President Obama Just Transferred ANOTHER $500 Million to the UN Green Fund

obama_un

Guest essay by Eric Worrall

Back in March WUWT reported how President Obama transferred $500 Million to the UN Green Fund. According to Mother Jones, he has just done it again.

Obama Just Took One Final Step to Fight Global Warming

And there’s nothing Donald Trump can do about it.

NATHALIE BAPTISTEJAN. 17, 2017 4:17 PM

President Barack Obama has made one final contribution to the fight against global warming on his way out the White House door. On Tuesday, Obama transferred $500 million to the UN’s Green Climate Fund, a key program set up to finance climate change adaptation and renewable energy projects in developing countries. That’s on top of another $500 million the Obama administration had already given to the fund.

… Trump won’t be able to reverse payments to the UN that have already been made.

Obama’s total contributions of $1 billion are still far short of his $3 billion pledge, but his actions are drawing praise from climate activists. “The Obama administration is refusing to let President-elect Trump’s posse of oil barons and climate deniers dictate how the world responds to the climate crisis,” said Tamar Lawrence-Samuel of Corporate Accountability International in a press release. “This victory is the climate justice movement’s opening salvo to the Trump presidency. And we’re not going away.”

Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2017/01/obama-500m-green-climate-fund

I hope President Trump defunds the lot of them. The UN might be laughing about having received a billion dollars of US taxpayer’s money to which they were not entitled. Obama might be laughing about his joke on the American people. But President Trump has the power to stop this nightmare – let us hope he uses it.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
283 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 10:41 am

Request a reversal in a few days and if they don’t return it, just dock it from next months payments to any of a dozen other UN accounts.

Catcracking
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 10:58 am

Good thought, although I would go further and significantly cut back funding until they reverse the recently passed measure on Israel among other horrible UN actions. The only leverage we have with that crowd is that they are significantly dependent on our $$$ to do anything.
Obama’s decision to send them this cash is an affront to every taxpaying person and those like our Veterans that are denied medical service.
I am sure Trump is not someone to be trifled with, and he will have much better ideas to exercise payback for this and all the time-bombs left for the incoming President.

Greg
Reply to  Catcracking
January 18, 2017 3:16 pm

There used to be a principal of not doing anything in the transition period to disrupt or undermine the incoming president. Now, cry-baby “democrats” are doing all they can leave a policy minefield and destroy the credibility of the democratic process itself.
Currently about 30 congressional cry-babies are refusing to attend the inauguration of the new president. They don’t seem to realise this is just undermining the office president.
Funny how little regard “democrats” have for democracy.

afonzarelli
Reply to  Catcracking
January 18, 2017 5:36 pm

Greg, let the “cry babies” stay home. Who gives a d*** if a bunch of alinsky leftists are a no show. The more that stay home the merrier. This does nothing to undermine the office of the presidency. (they think it does only because they’re legends in their own minds)…

Perry
Reply to  Catcracking
January 19, 2017 1:31 am

Withdraw $500,000,000 from Obama’s SS detail.

Louis Hooffstetter
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 5:00 pm

That’s one idea.
Another is to just kick them out of New York and be done with them.
The UN has outlived its usefulness.

John of Cloverdale WA
Reply to  Louis Hooffstetter
January 18, 2017 8:09 pm

Send the whole lot to Mogadishu.

Geoff
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 6:53 pm

That $500M could have done a lot for US citizens dying from climate change when winter sets in. What happened to his moral compass?

Pop Piasa
Reply to  Geoff
January 18, 2017 7:32 pm

He figures that more money can be printed anytime to replace what he hands out. It would be comforting to hear of his generosity if that were his own money he was pledging, instead of ours.

rocketscientist
Reply to  Geoff
January 19, 2017 7:23 am

Obama grew up living off of other peoples money, His entire mind set has no compunction against spending other peoples money. To him wealth is a public commodity that belongs to everyone, not the individuals who built it.
It not to difficult to see where that path leads.

Carbon BIgfoot
Reply to  Geoff
January 19, 2017 8:56 am

Arrest the SOB tomorrow fro TREASON.

Old Woman of the North
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 10:10 pm

If I was American I would be urging that the US toss UN out and refuse to pay any more for such a corrupt bunch of petty dictators etc. They are laugh-able.

Jbird
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 19, 2017 1:27 am

The United Nations charter was drafted in 1945. According to the charter the UN’s purpose was (among other things) to insure world peace, promote individual freedom and economic development. I remember trick or treating for UNICEF to provide assistance to poor people and prevent world hunger. In 72 years of the UN’s existence, as far as I can see the UN has utterly failed. So, why does the USA continue to participate? I’d say that after 72 years and billions in US taxpayer dollars wasted, the UN should have accomplished something.

Reply to  Jbird
January 19, 2017 1:09 pm

Well, South Korea wouldn’t exist without UN intervention. I consider that a good thing and an accomplishment. Yeah, it was mostly the U.S. and South Koreans’ effort – but there was genuine UN cover and many international participants.

markl
Reply to  TomB
January 19, 2017 2:39 pm

TomB commented: “… South Korea wouldn’t exist without UN intervention. it was mostly the U.S. and South Koreans’ effort..”
“Mostly”? “…90% of all army personnel, 93% of all air power and 86% of all naval power for the Korean War had come from America.” Aside from committing the US to the Korean War what else has the UN done? Token troops (sometimes with orders not to shoot) at most and certainly hasn’t stopped any wars. Its’ major thrust has been to condemn Israel for defending itself after the UN decided it should have the land it occupies now. It addresses the Middle East turmoil by relocating the civilians and does nothing about stopping the wars…..because it promotes relocation as a ‘social’ good for the world. Come on, the UN is divisive, political, and useless. Witness what it has done with AGW.

Reply to  Resourceguy
January 19, 2017 7:53 am

Absolutely, that is what I was thinking – dock future payments.

Michael Burns
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 19, 2017 8:37 am

Agree…but I would go a step further and stop all payments to the UN. They are a rogue organization , a foundation for world government. By paying into this idea you are encouraging it. It was a idea that might have been a help in it’s time, but now, it is an affront to sovereignty.

DennisC
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 19, 2017 2:17 pm

What do you dock it from next months.
Just defund the RATWARREN

January 18, 2017 10:42 am

Little Barry still has his grubby paws in the biscuit barrel I see. What a magnificent statesman he is.

MarkW
Reply to  cephus0
January 18, 2017 11:08 am

It’s not like he’s spending his own money.

Louis Hooffstetter
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 5:06 pm

It’s not his own money yet, but i wonder how much of this will make its way back to Barry & Michelle and/or other Democrats?
https://www.barackobamafoundation.org/

Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 10:02 pm

Louis Hooffstetter Probably a lot of the spoils will make it back to Obama and his watermelon cronies:

Tom Nelson ‏@tan123 7h7 hours ago
[World Wildlife Fund] WWF CEO paid $941k; COO $576k. Nearly 200 staff are on six-figures, and a dozen on $US300,000 plus https://twitter.com/tan123/status/821857340097957888

Latitude
Reply to  cephus0
January 18, 2017 12:23 pm

you know…..unfortunately, you make your bed….now lie in it
Obama was personally responsible for bringing race into everything.
Now in this day and age he created….this does not just reflect on a political party

Reply to  cephus0
January 18, 2017 1:57 pm

My understanding is it’s against federal law to to fund any UN agency that recognises the Palestinian State, it is also my understanding that the UN’s Green Climate Fund recognises the Palestinian State; It would be delicious irony if Barry’s Retirement Salary payments were garnished until the illegal payments made to the UN were recovered!

Reply to  Paul Jackson
January 19, 2017 8:03 am

Perhaps President Trump could get the NSA to hack the UN bank accounts and recover the money…

george e. smith
Reply to  cephus0
January 18, 2017 5:12 pm

Well he was born and raised a mohammedan. It is part of their culture to lie cheat and steal to further their goals. And it has nothing to do with their religious beliefs.
But he is behaving like a spoiled brat; just like the 60 some odd democrats who will boycott the inauguration.
They will not be missed; nor will he.
g

MarkW
Reply to  george e. smith
January 19, 2017 7:02 am

Liberals are also taught that the end justifies the means, but only for them.

Carbon BIgfoot
Reply to  george e. smith
January 19, 2017 5:15 pm

64+1 and counting

Thomas Homer
January 18, 2017 10:46 am

How many uninsured American citizens could have health insurance with that $500 million?

MarkW
Reply to  Thomas Homer
January 18, 2017 11:10 am

At the rate ObamaCare has been pushing up health care costs, somewhere between 4 and 5.

stock
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 11:22 am

MarkW, I was just about to say “5”

Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 12:11 pm

That is a good point Thomas. How much does US health insurance cost per year?

