From AP Video:
President Barack Obama is pledging to respond to what he calls “the threat of climate change.” He says that failing to do so would be a betrayal of the nation’s children, and of future generations. (Jan. 21)
Video and comments from Al Gore follows:
WUWT reader Chris Beal sends this in:
Al Gore Wrote Today:
In his second Inaugural address today, President Obama spoke powerfully and eloquently about the critical importance of solving the climate crisis. His forceful commitment to take action will rekindle the hopes of so many that we are at long last approaching the political tipping point, beyond which we will finally start transforming our economy to sharply reduce global warming pollution and safeguard the future.
President Obama Said in his speech today:
Here is the key section of an inspiring speech:
“We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms.”The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries we must claim its promise.”That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks.”
Ref:
http://blog.algore.com/2013/01/inaugural_address.html
UPDATE: Delingpole has a go at this ridiculousness here.
Yep, 23 new coal fired CO2 belching power plants to be built in Germany to help their industry stay competitive. That’s a rapid transition to renewable energy right there.
BillD, as you can see from Jeff’s response to me:
“right now it’s 26 euro cents/kwh (say $ 0.35 US) and they’re bound and
determined to push it up to 30 euro cents ($0.40 US) ”
, we are basically talking about a rough 100% to 200% increase in US electric bills, a doubling or possibly even a tripling. So, would you be happy putting it up for a democratic vote, with a proper estimate of what you meant by “rapid” to the American people? I.E. a vote on the following (following your model above about the Germans):
“Would you be willing to pay double or triple your current electricity electricity bills to achieve a transition to renewable energy over the next 25 years?” (Of course, as part of offering such a vote you’d also have to outline exactly what would be required to FULLY transition and how it would be achieved in just 25 years.
So what say you BillD? Will you stand behind your words? Can you make a start by agreeing or disagreeing as to whether the 25 year period is indeed what you meant by a “rapid transition”? And then, with whatever period you felt was needed, draw a brief outline as to how such a full transition would be implemented within it, and at what additional cost?
After all, that WOULD be the best way to back up your argument, no?
– MJM
With all respect since I’m not American but can someone please explain to me how joining the National Rifle Association will deter your president one iota from his ideologically driven agenda. Unfortunately we all knew this was coming when Mr. Obama was re-elected but I fail to see the connection between the constitutional amendment to own guns and the economy.
Hey, Moe
Look up Holocene Climate Optimum.
We absolutely need to hold innocent the young, the misled, and the billions of the concerned and well-meaning masses who have fallen for this egregious, guilt-driven fraud. I can’t think of anything worse than losing a loved one, and/or a home during Sandy or the like, other than being told by a fundamentalist anti-humanity cult that I contributed to my own loss.
We have an individual duty to bookmark, favourite, favorite, archive and record such issuances as would add to this fraud. By so doing, the names of the perpetrators and their contributions will be made known and available for consideration when wiser counsel prevails.
Such wiser counsel will emerge long before the end of the next 30 years of cooling, which are evidently underway. The smarter amongst the alarmist cohort will be looking for an off ramp about now. The really smart ones will be looking for a supergrass prosecution immunity deal.
As soon as someone says “seize the moment” you know they are talking total bollocks.
Rick says:
January 21, 2013 at 6:37 pm
With all respect since I’m not American but can someone please explain to me how joining the National Rifle Association will deter your president one iota from his ideologically driven agenda. Unfortunately we all knew this was coming when Mr. Obama was re-elected but I fail to see the connection between the constitutional amendment to own guns and the economy.
————————-
Opinions expressed herein are solely mine scantily researched opinions spoken ex cathedra from my belly button, but I’ll have a stab at it. I’m not a political scientist and I’ve never played one on TV.
A lot of the power of a U.S. President rides on his popularity. If public opinion is overwhelmingly with him, Congress fears to oppose his agenda, as House seats are up for votes every couple of years and voters may punish Congressmen by voting them out. If public opinion is overwhelmingly against him, Congress can defy the President’s agenda without much fear of reprisal come re-election time, in fact it becomes a boost.
It ~looks like~ his reaction to the shootings at Sandy Hook has already cost the President in the poles. It’s also hard to know if it’s going to stick, but it looks like his approval rating took a hit recently for his stand on this, for example see (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_history).
So – I think the idea is, rally under the strongest banner that the President opposes, and maybe the rift becomes massive enough to affect the public perception of the President’s popularity, and therefore his political power (there are too many P words in this sentence my god this is like a parody of V for Vendetta). Again, just my thoughts.
