Over the last couple of weeks, there have been reports from interviews with Donald Trump that should give any sentient being pause: in one, it became embarrassingly clear that he had never heard of the GI Bill; in another, challenged on his ability to push through a constitutional amendment to stop women from giving birth to all those “anchor babies,” he responded–wrongly– that birthright citizenship wasn’t in the constitution. (“It just takes a statute.”)
The Donald’s most recent policy pronouncement, however, is far more terrifying. As a number of media outlets are reporting, Trump says that if he is elected he will pull out of the Paris climate agreement and approve the Keystone pipeline.
Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said on Thursday that he would pull the United States out of the U.N. global climate accord and slash environmental regulations on the energy industry if elected…
“We’re going to cancel the Paris climate agreement,” Trump said at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in Bismark, the capital of North Dakota, the second largest U.S. oil-producing state. It was Trump’s first speech detailing the energy policies he would advance from the White House.
Trump said he would invite TransCanada to reapply to build the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the United States, reversing a decision by the administration of President Barack Obama to block the project over environmental concerns.
“I want it built, but I want a piece of the profits,” Trump said. “That’s how we’re going to make our country rich again.”
Trump is on record (not that being on record means anything in his case, since he changes his positions more often than most people change their underwear–but still) as repeatedly saying that climate change is a hoax. Whether he believes that or not, the policies he is promising to pursue are all based upon the increased use of fossil fuel and the rollback of regulations on energy.
As Ed Brayton wryly observed over at Dispatches from the Culture Wars, it may simply be another rather breathtaking exhibition of Trump’s hypocrisy:
Now remember, he said this literally two days after it was revealed that his company has applied to build a high sea wall at one of his golf courses in Scotland in order to protect the property from the rising seas resulting from global warming. So he knows damn well that global warming is real and has serious consequences. But he’s more than willing to screw over pretty much the entire world in order to get elected. Speaks volumes about the man, don’t you think?
At the end of the day, however, what Trump actually thinks (assuming, in the absence of evidence, that he actually does engage in that activity) is irrelevant. He is promising that on his watch, America will pursue policies having the foreseeable consequence of making the planet largely uninhabitable.
I find agreement with what William wrote earlier today, “…the voters have evolved while the establishment, the bobble-heads, pundits, apparatchiks, the parties and true believers have not.”
As we’ve all likely heard, it behooves a leader of any group to look over his/her shoulder occasionally to see if the followers are still there. The mood of the people should never be dismissed or discounted as insignificant.
Marv, I’m not trying to change William. I’m trying try inform others so they won’t fall for what William did.
Does anyone notice that Pete rarely actually discusses others’ comments, he just says they got fooled or they fell for something? And then he follows up with the same mantra. Is this really working for you?
Pete,
“Marv, I’m not trying to change William. I’m trying to inform others so they won’t fall for what William did.”
I believe you. But, William is just looking for a fight. That’s why he is so aggressive.
William is not a supporter of Trump. He just wants Trump to win so he can then jump on the anti-Semitic bandwagon not from the RIGHT but from the LEFT. The same thing happened in Nazi Germany with the Communists.
Many who support Sanders, are just like him. They are willing to throw out the GOOD in America along with the BAD.
How can the Democratic Party win without the supporters of Bernie Sanders? They can’t.
Bernie Sanders has no control over many of his supporters. He’ll find that out at the Democratic Party convention and its aftermath. He’s using them and they’re using him.
In many respects, they’re more dangerous than the Tea Party.
Marv,you’re absolutely crazy. This is the first time in my more than fifty+ years of being on this planet that I’ve been accused of being anti-Semitic. This is quite a milestone. Frankly,I find the ripostes from Pete and yourself to be the most aggressive. Not only do the two of you willfully misinterpret the contributions of others,but now you’re going to accuse others of being nazis? And you’re accusing Bernie supporters of all people? Have you lost your mind?
Pete: What have I fallen for? You’ve stated in many previous threads as to how Bernard Sanders is your hero. The only difference between the two of us is I have chosen to vote/support Sanders as president, whilst you’ve chosen Hillary as your president.
You’ve lost all credibility.
William,
“Marv,you’re absolutely crazy. This is the FIRST TIME in my more than fifty+ years of being on this planet that I’ve been accused of being anti-Semitic”
There’s always a first time. Thanks for the endorsement.
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