Bryan A
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 12:42 pm

My daughter (now just 26) is currently covered under a COBRA plan through my work. I pay just over $800USD out of pocket per month or about $10,000 per year to keep her visiting her doctors and getting prescriptions filled, visiting the dentist, and having her vision checked yearly. Her annual deductible/out of pocket is $300 per year.
Looked into Covered California, they would only suggest Kaiser at $230 per month but that had a nearly $7000 annual deductible/out of pocket cost
Really a wash either way

Paul Penrose
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 12:42 pm

Gareth,
Last year I paid $12,000 for myself, my wife, and my adult son. My deductible was $8000/yr, so potentially it could have been as high as $20,000 out of pocket if any one of us had required more than $8000 worth of medical care. The premiums went up this year again like they have every year since ACA came into force. So yes, Mark was exaggerating for satirical purposes, but it is quite expensive.

kb
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 1:50 pm

Bryan,
$10,000/year insurance is a LOT more expensive than $3000/year insurance with a $7,000 deductible/out-of-pocket maximum, at least if the person is reasonably healthy. It takes major medical bills to meet a $7,000 deductible, and if you don’t have to spend that money on actual medical expenses, you can pocket the balance (or save it for future years’ medical expenses). A typical 26-year-old probably won’t ring up $2,000 of medical expenses in a year, much less $7,000.
If you spend the full $10,000 on insurance to have the low deductible, minimizing medical expenses won’t save you any money.

ShrNfr
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 1:53 pm

Raw cost for a reasonable family plan in Mass is a bit over 18,000 per year. $500MM is 27,778 families covered with a plan that is worth having.

Yirgach
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 3:15 pm

It doesn’t take much to go from reasonably healthy to reasonably unhealthy.
Just a few mm here or a few ms there.
If you don’t buy insurance, then you should have it in the bank or kiss your assets goodbye…

TA
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 7:21 pm

Those cost claims can’t be right. Obama said eveyone’s health costs would go down $2500.00 per year with the Affordable Care Act. You can keep your doctor. You can keep your health plan You have to pass the ACA before you can see what’s in it. Remember all that bs? Obama is a trainwreck.

Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 11:50 pm

Wow, those figures are really eye-opening. Here in the UK we have ‘free’ healthcare – paid out of taxes, of course. If I’m ill, I go to a doctor (no charge), go into hospital (no charge) and have medication in there (no charge). When I leave, if I need medication it’s $11 per item. But you don’t even have to pay that if you’re already receiving social care and benefits. I can be referred to consultants, and even to the private sector – all no charge. An eye test and two pairs of glasses is $25. But again that is free to many people.

MarkW
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 7:05 am

If you think medical care is expensive now, wait until it’s free.
As you acknowledge, your medical care is not free, you are just enslaving others and forcing them to pay for it.
Of course those who receive free stuff love it.
Regardless, it may be free, but the statistics, especially the statistics on wait times, show that it isn’t good care.

Paul Penrose
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 7:17 am

Yes, healthcare in the US is very expensive, but it is also very good. For example, recently my wife hurt her knee. It was causing her pain, but was not debilitating or life threatening in any way. She called the clinic and was able to see a doctor three days later. Two days after that she got an MRI, and a week after that she was seeing a surgeon. That was yesterday. Torn MCL. Her surgery is scheduled for Feb 8th. How long would she have had to limp around and suffer with this in countries with national single-payer healthcare? Months? Years? There is a reason why wealthy people from all over the world travel to the US when they are sick.
The other point I want to make is that everybody in the US, under the ACA, get the same level of healthcare as I do, regardless of ability to pay. This is why I pay so much, because I am subsidizing them. Before the ACA I paid $300 a month for my health insurance and had a $1000 deductible. Partly it was cheaper because we chose not to have maternity coverage, mental health coverage, or substance abuse coverage because we didn’t need it. Under the ACA I have to pay for all those things and more.

Bryan A
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 10:16 am

kb
Unfortunately, my daughter has had a multitude of health issues thruought her life.
4 major surgeries and 4 minor surgeries since she was 10, and 8 different prescriptions.
Constant Migraines among other problems

PiperPaul
Reply to  Thomas Homer
January 18, 2017 12:35 pm

No time for needy Americans, there’s a planet to save and virtue to signal!

Ian Macdonald
Reply to  PiperPaul
January 19, 2017 1:42 am

+1 for needy Americans. Or even needy Africans, who will be given joke solutions to their problems .

george e. smith
Reply to  Thomas Homer
January 18, 2017 5:18 pm

Well I can tell kb has never been in a hospital, unless (s)he was born in one.
I was in one night with some quite routine surgery, and was billed 13,000 plus dollars for the tab.
My insurance paid quite a bit less than that to settle the bill. I’m sure the difference from the $13,000 became a tax deduction that the other taxpayers all paid.
g

AP
Reply to  george e. smith
January 19, 2017 3:54 am

How can it cost so much in the US for healthcare? That’s nuts. I just paid (fully out of pocket) for my daughters tonsil and adenoidectomy which was an overnight stay and surgical procedure in a private hospital with a top surgeon and it was about $5k all up (Australian – about $3k US). Hospital room was $900, surgeon $1600, anesthetist about $500, theater fee etc makes up the remainder.
You guys are getting ripped off by your healthcare system.

MarkW
Reply to  george e. smith
January 19, 2017 7:08 am

AP, the problem to a large degree is cost shifting.
Hospitals are losing money on many patients, especially medicare/medicaid, they have to make that up by charging patients with insurance coverage more.
Beyond that, here in the US, many hospitals and doctor’s offices charge a lot less for anyone who pays cash. This is because of how much dealing with insurance companies cost.

Bryan A
Reply to  george e. smith
January 19, 2017 10:21 am

For any hospital stay you are almost guaranteed $10-12,000 per day just for the room and board.
Then the doctors poke their heads in and ask how you are doing…$150 consultation fee…
Then like was mentioned…Lab Fees, Imaging Fees, Anesthesia (and a number of the hospital’s Anestesiologists arent members of many health plans and so you get strapped with their entire bill instead of just a copay.
Why is medical care so expensive in the USA??? Obamacare and no interstate competition (Monopoly)

Titan28
January 18, 2017 10:52 am

The US should leave the UN. We certainly don’t need it.

toorightmate
Reply to  Titan28
January 18, 2017 3:14 pm

Too right – UNEXIT.

January 18, 2017 10:52 am

For the guy who stated he was going to cooperate for a smooth transition, he sure has thrown a lot of land mines in the path for Trump to deal with!

nn
Reply to  Jeff in Calgary
January 18, 2017 11:00 am

Obama is Pro-Choice, selective, opportunistic, and unprincipled.
Meanwhile, Obama et al are a first-order cause of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Climate Change from Benghazi to Aleppo to Kiev and beyond.

Bryan A
Reply to  nn
January 18, 2017 12:43 pm

Keep the choice but choose life whenever possible

Pop Piasa
Reply to  nn
January 18, 2017 7:54 pm

Bryan A, I believe there are but two classes of abortion. Those which are euthanasia and those which are murder for convenience. The latter of the two should be the crime.
I can’t dispute the assertion however, that those who willfully terminate their own offspring are probably doing the gene pool a service.

AP
Reply to  nn
January 19, 2017 3:57 am

What about the baby’s choice?

NW sage
Reply to  Jeff in Calgary
January 18, 2017 3:48 pm

He put a qualifier in his ‘smooth transition’ statement –‘As much as possible’ or words to that effect. As always he slid over the part about just what is possible.

bill johnston
Reply to  Jeff in Calgary
January 18, 2017 5:16 pm

Are you saying he lied????? I can’t believe it.

Gus
January 18, 2017 10:55 am

Thief.

Bruce Cobb
Reply to  Gus
January 18, 2017 11:54 am

I’d go further, and say “traitor”.

Auto
Reply to  Bruce Cobb
January 18, 2017 3:08 pm

“Harming America Greatly Again”
The view from this (UK) side of the Pond, anyway.
Right to the last moment . . . . . . . .
Auto

nn
January 18, 2017 10:57 am

I wonder if he’s being paid by the Green Blight.
They mean Anthropogenic Global Warming, or, more correctly, Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming, right?
The corruption caused by conflating terms for political progress is second only to conflation of logical domains to inflate scientific plausibility.

milwaukeebob
Reply to  nn
January 18, 2017 11:02 am

Sorry nn, you must not have received the memo – it’s ACD now, Anthropogenic Climate Disruption. Please use accordingly.

ClimateOtter
Reply to  milwaukeebob
January 18, 2017 11:17 am

So the band name ACDC actually stands for……..?