It is simply a case of task over load. The more energy he and his allies have to pour into his anti-gun agenda, the less other stuff he can accomplish. Sort of the best defense is a good offense strategy. Force him to focus on the gun issue and he will have less time and energy to focus on other destructive agendas. In this case he may have bitten off more than he can chew, so it would be useful to make the chewing as difficult as possible.
With that said, I am of the opinion that the recent rush to judgement on guns and the associated political maneuvering could also be a distraction and misdirection (as they say with magicians, what is the other hand doing?)
The NRA is one of the few groups which is so singly focused that it can make or break political careers for Representatives and Senators who stray too far from the intent of the constitution.
It is also one of the few organizations that can mobilize a huge public response on single issues.
To use the global warming jargon, the behavior of elected officials with regard to one of our most fundamental constitutional protections, is a good proxy for how “loose” they are with the interpretation of other principles of government like the idea that the Federal government is only granted 16 enumerated powers. Any activity that steps outside those enumerated powers is arguably illegal and unconstitutional.
Yes I realize that some of those ventures outside the enumerated powers were sanctioned by the Supreme Court but the Supreme Court has changed its view on other matters over time as well. What many forget is that the Supreme Court only decides very narrow elements of the law as presented by a specific test case brought to the court.
A good example is the recent court decisions which finally explicitly stated that the right to keep and bear arms as specified in the second amendment is an individual right not a group right belonging to the militia. Of course many in the anti-gun crowd ignore the fact that under current U.S. Federal law all adult males between the age of 17 and 45 are in the militia by law.
The similarities between the two propaganda campaigns is striking. A case could be made that the two agendas are actually part and parcel of the same effort to change the entire structure of our country.
Larry
jorgekafkazar says:
January 21, 2013 at 1:50 pm
Supposedly (I can’t find what words he said in the media) Obama just said something like: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Here’s a man who has just sworn to defend the Constitution. How many days will it take for him to resume his attack on the Constitution? Or how many hours? Impeachment is our only hope to remain free.
————-
No way.
You’re kidding, right?
Try saying this out loud…………..
President Biden
cn
This is the strategy of distraction. A mere pea and shell game for this president to distract the teaming masses and low information voters from the real problems:
8% unemployment 4 plus years.
13% under-employment
Record permanent disability claims
Record food stamp recipients
16 Trillion in debt and counting
Gasoline in the $3.50 range
Food at 10% inflation
The Middle East with more armed conflicts to count on two hands and one world super power awol.
So he distracts with Gay issues
Then abortion
Then with guns
Now with Climate
Soon with amnesty
All pet projects to placate his core constituents who actually write the news, and teach our children.
I am not taking the bait this time.
To the good folks that provide content and meaningful responses on this site:
Keep the science in his face and remember the issue of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming ranks dead last on a list of American’s priorities.
Soon enough the middle class is not going to accept the table scraps that fall from the plates of our well fed politicians. Not to be sarcastic but the current policies of this administration are just not sustainable.
I agree whole heartedly with him. And for good measure I say, ‘No more vacations to Hawaii Mr. Obama, until that Air Force One of yours (ok, the taxpayers’) is solar powered.’
Another 4 years of dramatic pauses as President Zero try’s to catch up with the teleprompter. In 4 more years the fundamental job of wreaking the American economy will be accomplished. Binders full of bankrupt and broken people all waving free Obama phones. He warned us and we let it happen. What a world!!!
God protect us from demagoguery!
Has anyone worked out how much it costs,to make these wind mills and solar panels?
…don’t say I didn’t warn you. He has to pay for Obama-Care somehow….Carbon Tax, here we come.
The Ghost Of Big Jim Cooley says:
January 21, 2013 at 1:03 pm
A little OT, but here in England, we have taken a distinct disliking to Obama of late. He is ‘suggesting’ to our PM that we “must” stay in the EU. Whether one is in favour of that or not, we don’t take too kindly to someone who has an obvious disdain for Britain (due to his own family’s history) poking their nose in where it isn’t required. Amusingly, it seems to have had the opposite effect to the one he may of wanted. Some think that if he believes we should be in the EU then maybe it’s time we were out!
=====================================================
Along those same lines, I was listening to the news coverage of the innaugural events today (not being a supporter of President Obama) and I heard someone (Mariah Carey maybe) singing a version of an old American patriotic song called “My country tis of thee”, which can only be described as a one fingered salute to the English.
Growing up in the US, I was taught this song in primary school (ages 6 through 12). I only learned that the music it was set to was “God Save the Queen” watching a TV series called “Black Sheep Squadron” at about 13 yrs old. An Aussie island watcher in the pacific, on this particular episode would raise the Union Jack and play it on his record player every morning.
