimately increase jobs and raise wages with a good energy plan..

So there was something of a contradiction there.

Or perhaps he mis-spoke.

Or perhaps this characterization was a description of what would happen if there isn’t a worldwide effort…I’m not quite certain.

You can watch that one clip HERE or you can watch the whole speech at the website of ABC News’ great Denver affiliate KMGH by clicking HERE.

It’s worth watching—he also pushed back against a 9/11 conspiracy theorist heckling him.

“Everybody knows that global warming is real,” Mr. Clinton said, giving a shout-out to Al Gore’s Nobel Peace Prize, “but we cannot solve it alone.”

“And maybe America, and Europe, and Japan, and Canada—the rich counties—would say, ‘OK, we just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ‘cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.’ We could do that.

“But if we did that, you know as well as I do, China and India and Indonesia and Vietnam and Mexico and Brazil and the Ukraine, and all the other countries will never agree to stay poor to save the planet for our grandchildren. The only way we can do this is if we get back in the world’s fight against global warming and prove it is good economics that we will create more jobs to build a sustainable economy that saves the planet for our children and grandchildren. It is the only way it will work.

“And guess what? The only places in the world today in rich countries where you have rising wages and declining inequality are places that have generated more jobs than rich countries because they made a commitment we didn’t. They got serious about a clean, efficient, green, independent energy future… If you want that in America, if you want the millions of jobs that will come from it, if you would like to see a new energy trust fund to finance solar energy and wind energy and biomass and responsible bio-fuels and electric hybrid plug-in vehicles that will soon get 100 miles a gallon, if you want every facility in this country to be made maximally energy efficient that will create millions and millions and millions of jobs, vote for her. She’ll give it to you. She’s got the right energy plan.”

[...]

(Which begs the question—does she want to slow down the economy?)


The Chief Leftie finally comes out of the closet and reveals the real leftie agenda behind the global warming propaganda: worldwide socialism. Who would have guessed it?

Comments

Darnit.  Robert beat me to the story.  Sorry!


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on January 31, 2008 at 10:07 am
Avatar for Steven Earl Salmony

Is Bill Clinton the only person on the planet prepared to talk openly about a real global issue, one that is ominously looming before humanity on the far horizon?

What I find surpirsing is this: even though Bill Clinton has “stepped it up” by talking about the need to slow the global economy—given its leviathan scale and, perhaps, soon to become unsustainable growth rate—there remains one problem, the proverbial “mother” of all global challenges, about which Republicans and Democrats, the self-proclaimed Masters of the Universe and ordinary people, the corporatists and environmentalists, leaders and followers remain in virtually total denial.... trenchantly unwilling to discuss openly:

OVERPOPULATION ISSUE OVERLOOKED BY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/topstories/269259

THE CAPITAL TIMES, Madison, WI
Rob Zaleski — 1/25/2008

Thanks for your attention. Comments are invited.

Steven Earl Salmony on February 3, 2008 at 07:39 am
Avatar for John Corbett

The claim that Bill Clinton wants to slow the economy to prevent global warming is intellectually dishonest, considering that the full context of his quote shows he was arguing exactly the opposite point:

“And maybe America, and Europe, and Japan, and Canada — the rich counties [sic] — would say, “OK, we just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ’cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.” We could do that. But if we did that, you know as well as I do, China and India and Indonesia and Vietnam and Mexico and Brazil and the Ukraine, and all the other countries will never agree to stay poor to save the planet for our grandchildren. The only way we can do this is if we get back in the world’s fight against global warming and prove it is good economics that we will create more jobs to build a sustainable economy that saves the planet for our children and grandchildren. It is the only way it will work.”

John Corbett on February 3, 2008 at 11:53 am

The only way we can do this is if we get back in the world’s fight against global warming and prove it is good economics that we will create more jobs to build a sustainable economy that saves the planet for our children and grandchildren.

It’s a fraud.  It’d be as honest as saying we have to all fight against the Martians.

Because of that it’s economically unsound.  There’s no viable theory to claim that spending money to combat a lie is good for anyone.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on February 3, 2008 at 12:01 pm

JC: He advocated it, then said it wouldn’t work.  Then, he concocted some fantasy about how we could all work together to “fight” global warming(which doesn’t exist, btw) without damaging the economy, with no facts to support that fantasy.
As usual, it is Mr Clinton who is being dishonest.


If you don’t know by now, don’t mess with it.

robert108 on February 3, 2008 at 12:04 pm

Clinton is living in fantasy-land.

The whole speech was filled with contradictions.

It’s worth noting that not a single one of the countries that signed Kyoto, have met their targets.

Why? The impact on the economy.


“To love is not to stare steadfast at one another...it is to look forward, in the same direction.”
Saint-Exupéry

laydownSally on February 3, 2008 at 12:38 pm

Why? The impact on the economy.

Or, maybe the entire paradigm is wrong.


If you don’t know by now, don’t mess with it.

robert108 on February 3, 2008 at 12:54 pm

Or, maybe the entire paradigm is wrong.

I agree.

My point was that even having bought into this line of BS, they can’t live up to an unrealistic agreement.


“To love is not to stare steadfast at one another...it is to look forward, in the same direction.”
Saint-Exupéry

laydownSally on February 3, 2008 at 01:29 pm

My point was that even having bought into this line of BS, they can’t live up to an unrealistic agreement.

Too right.  Unfortunately, it is rare for the collectivists to admit their stuff doesn’t work; instead they rationalize that it only failed because not everyone was “on board” or that “the right people haven’t tried it yet”.


If you don’t know by now, don’t mess with it.

robert108 on February 3, 2008 at 01:34 pm
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