Bryan A
Reply to  milwaukeebob
January 18, 2017 12:44 pm

funny,
I thought it was Opportunistic Climate Disruption

Gunga Din
Reply to  milwaukeebob
January 18, 2017 3:05 pm

Anthropogenic Climate Disruption Con.

Bryan A
Reply to  milwaukeebob
January 19, 2017 2:17 pm

Does that make Mikey Mann a Con-Chartist

January 18, 2017 10:59 am

Too bad…Obama didn’t donate that money towards Americans 󾓦 having a brighter healthier future

MarkW
Reply to  hocuspocus13
January 18, 2017 11:10 am

He’s already doing that. Just by leaving office.

NW sage
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 3:49 pm

Just think of the progress we could have made it he did it 6 yrs ago.

Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
January 18, 2017 11:00 am

The UNFCC should have already been defunded under US law for having granted full member status to the Palestinian Authority. Willis has written about this previously here and here.
One of the signatories of the referenced letter urging defunding was Senator Jeff Sessions. At the time Secretary of State John Kerry paid no attention. 46 hours and counting …
Full list of signers:

In addition to Senator Barrasso, the letter was signed by Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dan Coats (R-IN), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Pat Toomey (R-PA), David Vitter (R-LA) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

The full letter is here.

Anne Ominous
Reply to  Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
January 18, 2017 11:16 am

To my understanding, this is correct. Current U.S. law forbids funding the organization since it accepted the Palestinian Authority into its ranks.
That makes the Obama administrations’ payments of $1 Billion (this $500M and the last) quite illegal.
It is also “unappropriated” money. Congress is supposed to hold the purse strings under the Constitution, and it did not even remotely approve this. Which makes it a violation of the separation of powers, and therefore doubly illegal.

Reply to  Anne Ominous
January 18, 2017 11:37 am

AO, your first point is quite correct. By law, UNFCCC must be unfunded because it atmitt d Palestine as a full member state. Your second is shakey. As with the first $500 million, he took it from a state department funded budget for third world economic development. The problem is, the Green Climate fund is supposedly not about development, but rather climate adaptation and mitigation.

Reply to  Anne Ominous
January 18, 2017 3:13 pm

Anne, want to apologize. Your second point was spot on and my waffle wasn’t. I had to read the UNFCCC letter from the Senate to Kerry, then go back and check the US law, for this lawyer to fully get it. I was thinking there must be some grey area Obama is exploiting since he is a Harvard Law grad. NOPE. The direct UN cutoff law was passed 1990. Applies to UNFCCC. The ‘affiliated with’ law was passed 1994 under Clinton. Senate letter to Kerry refers to both. GCF is affiliated with UNFCCC. Your intuition is sound. Obama simply ignored US PL 103-256. Thereby violating his oath of office and Constitution Article 2 section 3.

Greg
Reply to  Anne Ominous
January 18, 2017 3:35 pm

Thanks Ristvan, for a well-researched reply as always.

DonM
Reply to  Anne Ominous
January 18, 2017 6:21 pm

Will the legal trail lead back to him? I mean I know he is responsible, but was he able to weasel the whole thing in a manner that somehow puts the final deal in the hands of a bureaucrat that, through feigned incompetence, assumed that there was a legal directive from above?

CD in Wisconsin
Reply to  Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
January 18, 2017 11:36 am

Watt. Exactly what I was thinking. It sounds to me as though the Trump admin will have the legal authority to withdraw funding for the UNFCCC and the Green Fund. Good to see the letter signed by members of Congress who are aware of this. Gives the Trump and Sessions the last laugh.
UNFCCC shot itself in the foot when it recognized Palestinian Authority.

Reply to  CD in Wisconsin
January 18, 2017 3:22 pm

CD, this Harvard Law grad and bar certified lawyer just did the requisite legal research. The law is clear. Trump must immediately withdraw all funding from UNFCCC and GCF. Obama just deliberately and intentionally violated the law, since his administration was put on notice by a Senate letter last year. And there is 2011 Unesco precedent that the Obama administration complied with these laws passed in 1990 and 1994. No excuse. Obama went rogue on climate..

CD in Wisconsin
Reply to  CD in Wisconsin
January 18, 2017 4:29 pm

Thanks ristvan.
Gee, a U.S. president violating federal law and his constitutional oath of office. It seems to me that he can get impeached for that, can’t he? Obviously however, since Obama only has a few more days left in office, it is pointless.
It would be interesting though if the Trump or Sessions brought this violation of the law out into the open after they are in office and demanded an explanation from Obama and/or Kerry. Now THAT would be interesting.

Reply to  CD in Wisconsin
January 18, 2017 4:57 pm

Ristvan, you do realize that a “Senate letter” has no legal authority ….right?

Curious George
Reply to  CD in Wisconsin
January 18, 2017 5:03 pm

Obama is in good company, called Washington DC. The latest addition is Senator Kamala Harris, CA, formerly CA Attorney General. In that function she decided not to uphold the California Constitution which defined a marriage as one between a man and a woman. They just ignore any inconvenient law.

AP
Reply to  CD in Wisconsin
January 19, 2017 4:03 am

It may have no “legal authority” but it does mean he can’t claim ignorance as a moral defence.

Bryan A
Reply to  CD in Wisconsin
January 19, 2017 2:25 pm

Just attach Obama’s wages and freeze his assets until his $500,000,000 unlawful seizure payment is recovered from his personal assets

Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
Reply to  Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
January 18, 2017 12:22 pm

The first $500 million payment was made March 8th. The membership for Palestine was accepted March 17th. So it would appear the first payment was legal but this most recent one is not.
Interesting legal question: can the US demand return of the payment on the grounds it was illegal under US law? The UN could refuse, but then the Trump administration would be on firm grounds to stop not just UNFCC payments but all UN payments until the $500 million illegal payment was made up. Then resume normal UN payments not including the UNFCC.
Pity the new administration can’t make it up by deducting from retirement payments for Obama and Kerry.
Fasten your sealtbelts everyone; we are in for a really interesting ride.

Reply to  Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
January 18, 2017 3:28 pm

Good analysis. Correct.

Mark
Reply to  Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
January 18, 2017 3:48 pm

The best strategy is one that keeps the UN hanging on a string. Obama has made that easier. Ideally the US can make up the $500 million loss somehow as well as use the situation to its advantage. Thanks Hussein!

Mike the Morlock
Reply to  Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
January 18, 2017 5:25 pm

ristvan January 18, 2017 at 3:28 pm
Hi ristvan
Seems congress passed a couple of stop-gap budget measures to keep things going until Mr Trump rakes office the latest on the 12th of this month.
Would (will) be interesting to see if any was discretionary. This could get ugly.
I think they may have been too clever and screwed up.
michael

Tom in Florida
January 18, 2017 11:00 am

First orchestrating the passage of the anti-Israel resolution and now giving away more U.S. money, it seems he is trying to buy a stairway to the U. N. Secretary Generalship.

Janice The American Elder
Reply to  Tom in Florida
January 18, 2017 11:07 am

The Secretary-General of the UN may not be a citizen of any of the Security Council’s five permanent members. The permanent members of the Security Council are China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States.

MarkW
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 11:11 am

Since when has Obama let a trivial thing like a constitution get between him and what he wants?

Tom in Florida
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 11:45 am

I am sure he would gladly renounce his U.S. citizenship to become “king of the world”. Perhaps he might even produce a Kenyan birth certificate to prove he is a citizen of that country.

Felflames
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 12:13 pm

He will renounce his US citizenship, and declare he is Kenyan, problem solved.

F. Ross
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 12:15 pm

Obama could resign his U.S. citizenship, or claim actually to be Kenyan, or…. If he did, my goodbye would be “Don’t let the door hit you in the a$$ on your way out.”

Tom Higley
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 12:16 pm

@Janice – Is Kenya a member of the council?

JEM
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 12:21 pm

When he chooses Kenyan or Indonesian citizenship we can then forward the bill for the 23% of the UN budget the US currently pays to Kenya or Indonesia as appropriate.

MarkW
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 1:36 pm

If he renounced his citizenship, would he lose his pension and SS protection?

RobbertBobbertGDQ
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 18, 2017 6:22 pm

Tom and Janice,
I was of the same opinion as Tom that Mr Obama, down the track, was viewing this as a likely job and as an avenue of further promoting this distribution of wealth notion that drives him.
Janice has rid me of that misconception and thanks for the the information.
That leads to another query.
Hillary Clinton and Governor of New York.
Certainty. Likely. Possible. No chance. Does not qualify due to certain reasons?
What is the news about Hillary and her next job or activity?

DayHay
Reply to  Janice The American Elder
January 19, 2017 10:30 am

Does anyone think this guy is worried about money? You don’t broker giving back to Iran access to $160 BILLION DOLLARS of frozen assets without getting a commission. This guy is as dirty as it gets.
Not mentioning the $400 million in NON-US cash sent by dark of night. Paying my USA taxes is supporting terrorism, effing incredible.