You know that as an official Presidential event there had to be people there representing the UK, how anyone could OK that particular song to be added is just the height of incompetence ….. or something far worse.
TB
I really don’t know how long America can survive concurrent and protracted wars against: taxpayers, entrepreneurs, business, savings, sound monetary policy, balanced budgets, US Constitution, free markets, Capitalism, balance of trade surpluses, gold standards higher interest rates, the US$, freedom, logic, reason and the truth….
Warming temperatures? Not for 16 years and soon to be 17 years.
More severe weather? Not for past 100 years.
Wildfires? Not so much, but also caused by stupid EPA laws limiting/prohibiting controlled burns.
Droughts? At historic 100-yr averages.
If BHO wants to attain 100% CHEAP/sustainable energy independence AND reduced CO2 emissions (a red herring), all he has to do is have the EPA/NRC establish the rules, regulations, approval process and building codes for Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors (LFTRs) and he’d have a legacy that would last for generations with NO up-front costs. The private sector would provide all the money necessary to develop and build LFTRs once the green light was given.
All we are saaaaaaaaaying,
Is give truth a chance…..
BillD says: “I’ve been impressed by the Germans from right to left and left to right being willing to pay more more for electricity to achieve a rapid transition to renewable energy.”
Germans are easily fooled.
BillD says:
January 21, 2013 at 2:17 pm
“I’ve been impressed by the Germans from right to left and left to right being willing to pay more more for electricity to achieve a rapid transition to renewable energy. The fact that Germany doesn’t have much in the way of fossil fuel companies that are paying to confuse is probably the reason why Germans of all political persuasions seem to favor action on reducing green house gases while the USA is mired in confusion and debate.
”
I’m German and you’re wrong.
The FIT scheme was introduced in 1999 by a Red-Green government and started out neat and cute and small and cheap. Well, exponential growth has turned it into a 20 bn EUR a year devouring monster and everyone complains about the electricity bills.
Still, we have the same problem as the US : two major ultra-statist parties, SPD left and CDU right, heck the CDU was it that brought the Euro upon us, how’s that for fiscal responsibility. I was actually voting for Schroeder (left) in 1999 because I wanted to get rid of Kohl who was an unmitigated fiscal [disaster].
So what next? Well prepare for economic collapse; Japan will go first, followed by the US; Germany has outsourced the collapse to the PIIGS where it already happens so the fatherland might go last.
The economic collapses are of course the result of ultra-statism; the FIT tariffs are just ONE smaller catastrophe caused by the statists.
Sparks says:
January 21, 2013 at 3:49 pm
“Charles.U.Farley says:
January 21, 2013 at 1:14 pm
“So an idiot really can be president.”
You can’t call a man an Idiot for what he believes.”
If he has idiotic believes, one can.
That being said, I don’t think Obama is an idiot. I don’t think he has idiotic believes. I think he believes in nothing but his own enrichment and the enrichment of his cronies. He won’t tell you that candidly, though.
I think he’s simply the biggest and most successful crook around. Just like Hitler who spend his first 4 years in power robbing the country blind and enjoying high times at the Obersalzberg.
He eventually prepared for war because the economy started to fail. And went to rob neighbouring countries blind.
@ur momisugly Pamela Grey “Though you may abore guns and the killing of animals, though you may be a vegetarian, though you may be no fan of the late Charelton Heston, please consider joining the NRA. As a political entity it may have the chops to derail this out of control speeding train bound for hell. I joined yesterday.”
Please allow me to respectfully disagree. First, I actually am a vegetarian (for the last 44 years) and a non-hunter, non-fisher. I do not believe in aggression (though I do strongly support self defense.) I am philosophically Buddhist. When your car breaks down at 3:00AM in the middle of nowhere, I am exactly the sort of person whom you hope will stop to help.
I was a member of the NRA about twenty years ago, but dropped out. Why? Because they are too wishy-washy, too weak in their support of our right to self defense. This may surprise you (what with me being a non-aggressive, peaceful vegetarian and all) but having read a LOT of history and considered the nature of our individual rights and of our self evident self-ownership, I am something of an extremist in my support of our right to bear arms. I support the right of any man, woman or responsible child (no, I am not kidding) to defend themselves. I would even include felons who have finished their sentences.