January 18, 2017 11:01 am

What an ugly man he is!

Bill Powers
January 18, 2017 11:01 am

Is it just me or does it seem like Obama has put in more work in the past two weeks then he did in the balance of his two terms? Spending our money on leftist causes, pardoning criminals, releasing Gitmo terrorists…damn this guy needs a break and we from him.

milwaukeebob
Reply to  Bill Powers
January 18, 2017 11:10 am

LOL Said the same thing this morning! NOW he shows up for work! Hey, BO! Go play golf!

Gunga Din
Reply to  Bill Powers
January 18, 2017 3:08 pm

Too cold to golf.

Bryan A
Reply to  Bill Powers
January 19, 2017 2:32 pm

Perhaps PE Trump could offer him the official position of Global Climate Tsar
Then, since it is Global, station the entire project in Antarctica

RobR
January 18, 2017 11:03 am

Trump could score a major coup by diverting the money to urban economic development.

fretslider
January 18, 2017 11:05 am

Obama demonstrates just how easy it is to hand over other people’s money.
You can’t say he hasn’t done his bit for global wealth redistribution

MarkW
Reply to  fretslider
January 18, 2017 11:12 am

From US taxpayers to 3rd world dictators.

Auto
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 3:25 pm

+ Shedloads.
Auto

J Mac
January 18, 2017 11:07 am

And how much of that $1B will be ‘recirculated’ through NGOs and back into the ‘Barack Obama Foundation’, following the same racketeering methods used by the Clinton Crime Foundations?

Paul Penrose
Reply to  J Mac
January 18, 2017 12:48 pm

You beat me to it! I was literally thinking the same thing this morning when I read the headlines.

AP
Reply to  J Mac
January 19, 2017 4:13 am

On a per capita basis it pales into insignificance to the $140m donated to the Clinton Foundation by our last socialist prime minister Julia Gillard, who, surprise, surprise, got a post-politics job working for….the Clinton’s education initiative.
These people are scum.

Chris in Hervey Bay
Reply to  AP
January 19, 2017 4:19 am

AP, get your numbers right, Gillard set us up for a total of $380 million. Check out http://www.michaelsmithnews.com he has all the paper work on display.

AP
Reply to  AP
January 19, 2017 4:24 am

Holey crap. How much did that snake Julie Bishop give them? Maybe that was the $140m

Paul Westhaver
January 18, 2017 11:11 am

10 Trillion borrowed dollars spent by that putz has-been. Another 500MM is but mere chump change.
Obama didn’t close Gitmo.
Obamacare is reverse, maybe Monday.
The EPA is toast…soon.
Planned Parenthood is broke…soon.
Coal is going to get a boost.
People will soon be back to work in the USA.
etc etc.
Let the erasing of the worst mistake America ever made begin.
Choomgang, Enjoy continuing to PLAY golf while the rest of the world gets back to doing useful work.

MarkW
Reply to  Paul Westhaver
January 18, 2017 11:13 am

The sad thing is that the media will credit all of the recent announcements of jobs being brought back to the US, to Obama.

Paul Westhaver
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 11:28 am

Do YOU still listen to the media? MarkW… surely you advance a canard! Trump, has made the left wing biased media a play-thing. I swear he took a shot at John Lewis to dilute the MLK/Obama gushing and pretty certain he went after CNN in his first press conference to make the story about him while Tillerson et al sailed through subsequently ignored senate hearings. The MSM are self-serving dopes.
Pre-Trump reasoning would say you are correct, but Trump has no problem using Twitter and blowing his own horn. He hasn’t gotten started yet.

MarkW
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 11:52 am

I don’t, but most people still do.

Marty
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 11:52 am

“The sad thing is that the media will credit all the recent announcements of jobs being brought back to the us, to Obama.”
Yesterday the Chicago Tribune filled half their front page with an article about what Obama is planning to do after he leaves the White House. For those of you who don’t know, the Chicago Tribune is Chicago’s main newspaper. It was founded before the Civil War and used to brag in its banner line that it was the world’s greatest newspaper. In the front page article the Chicago Tribune was practically worshipping Obama as a saint. All they left out was the part where he cures cancer after feeding multitudes with a half a dead fish and a loaf of bread. It was a pure and simple propaganda piece. Most likely it was written by the White House press office and the Tribune just put their reporter’s name on it. And it was their front page story.
But the story about General Motors decision to invest a billion dollars in their American factories and to hire another 1000 American workers? That was one brief paragraph above the fold on page 11. I mean, we wouldn’t want to let the public know just effective Trump has been.
Is it really any wonder that so many good people have drunk the Kool-Aid?

scraft1
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 5:23 am

MarkW. “The sad thing….” What jobs are you talking about? The sad is that you really think that Trump, who isn’t even President yet, can send out a tweet and terrified employers will immediately cancel overseas projects?
The U.S. jobs I’ve heard about obviously had been in the works for a long time. First of all, why should any President get credit for it? Large employers look at the whole landscape when locating a place of business. But I doubt they base anything on what a blowhard with a publicity fetish blasts out to the world in 140 characters or less.
If anything, some employers will announce pending employee decisions to capitalize on the nativist sentiment that Trump has fomented.
We shouldn’t be naive about why businesses act. If anything Obama should get some credit for the business atmosphere created for 8 years.

Bryan A
Reply to  Paul Westhaver
January 18, 2017 12:48 pm

If you want to eliminate Planned Parenthood (overturn Roe v Wade) then legislation is needed to force fathers to toe the line or to completely take over financially if Mom can’t.

TonyL
Reply to  Bryan A
January 18, 2017 1:24 pm

“force fathers to toe the line or to completely take over financially”
Why on Earth is this needed? Did you miss something?
For 40 years, women have enjoyed 100% reproductive rights and freedoms. Women have 100% rights whether to get pregnant or not. Women have 100% rights to determine whether to carry a pregnancy to term or not.
Making men pay is to make men financially responsible for a decision which they have no right to take part in. There is a word for that, slavery. (Also unconstitutional, BTW)
Outside of marriage, when a woman wants a child, she can figure out how to pay for it. That is the responsibility which goes hand in hand with the rights mentioned above. In the US, Rights and Responsibilities going together is called “Freedom”.

MarkW
Reply to  Bryan A
January 18, 2017 1:37 pm

I don’t know what world you live in, but that and much more has been the case for decades.

Bryan A
Reply to  Bryan A
January 19, 2017 2:35 pm

Come on Tony, A woman alone cannot make a baby. A man has always been necessary.
And yes, it the woman wants to abort the fetus and the man wants to block it, then the man should assume total financial and child rearing responsibility

AndyG55
January 18, 2017 11:15 am

Why does the USA get the continuing privilege of housing the UN ??
This seems very unfair.
Surely it must be the turn of some other country…….
maybe Syria, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela…?
I propose a 4 year term of housing the UN for each member country.
Countries could vie for the privilege.

ClimateOtter
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 11:19 am

North Korea.

talldave2
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 11:59 am

Sudan is overdue.

AndyG55
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 12:11 pm

I’m being serious..
There is absolutely NO justification for the UN to remain on US soil.

starknakedtruth
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 2:29 pm

Just think what the Trump company could do with the UN building in NYC. It’s prime real estate…

MarkW
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 2:58 pm

You would have to spend several million decontaminating it first.

Climate Heretic
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 4:43 pm

Its easier to spy on the united nations members 🙂
Regards
Climate Heretic
PS I regard the united nations as an abomination 71 years and poverty is still rampant.

MarkW
Reply to  AndyG55
January 19, 2017 7:14 am

Congress declared war on poverty.
After 75 years, poverty is still winning.

Latitude
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 12:15 pm

You would think…..if they can afford the olympics they can afford that

Felflames
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 12:20 pm

Antarctica,
They can monitor “climate change” up close and in person.

mountainape5
Reply to  Felflames
January 18, 2017 3:43 pm

What if they get a visit from Al Gore there…

Manfred
Reply to  AndyG55
January 18, 2017 12:36 pm

The country that declares the lowest global GDP per capita should be the recipient and the beneficiary of the UN edifice. The bureaucratic largesse, the spawning of service industries would be of enormous value to the host country and for the UN, a perfect exemplar of ‘putting your money where your mouth is’.

Paul Penrose
Reply to  Manfred
January 18, 2017 12:52 pm

I don’t know if you meant this sarcastically, but this is a brilliant idea. Those self-serving UN bureaucrats will fall all over themselves to improve the host country so that they don’t have to live in a crap-hole.

Darrell Demick
Reply to  Manfred
January 18, 2017 1:14 pm

Although not a direct relationship, there is a relative tie between poor countries and corruption. As much as I would like to see these self-serving individuals function in countries that need assistance, be careful for they might find more ways to exploit to their advantage.

MarkW
Reply to  Manfred
January 18, 2017 1:39 pm

Paul, more likely they will just build their luxury apartments, hire guards and build walls to keep the rifraf out.

AndyG55
Reply to  Manfred
January 18, 2017 6:08 pm

@ MarkW…
Then what happens to those homes hen the UN re-locates every 4 years or so.
Maybe a 10 year stint in a low GDP country is the go. Give 10 years of ecomonic input.

AP
Reply to  AndyG55
January 19, 2017 4:17 am

Somewhere more neutral, like the South Pole would be good.

Reply to  AndyG55
January 19, 2017 12:37 pm

I say which ever city gets the Olympics gets to provide a home for the U.N.
They should go hand and glove.
Nice cozy fit.

eric
January 18, 2017 11:15 am

The Trumpster can simply reduce the USA’s contribution to the UN (and/or other useless globalist
organizations) by $500M–or better yet by $750M.

JEM
Reply to  eric
January 18, 2017 12:27 pm

I’m sure we can reduce our UN funding by FAR more than $750M.
I’m also sure that AG Sessions can, should he and the President wish to do so, suggest that since the money was illegally transferred no entity that receives Green Climate Fund funding may operate in the US and any officers of said organizations will be charged with receipt of stolen funds if they set foot in the US.

Reply to  JEM
January 18, 2017 2:53 pm

Like the second part a lot. Keeps out riffraff.

AP
Reply to  JEM
January 19, 2017 4:20 am

I am fairly confident that if the transfer is illegal (which appears the case), it can be reversed.

Mike the Morlock
January 18, 2017 11:18 am

Don’t just defund the UN Inform them that the monies were illegally transferred, That the US Senate did not ratify any treaty, and Congress did not appropriate any funds. The entire 1 billion must be returned. Since members of cop21 conspired with Mr Obama’s illegal act and the UN condoned it, the UN building in NY is closed.
Prior to delivery of noteto the UN GS:
Just go in the middle of the night and lock the place up no chance to remove doc. hard drives etc.
michael

Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 11:22 am

When does he give a medal to himself? or a crown?

TonyL
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 12:34 pm

?????????
He already gave himself and V.P. Biden medals, a few days ago.

Curious George
Reply to  TonyL
January 18, 2017 5:16 pm

A medal for himself? You are better informed than I am. But somehow he got a real Nobel.

TonyL
Reply to  TonyL
January 18, 2017 5:34 pm

@ Curious George
Obama awarded himself the Distinguished Public Service Medal.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/04/president-obama-awards-himself-distinguished-public-service-medal/
Obama gave Biden the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/joe-biden-presidential-medal-freedom.html
A truly sorry spectacle.
Curious, my web search for Obama’s medal only turned up Breitbart, while Biden’s medal was all over the MSM.
Why do you suppose the MSM would have downplayed Obama awarding himself a medal?

AP
Reply to  TonyL
January 19, 2017 4:22 am

There was something on “Snopes” trying to tell us he didn’t actually give the medal to himself, but a subordinate gave it to him.

Louis Hooffstetter
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 5:27 pm

Listen to his speeches.
He tells everyone what a big deal he is every time he speaks.

Reply to  Louis Hooffstetter
January 19, 2017 12:43 pm

He’s no different than Trump.
Qualifier:
In that respect.

milwaukeebob
January 18, 2017 11:25 am

“This victory is the climate justice movement’s opening salvo to the Trump presidency. And we’re not going away.” “This victory”? Is a “climate justice movement” victory? Sending US taxpayer dollars to the UN is a victory to them? Goes to show you how the LPSC community thinks of OUR money! And where are they going to get their “salvos” from when the $$ is cut off? Soros? At the rate OB has been giving away OUR money, Soros will runout very quickly. And when the money dries-up – – well, dust to dust.

jsuther2013
January 18, 2017 11:25 am

Halt all payments to the UN, and watch them twist in the wind. Take over the UN building and turn it into a Veterans hospital. Scrap 99% of all regulations passed by EPA in the last decades, and give the others a life of only five years, with review and consideration for repeal at the end of that time. That would be a small start.

stock
January 18, 2017 11:26 am

Shameful and embarrassing.
With the globalist’s help he did pretty well execute his program of marginalization of the US, promotion of Islam.

Joel Snider
Reply to  stock
January 18, 2017 12:34 pm

I imagine he was amazed at how easy it was.

climanrecon
January 18, 2017 11:31 am

Most of this Green Climate Fund seems to be getting spent on improving resilience to bad weather in developing countries, dressed up with all the usual guff about the bad weather getting worse, but that is pretty irrelevant if you can’t deal with the existing bad weather:
https://www.greenclimate.fund/home
But the fundamental contradiction remains, as the wealth of these developing countries increases the more they will want SUVs, air-con and flights to historical theme parks, such as the UK.

MarkW
Reply to  climanrecon
January 18, 2017 11:54 am

“historical theme parks, such as the UK.”
That was cruel. Funny, but cruel.

Curious George
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 5:19 pm

Mark, sorry, but the UK leads the way. For two more days. Then let’s hope.

Reply to  climanrecon
January 18, 2017 12:15 pm

Probably more like Disney World the way we are headed. We are going to leave the EU, apparently Trump will offer us a trade deal. No doubt such a deal will include a new harsher version of TTIP which having left the EU we will be powerless to oppose. Anyone for rides on the London eye?

Paul Penrose
Reply to  Gareth Phillips
January 18, 2017 12:56 pm

Is fear and loathing the only thing you have to communicate?

Reply to  Gareth Phillips
January 18, 2017 1:31 pm

I doubt it. Trump would like to see the EU sunk without trace and it just isn’t in his interests to shaft the Brits with a disadvantageous trade deal. Rather I’m sure he will want to encourage others to leave the EU by rewarding the Brits. Naive possible but I think that’s his mind on the matter.

MarkW
Reply to  Gareth Phillips
January 18, 2017 1:41 pm

Why not just restore whatever treaties were in effect prior to Britain making the mistake of joining the EU?

catweazle666
Reply to  Gareth Phillips
January 18, 2017 2:55 pm

“Is fear and loathing the only thing you have to communicate?”
Gareth is a self-proclaimed Lefty, and “proud of it”.
‘Nuff said.

MarkW
Reply to  Gareth Phillips
January 18, 2017 2:59 pm

It also explains the ease with which he lies about what he used to believe.

Reply to  Gareth Phillips
January 19, 2017 12:59 pm

I think you misunderstand Trump.
He’s a business man so he makes deals that benefit his clients, that’s us.
I don’t think he wants to screw every non-US citizen or prevent anyone else from making money.
If a US company wants to move from CA or WA to a right to work state like FL or SC I doubt Trump would say anything.
If some company is preventing a level playing field, he will make a new deal to re-level it.

catweazle666
Reply to  mikerestin
January 20, 2017 1:53 pm

“I think you misunderstand Trump.”
When it comes to politics and politicians, as a self-confessed “proud” Lefty, Phillips misunderstands just about everything.

Paul Westhaver
January 18, 2017 11:31 am

Every tax paying American has just paid $5.00 each to make Obama-the-Nobel-Laureate the king of the UN.
It is what he wanted all along.

Ed zuiderwijk
January 18, 2017 11:35 am

Can you imagine the ligation when the whole sordid edifice comes crashing down?

Curious George
Reply to  Ed zuiderwijk
January 18, 2017 5:23 pm

The US has more lawyers than any other country. I never looked at it from this angle.

scraft1
Reply to  Ed zuiderwijk
January 18, 2017 6:20 pm

ligation?

DonM
Reply to  scraft1
January 19, 2017 6:09 pm

“the surgical procedure of closing off a blood vessel or other duct or tube in the body by means of a ligature or clip.”
Maybe an apt metaphor.

Andre Lauzon
January 18, 2017 11:43 am

Oh my God………… now Justin Competent will want to match this.

Walter Sobchak
January 18, 2017 11:46 am

“Trump won’t be able to reverse payments to the UN that have already been made.”
Why not? he knows their address. How much do you think that building is worth? Maybe it would make a nice new residential condo with river views.

talldave2
January 18, 2017 11:57 am

They can take that $500M out of Gavin’s budget, starting with his salary.

Dan Briggs
January 18, 2017 12:02 pm

My question is did it come from the Discretionary or the Appropriated budget?

czechlist
Reply to  Dan Briggs
January 18, 2017 3:07 pm

Budget?
He don’t got no budget.
He need no budget.
He ain’t got to show you no stinkin’ budget!

Joel Snider
January 18, 2017 12:05 pm

Spiteful, petty, spoiled child.