If you would, please take a few minutes to read L. Neil Smith’s essay on the subject: http://www.lneilsmith.org/
The problem with the NRA (and forgive me if I am twenty years out of date. Who knows, perhaps they have changed their stance.) is that while they sorta, kinda, somewhat support our right to keep and bear arms, they still think that it is a privilege, an action open to governmental regulation and license. When I was still a member, I read their magazines and kept seeing articles saying that “We don’t need new gun laws, we just need to enforce the (50,000) laws already on the books!” Laws like waiting periods, background checks, permit fees, special taxes, special licenses, etc. Sorry, but that is not good enough. My right to keep and bear arms is inherent in my nature as a human and the government SHALL NOT infringe it. Not a bit. Not their business. Not their decision. Those so-and-so’s in DC have no authority, none!, to tell me what I can eat, who I can marry, what religion I should believe… or whether I am allowed to defend myself and my family. A defenseless population is the final step before slavery.
So, if not the NRA, then who? Look at some of the more adamant supporters of the Second Amendment. Check out Gun Owners of America. http://gunowners.org/ Check out Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership http://jpfo.org/ No organization is perfect, but those two are better, in my opinion.
Sorry if I shock you or sound like an extremist. Just think of me as passionate on the subject, but please, consider the nature of the sociopaths who are drawn to Washington, consider what they have already done to our liberties. They are not trustworthy. They cannot be compromised with. Until the NRA REALLY supports the Second Amendment, and not just some watered down version of it, consider sending your money to another organization.
Jason Calley. But the law (government, the people) already tell you what you can and can’t do – and you accept that! You cannot have multiple wives, you cannot abuse your own child, you cannot be cruel to your dog. I don’t know if you have similar laws to us here in England, but you cannot even indulge in ‘depraved’ but consensual sexual acts with other people. So you see, you DO accept laws and rules that impinge your life, so what’s the difference with guns? There is no difference. I’m a vegetarian too – 29 years. I believe in non-aggression, non-violence, and I too believe in self defence. But guns can and do kill, Jason. In your country, very often! When the law banning guns came into effect here in England, I was against it. I now see I was wrong. Gun crime here is very rare (outside of drug gangs), and that has got to be because you can’t get one! I’m 100% certain that if we could all bear arms here in England then we’d have a very sad, and very large, list of depressing multi-kill incidents. I know so many Americans disagree, but it really is time you looked at your right to bear arms and see what it has achieved. It has brought only misery and heartbreak. It hasn’t made you more ‘free’. The US isn’t any more a democracy than the UK. Your political representatives do as they and their party want, not what you want – just like here.
A small device, able to propel a piece of metal at a high velocity, and to instantly kill, is too dangerous to let people own. If guns were invented this week, you can be damn sure that no government anywhere would allow their people to own one. Think about it – it really is as simple as that.
Oh here we go again, sounds like a speech written by the uber-rich at the Environmental Defense Fund. Sham democracy is the super rich preferred method of control. They also basically groom the candidates, own the media and pay the talking heads.
Look, Obama is just a pawn. There is no Illuminati or folks like the Astors, Carnegies and Hapsburgs would still be in power. So who has it now? Gates, Krupps, Rothschilds, Walton’s and some others. I’m $ure you can think of more. Sam Rawlins Walton is on the board of directors of EDF for heavens sake. His grandfather, Samuel Moore “Sam” Walton gave orders to politicians and world bankers instead of taking them. Hillary was on ‘his’ board of directors and I could go on and on blah, blah, blah…
It would be no different if Mitt had won, as far as fighting climate change (their main concern) goes, just done more secretly. They’ll talk a good line if teabaggers votes leads to success. But when push comes to shove, money does the deal. 501 c 4 contributors rule our world.
Okay, that’s it. Ttyl
Oh, Pamela, you certainly are not a Neanderthal flat earther, you have a beautiful thinkolator.
Winning the capital prize in a lottery is certainly an extreme event. In my country this happens every month somewhere. To connect these extreme events with something else than a random number generator, seems to me plain superstition. I thought that the recent turn into weather extremes only marked the bankruptcy of climate science.
Moe says:
January 21, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Thank God a leader listens to the professionals and not opinion writers on blogs. Finally we can get down and do something meaningful about the changing climate.
Gareth replies: well said Moe, it’s hearing a President speak and act like Obama which inspires me as a European to fight anti-American prejudice whenever I hear it. The world will always recall how close the US came to electing a man who while being a useful politician, hailed from a party held ransom by a small percentage of far right Conservatives who would have inflicted substantial damage on the US and ultimately the west. Obama may not be perfect, but the alternative result does not bear thinking about. Climate change is real, however it is caused, and some effects are pretty drastic. This is not a problem we can solve by providing more guns and cutting taxes. If we cannot influence climate change we need to adapt, and it will be great to see President Obama take a lead on that.