MarkW
Reply to  Joel Snider
January 18, 2017 1:41 pm

In other words, a normal day in the Obama presidency.

Gamecock
January 18, 2017 12:05 pm

News from the future, NYT, February 14, 2017
“The UN announced today that former President Barrack Obama has accepted a position as head of their Green Fund.”

scraft1
January 18, 2017 12:07 pm

Maybe Obama wants to remind the Trumpster that he’s still the President. This is his right. Some of us may not like it. The Trumpster will have his chances soon enough,

Latitude
Reply to  scraft1
January 18, 2017 12:17 pm

I think Obama is just reminding everyone they voted correctly

Walter Sobchak
Reply to  scraft1
January 18, 2017 12:19 pm

Woe unto us.

Joel Snider
Reply to  scraft1
January 18, 2017 12:33 pm

Yes. That’s exactly what he’s doing. See my comment directly above.

MarkW
Reply to  scraft1
January 18, 2017 3:00 pm

So you have no problem with an outgoing president creating as many problems for the incoming president as possible?

scraft1
Reply to  MarkW
January 18, 2017 6:13 pm

MarkW, he’s following through on a commitment. I’m sure you’d prefer that he abandon the commitment.
You feeling sorry for Trump? Yeah, poor guy. But real problems so far are self-inflicted, particularly his flirtation with Vladimur Putin.

MarkW
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 7:17 am

I love the way liberals justify anything they do.
No, the only commitment was to create as many problems as possible.

Joel Snider
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 12:29 pm

‘Self inflicted’. You clearly haven’t been paying attention to a nationwide smear campaign – including your childish repetition of the Putin talking point.
And yes, I would prefer Obama not continue to follow through on his commitment to damage our country in every way possible.
But he’s very dedicated.

scraft1
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 7:02 pm

Joel Snider – how would you characterize Trump’s relationship with Putin, or do you, under the rubric of “fake news” or a “smear campaign”, deny that such a relationship exists?
And yes, this problem would appear to be self-inflicted. But don’t take my word for it. When Congress investigates his behavior, we’ll find out – but you probably will regard that as a conspiracy cooked up by members of his own party.

TDBraun
January 18, 2017 12:12 pm

Mr. Obama is a very generous man.
With other people’s money.

MarkW
Reply to  TDBraun
January 18, 2017 1:42 pm

It’s the liberal way.

Resourceguy
January 18, 2017 12:31 pm

This amounts to quid pro quo for the wordsmithing of the IPCC political scare reports, setting aside the toned down science report version, and that sex offender in charge of the IPCC at the time.

AP
Reply to  Resourceguy
January 19, 2017 4:39 am

Rajendra was an amatuer compared to Bill. And I doubt he ever ordered $60,000 worth of “hot dogs” for a white house party like Obama.

TonyL
January 18, 2017 12:40 pm

We all knew that president Stompy Feet was going to the the Grenade Thrower In Chief on his way out.
The question of the day is:
Will Hillary get her Presidential Pardon? Will Bill get one?
44 hours to go.

Paul Penrose
Reply to  TonyL
January 18, 2017 12:59 pm

Tony,
I put the odds of the Clintons receiving pardons at 75%. Most likely one of Obama’s last official acts.

Latitude
Reply to  TonyL
January 18, 2017 3:12 pm

That’s an interesting question…
You can’t pardon someone that didn’t commit a crime…
…and giving them a pardon is admitting a crime was committed

Mike the Morlock
Reply to  Latitude
January 18, 2017 4:51 pm

Latitude January 18, 2017 at 3:12 pm
nope
Nixon was not convicted of anything, the pardon was for what he may have done.
michael
I was so mad at Ford but he was right.

January 18, 2017 12:42 pm

He is working hard to cement his true legacy. Abstain in the UN on a vicious Isreal vote. Knowingly violate the law on UNFCCC after a written Senate reminder. Send a billion to GCF without congressional approval. Promulgate an unconstitutional EPA CPP. Draw a red line on Assad chemical weapons use, then do nothing when it is crossed. Bilateral climate agreement with China where he handicaps American industry while China does nothing in return. Pass an Affordable Care Act that doubles health insurance premiums and prohibits obesity surcharges.
History will not be kind to Obummer.

mikewaite
Reply to  ristvan
January 18, 2017 2:17 pm

American history perhaps , but according to the BBC the World sees Obama differently.
In an interview with a journalist at the weekend the BBC told us that Obama leaves office with a personal approval from the American people that is the highest (possibly “evah”) for a second term president . He personally wrenched the US economy , and therefore much of that of the rest of the world, away from economic ruin after the worst recession since the 30s. He stopped the killing in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And Trump? well apparently he will “stumble from disaster to disaster ” and there is 50% chance he will not complete 4 years .
The voice of the BBC.

MarkW
Reply to  mikewaite
January 18, 2017 3:02 pm

10% economic growth over 8 years is wrenching away from economic ruin.
The so called poll that claims that Obama is so popular over sampled Democrats and independents by huge amounts.
Stopped the killing in Iraq and Afghanistan? Don’t look now, but the killing at present is as high or higher than when the Americans were present.
Liberals lie, it’s all they know how to do.

Curious George
Reply to  mikewaite
January 18, 2017 5:25 pm

All these polls also predicted Hillary’s victory.

DonM
Reply to  mikewaite
January 18, 2017 6:04 pm

According to the BBC
… brexit ain’t gonna pass, vast majority like being in the EU
… but if it does pass there will be major financial problems
… and nobody will want to travel to the island anymore
… Trump has no chance of winning,
… but if he does the financial markets will crash
… and all the poor mexicans will be rounded up and immediately and sent to hell

Gamecock
Reply to  ristvan
January 18, 2017 4:45 pm

“Pass an Affordable Care Act that doubles health insurance premiums”
Obama proclaimed at a joint session of Congress in 2009:
‘The plan I’m announcing tonight would meet three basic goals. It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance for those who don’t. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government.’
How’d that work out for ya, ‘Merica?
Entire speech:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-a-joint-session-congress-health-care
Transcript includes Joe Wilson’s “You lie!”
There was no connection, NONE, between the things he said and any actual legislation before Congress. The teleprompter was loaded with tasty sound bites, which had NO CONNECTION WITH ANY REALITY.
The Fake News Media loved the speech. Never fact checked any of it. Just declared it wonderful. I’d love to see Congress do a detailed analysis of the speech and the reality revealed by time as they prepare to vote for it’s repeal.
Additionally, they need to start the amendment process to the Constitution prohibiting the Federal Government from compelling people to buy something. Obamacare’s mandate to buy insurance is evil.
BTW, my son had Obamacare for a year. He said it was worthless. Remember that as the Fake News Media cries that repealing Obamacare will cost millions of people their insurance. It’s crap.

Curious George
January 18, 2017 12:45 pm

Compared to Obama adding $7.9 trillion to the national debt, this is peanuts. Just another Solyndra. Concentrate on real money.

Bruce Cobb
Reply to  Curious George
January 18, 2017 1:02 pm

It’s not the amount, it’s the principle. They don’t get to claim this “victory”. Not one red cent.

MarkG
Reply to  Bruce Cobb
January 18, 2017 5:07 pm

And the fact that it’s money taken from American taxpayers which will be used by foreigners to attack America.

Ill Tempered Klavier
Reply to  Curious George
January 18, 2017 8:16 pm

“A billion here, a billion there, and before long, you’re talking real money.” Sen. Everett M. Dirksen

MarkW
Reply to  Ill Tempered Klavier
January 19, 2017 7:20 am

The actual quote used millions, not billions. Of course that was back when the federal budget was just a few hundred billion.

bw
Reply to  Ill Tempered Klavier
January 19, 2017 11:14 am

The Dirksen quote is clarified here
https://web.archive.org/web/20040816153245/http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_emd_billionhere.htm
Dirksen knew the quote was based on a distorted newspaper article. He knew it was incorrect but decided he liked it, and never bothered to correct the record.

scraft1
Reply to  Ill Tempered Klavier
January 19, 2017 7:08 pm

MarkW, wrong again.
Maybe you shouldn’t talk so much.

January 18, 2017 1:02 pm

. . . just a trivial observation, maybe: The photograph illustrating this story somehow reminds me of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.
Make of that comparison what you will — I’m sure there are lots of humorous analogies in there, but it’s just too easy for me, and so I’ll allow you to do the comical work there. (^_^)

Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 1:08 pm

Oh, and I just made up a new word to summarize this nifty little action of the outgoing President — Obamanoxious
You know, I really liked the guy when he was running for office. He looks good. He speaks well. He has a great public appearance. He’s probably even a fun guy. … Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, … just not too bright in critical areas, unfortunately [understatement ?]

MarkW
Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 1:44 pm

I researched his positions and personality well prior to the election.
Nothing he has done has surprised me in the slightest.
The evidence was there for those who cared enough to look.

Paul Penrose
Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 2:53 pm

Mark,
I knew a number of otherwise intelligent people say they voted for Obama because he was black, but then denied that action was racist. Another guy shrugged his shoulders and said “Couldn’t be any worse than Bush.” My palm was almost stuck to my face that day.

Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 3:35 pm

PP, half black. Technically what used to be called mulatto. Remember Elizabeth Warren’s minority myth that she is supposedly 1/32 Cherokee, so Native American, so entitled to preferences. What ever happened to just American or not? T. Jefferson would have apparently understood.

Alan Watt, Climate Denialist Level 7
Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 4:49 pm

My claim to coining a new word is Obamalivion: the fading away of pretty much ever act of his presidency. And it starts in just 40 hours and 10 minutes …

Hivemind
Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 3:09 pm

“… Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.”
I always thought he was meant to be Julius Caesar.

Reply to  Hivemind
January 18, 2017 3:26 pm

“… Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.”
I always thought he was meant to be Julius Caesar.

Yeah, that’s probably even better, in terms of visual similarity, but in terms of religious zeal and its associated thorniness, … Jesus seems more appropriate. But then again, Caesar did not fair to well in the end, and so his own sort of zeal did him under, I guess.
No I’m torn.

hunter
Reply to  Hivemind
January 18, 2017 3:32 pm

Obama strikes me more of hybrid between Nero, for imposing policy without Senate support and for mistakingvhis obsessions for his duty. And Caligula, chasing delusional causes and further weakening Rome.

Mike the Morlock
Reply to  Hivemind
January 18, 2017 4:59 pm

Robert Kernodle January 18, 2017 at 3:26 pm
Heavens no
Try Flavius Josephus.
The Jewish war.
michael

DonM
Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 6:09 pm

Hadn’t looked at the photo until I read your comment.
What I see is a very skinny and rapidly aging man (mebbe the wife is stealing all the carbs of off his plate).

u.k.(us)
January 18, 2017 1:09 pm

There is good news, the adults take over the asylum on Friday.

Reply to  u.k.(us)
January 18, 2017 1:36 pm

Bad news ? — it’s still an asylum.

u.k.(us)
Reply to  Robert Kernodle
January 18, 2017 2:32 pm

One thing at a time.

Darrell Demick
January 18, 2017 1:16 pm

Fortunately in the Great White North we do not have the purse strings that our neighbors to the south have, therefore the level of corruption is not as significant.
Magnitude is another story (lol).
But never fear, we are also blessed with self-serving, unintelligent individuals who we, somehow, vote into positions of power, er, control.

janus100
Reply to  Darrell Demick
January 18, 2017 1:19 pm

Justin has already sent 2.5billion (!!!) to this green fund.
(just saying)

Darrell Demick
Reply to  janus100
January 18, 2017 1:28 pm

Duly noted and thank you, janus100. I guess C4 (Canuck Corruption Can Compete)?!?

markl
January 18, 2017 1:24 pm

Wait a minute…..where did the $500M come from? Obama can’t spend money without it being budgeted by Congress first and he can’t unilaterally redirect budgeted money by whim. If he previously set up a slush fund with an extra $500M and Congress allowed it then who’s to blame?

MarkW
Reply to  markl
January 18, 2017 1:45 pm

Unfortunately congress deliberately creates lots of slush funds for the president to tap whenever he wants.
It’s easier than actually doing their jobs.

Zeke
Reply to  markl
January 18, 2017 2:48 pm

I think they take it out of the budgets of the Alphabet Soup bureaucracies, such as the EPA, DOE and DoAg, etc. etc.
We might dare to hope that the new appointees to these rogue agencies have the political will to demolish hidden budget loopholes which go to foreign interests, and dramatically shrink the roles of these departments.
I always liked Governor Rick Perry. He was always my flat tax candidate.
Now thanks to Donald J Trump, he will get his opportunity. We’ll see.

Phillip Bratby
January 18, 2017 1:58 pm

It’s other peoples’ money – typical socialist behaviour.

RWturner
January 18, 2017 2:03 pm

I have a feeling there is something he can do about it, and we’ll need our 1% interest on that loan too.

David S
January 18, 2017 2:22 pm

I don’t know what the law is in the US but it appears clear to me that Obama should be arrested and charged with illegal transfer of funds in contravention of US laws. If there are no consequences for such a transfer then what’s the use of having the law. Obama as a lawyer should know this. He should also be held personally liable for the payment and bankrupted if unable to pay it back.

Gamecock
Reply to  David S
January 18, 2017 4:12 pm

Laws are for Republicans. Democrats are above the law.

scraft1
Reply to  David S
January 18, 2017 6:29 pm

David S, you’re right. There should be consequences for violating a law you don’t even know exists. Even if there is no law he probably, if the Trumster says so, will be held personally responsible for repayment. And, a $500 million debt will probably bankrupt him.

MarkW
Reply to  scraft1
January 19, 2017 7:22 am

Yet another excuse from the party of excuses.
It’s Obama’s job to know what laws exist. Regardless, congress sent him a letter informing him of his legal responsibilities. So the claim that he didn’t know doesn’t fly.
Any other pathetic excuses you care to try?

scraft1
Reply to  scraft1
January 19, 2017 6:52 pm

MarkW, what law are you talking about? David S doesn’t know and you don’t either. And I’m sure Obama knew the law, whatever it is, before he did it.
You should read what I say. Your response indicates you had no idea what I said.

Robert Austin
January 18, 2017 2:42 pm

A more productive application for the $500 million would have been to put in the fireplace and burn it for a little heat.

Bruce Cobb
Reply to  Robert Austin
January 18, 2017 2:53 pm

No, you take 500 million dollar bills and bury them. Carbon sequestration.

Sheri
January 18, 2017 2:53 pm

No one saw this coming? Really? I doubt that. Congress did NOTHING to stop it and I really doubt they care in the least that they shafted us one more time. Ryan is probably dancing right now.

troe
January 18, 2017 3:08 pm

The green blob is all about the color of money so mo surprise here. Do we have good auditing of where this money goes and the results of those projects. Lots of entities staffed by the families of government figures.
Remember oil for food in Iraq…. Kofi’s son Koko and all that.

Reply to  troe
January 19, 2017 1:24 pm

I believe the UN is trying to pass an international law that allows them to spend money and break laws with no accountability.
I bet the railroad engineer wants a do over.

hunter
January 18, 2017 3:25 pm

During the Obama years infrastructure in Houston, a city run by democrats, infrastructure desperately needed for flood control has dramatically deteriorated. A neighbor of mine drowned in the May 2015 flood. Thousands of homes were severely damaged. My niece had her house washed off its foundation. Important infrastructure has worn out all over America thanks in no small part to democrat party constituents. People are dying from preventable infrastructure defects. But this outgoing President, to fulfill his virtue seeking quest, would rather give our money away to top heavy ineffective organization like the UN. Thanks do much, Mr. Obama.

RockyRoad
January 18, 2017 3:28 pm

Worst. President. Ever.
And Friday I’m betting well get one of the Best. Presidents. Ever!

MarkG
Reply to  RockyRoad
January 18, 2017 5:10 pm

“Worst. President. Ever.”
Not even close. Johnson, Lincoln, Wilson and Roosevelt beat him by miles.

RockyRoad
Reply to  MarkG
January 18, 2017 6:22 pm

I don’t know where you get your revisionist history, MarkG, but since you apparently were brainwashed by the Progressive/Marxist movement that has infiltrated academia across the USA.
So I shall repeat: Obama is the worst president the USA has ever had. Period.
(That shouldn’t be a surprise since one of the presidents you include and Obama admired most was Wilson.)

MarkW
Reply to  MarkG
January 19, 2017 7:24 am

All of the president’s listed were progressive to extremely progressive.
I was going to ask which Roosevelt he was talking about, but they were both pretty bad.

john
January 18, 2017 3:31 pm

I missed this one….
EMEC Wins Verdict
EASTERN MAINE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE WINS $13.6 MILLION JURY VERDICT
http://www.emec.com/node/183
On Friday November 18th, a Bangor, Maine jury found, after a four day trial, that five wind power companies breached their contractual obligation to negotiate in good faith, and returned a $13.6 million verdict in favor of Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative (the “Cooperative”). The unanimous verdict against the defendants was reached after about two hours of deliberations.
The Cooperative’s CEO, Scott Hallowell said, “The defendants’ breach denied the Cooperative of the benefits of the deal, and forced the Cooperative to take legal action.” Hallowell said, “We are extremely pleased with the verdict, as it vindicates the Cooperative’s position that the wind companies did not negotiate in good faith. We have not yet heard whether the defendants will appeal, but if they do so we will vigorously defend the jury’s verdict.”
The contract required the wind power companies to act in good faith to finalize the sale to the Cooperative of a section of an electric transmission line, which provides transmission services to wind farms owned by three of the defendants. The parties had agreed that the three wind farms would pay for costs, including repairs and upgrades to the line, which is standard electric utility practice across the country.
The Cooperative was represented by Sigmund Schutz, Joe Donahue, and Ben Piper of the law firm Preti Flaherty, LLP. The Cooperative’s lead trial counsel, Sigmund Schutz, said, “The Defendants had sellers’ remorse and breached their good faith obligation. The jury agreed and awarded all of the damages we requested at trial.” Schutz added, “The verdict is among the largest jury verdicts ever awarded in Maine.”
The Cooperative entered into the contract in 2011 with First Wind Holdings, LLC and four of its former subsidiaries (Evergreen Gen Lead, LLC; Evergreen Wind Power III, LLC; Stetson Holdings, LLC; and Stetson Wind, II LLC), for the sale of a section of an electric transmission line, the Stetson Line, to the Cooperative. First Wind Holdings, LLC is now owned by SunEdison. The subsidiaries are three companies that own wind farms, Stetson I (Stetson Holdings, LLC); Stetson II (Stetson Wind II, LLC); Rollins (Evergreen Wind Power III, LLC); and the company that owns the Stetson Line (Evergreen Gen Lead, LLC). These four entities are now owned by TerraForm Power, Inc. (NASDAQ: TERP).
=======
Note: First Wind was sold to SUNE. They went under and the First Wind crew has formed another company, Longroad Energy Partners, based in Boston and San Francisco.
I’m not finished with them at all….

troe
Reply to  john
January 18, 2017 5:00 pm

Thank you for informing us. Detailed knowledge of the many green energy failures would surely change the public’s perception of these schemes. In my homev state we subsidized an entire solar supply chain which promptly collapsed. Reporting on the promises was extensive. Reporting on the collapse is non existant.

troe
Reply to  troe
January 18, 2017 5:04 pm

We are also subsidizing wind but that comes from another state altogether. Hard to make this stuff up.

john
Reply to  troe
January 18, 2017 6:56 pm

We are closely following a very significant development related to the above regarding Longroad Energy. Also note media did not (we believe intentionally) run the above story I linked to. TERP investors should take note.

PaulH
January 18, 2017 4:32 pm

China has lots of money. Maybe Corporate Accountability International and all the rest of the piggies at the tough can ask China for a few billion.
/snark

Bill Illis
January 18, 2017 4:39 pm

The world is spending 700 times this amount on climate research and green energy projects
We have to stop all of it, not just this measly $500 million.
2014 spending worldwide was $367 billion (and they haven’t updated it since it got too high to count anymore).
https://climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/global-climate-finance-updated-view-2013-2014-flows/comment image

Griff
Reply to  Bill Illis
January 19, 2017 12:41 am

[that’s just too stupid to print, find another source besides Greenpeace – Anthony]

Chris in Hervey Bay
January 18, 2017 4:57 pm

So, all you have to do is join up the dots and see how this money gets to Saudi Arabia !
http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2016/12/julie-bishop-looking-forward-to-co-chairing-un-green-fund-with-saudi-arabia.html
Always thought Obama was a Muslim.

Chris in Hervey Bay
Reply to  Chris in Hervey Bay
January 18, 2017 5:10 pm

BTW, you can see this $500 million as an enforced payment of Jizya (Tax) to the Islamic state !

troe
January 18, 2017 6:14 pm

“we will always have Paris” so they hope right. The green blob must, absolutely must spread it’s pain as widely as possible. We understand why. Who wants to take that final step to the level beyond in the fiery tail of the economic Hale-Bopp comet alone. On my local obsession with the TVA I was searching out the roots of the wind power contracts we have with Illinois based wind farms. The Portuguese EDP Group/Euronext owns those and they rotate (not sell I suppose) 20 year contractual profits to… wait for it… the Ontario Public Employees Pension Fund. Didn’t we just have a post about the disastrous energy policies of that hapless province. Aren’t the ratepayers crying on the millennial wunderkinds shoulder about their power bills in public. Leave it to government employees to come south for sweet returns in their retirement after having participated in the gutting of their own nest.
Oh but we are not nearly done ripping off TVA ratepayers aka the people. They are likely about to sign a much bigger deal for wind power from Oklahoma with the mega wealthy Ziff bros standing by to catch the largess for decades to come. Cant we just import a few of their more obviously gaseous citizens and let them roam the streets of Nashville. It would be a better deal.

January 18, 2017 6:30 pm

Wasn’t approved by congress. This is theft.

Louis
Reply to  Pat Ch
January 18, 2017 8:48 pm

That’s what I was wondering. Where does Obama come up with half a billion dollars without going through Congress? He’s certainly not paying it out of his own pocket. But then I remembered Paul Ryan saying something about fully funding Obama’s programs to avoid a government shutdown. Were these payments to the U.N. Green Fund part of the budget Congress approved last year? If so, shame on Congress! Those cowards like to talk big about holding the line on spending, and then they quietly approve every spending program the Democrats want.

redc1c4
Reply to  Louis
January 18, 2017 9:18 pm

Ryan didn’t pass a budget: IIRC, it was a “continuing resolution”, whatever the hello that is.
in fact, i’m pretty sure there hasn’t been a budget passed the whole time the #SCOAMF has been in office.

eyesonu
Reply to  Louis
January 18, 2017 11:11 pm

redc1c4,
I had to ‘google’ SCOAMF and found this:

observa
January 18, 2017 8:17 pm

Of course when you get your snout in the trough with that great big steaming pile of slush funds, naturally you want complete freedom to move it around among your mates-
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/12/18/10-billion-un-linked-climate-change-fund-wants-immunity-from-prosecution.html
(hat tip JoNova)

Rob
January 18, 2017 8:23 pm

Malfeasance and misappropriation of funds. Should be good for 20 years in prison.

Norman Baillie
January 18, 2017 8:47 pm

Relocate the UN to Deadhorse Alaska. No parking tickets to worry about and they will soon accept the reality of HC’s warming their butts…

JohnKnight
Reply to  Norman Baillie
January 18, 2017 10:19 pm

(Psst, There’s plenty of cold places in Canada, Norman, I’d first see if we couldn’t sucker them into being the host . . . tell Spud it’ll give him some gravitas . . and diversity . . )

MarkW
Reply to  Norman Baillie
January 19, 2017 7:25 am

HC? Hillary Clinton?

JohnKnight
Reply to  MarkW
January 19, 2017 11:04 am

Hydro carbons, I thought.

redc1c4
January 18, 2017 9:16 pm

Trump should tell them to make it last, because the gravy train days are over. Then cut our payments to the UN to 1/193rd of their basic budget & nothing more. let the rest of the world pony up for a change.
then tell them we’re taking back the land and buildings in NYC to use for American citizens, and they can all move immediately to Geneva & start using the back up HQ there.

commieBob
January 18, 2017 10:30 pm

And we’re not going away.

What are they going to do? They can demonstrate all they want. Before G.W. Bush invaded Iraq, there were demonstrations all over the world. It didn’t matter, Iraq got invaded anyway.

January 18, 2017 11:19 pm

The folks who put him in the Oval Office did this and he can do what he wants within his powers. Maybe it can be reversed, maybe not, who cares?
He’s out. Gone. History. Now things start over a bit, but make no mistake, the USA is a very large machine rolling in a direction set for it over the course of the past 30 years. I’d argue the course was set in the late 1980’s after Reagan left office. It is sluggish at the helm. It’s going to take time to change its course and those backing the Progressive/Fascist agenda know that. They’ll no doubt use it to their advantage.

Michael C. Roberts
Reply to  Bartleby
January 19, 2017 11:20 am

Bartleby – Astute assessment. I like to use the analogy of the US of A (or any other large government) being akin to an aircraft carrier or oil supertanker, where the command to change course may be given, but the tiller movement to the new course takes time to overpower the inertial mass of the original course of movement.
That being said, a lot of people just need to STFU (I sparingly utilize such acronyms, but this one seems appropriate here) and as the tiller is about to move to a new course for the US, to get on board the supertanker or aircraft carrier and come along for the ride – as a whole nation. No one trying to change who or what or why you are or want to be…no one stopping you from ‘protesting’ a perceived or actual slight, just give DJT a chance here.
I have a strong feeling (there I go with the feelings again) that DJT and his administration will make every effort to identify and move forward with actions that are in the best interests of the nation as an industrial power. If it plays out otherwise, and the promises made during the election campaigns are either ignored or reversed, I may join y