Yes he can
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- Date published:
10:45 am, December 9th, 2009 - 15 comments
Categories: Environment, International -
Tags: copenhagen, obama
In America the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just ruled that greenhouse gases “threaten the public health and welfare of the American people”, and that they are pollutants that can be regulated under the Clean Air Act. Ho hum, so what? Quite the opposite. It isn’t clearly spelled out in much of the media coverage, but this is a real game changer.
What it means is that Obama no longer needs the approval of Congress to take action to reduce greenhouse emissions. Only Congress can enact new legislation (or Senate can ratify a treaty from Copenhagen), but as a result of this move Obama can take action under already existing legislation. He can make binding commitments at Copenhagen whether Congress / Senate like it or not:
The uncertainty of Senate action on climate has restricted the President’s ability to make firm commitments. But now the President can clearly say, I have the legal authority to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even if the Senate refuses to get its act together.
This is very smart politics from Obama. And I can’t imagine that he has arranged to untie his hands like this unless he damn well means to use them. Obama can now commit America to meaningful emission cuts, and show the real leadership that the world so desperately needs at Copenhagen. Gordon Brown is pushing for Europe to commit to 30% by 2020 (we need 40% Gordon!). Is this the turning point? For myself I can’t believe it until it happens. But if Obama does lead something significant at Copenhagen then he will have earned his Nobel Peace Prize, his place in history, and the thanks of us all.
[Hat Tip Sign On. Just when I’d given up on Obama too!]
Update: Since writing this last night my brief flash of optimism has faded to black. What a mess. Once again the rich nations of the world are conspiring to screw the poor. This could wreck the conference.
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- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
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- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
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- Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban
The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
- Greyhound racing industry ban marks new era for animal welfare
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- Rangatahi voices must be centred in Government’s Relationship and Sexuality Education refresh
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt introduces archaic anti-worker legislation
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...2 weeks ago
- Winston Peters – Kinleith Mill Speech
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- He Ara Anamata: Greens launch Emissions Reduction Plan
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- Internationally-trained doctors jump at chance to boost health workforce
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...2 days ago
- New intelligence oversight appointments
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- New housing developments able to progress more quickly
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- Actions to speed up air travel delivering results
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...2 days ago
- Ending contracted emergency housing in Rotorua
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...2 days ago
- Vocational education and training decisions support return to regions
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- Reducing the environmental impact of synthetic refrigerants
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- Ngāruawāhia section of Waikato Expressway back to 4 lanes for Christmas
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State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...4 days ago
- Funding confirmed for second Ashburton Bridge
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- Fire and Emergency New Zealand final levy rates confirmed
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- More AML relief on the way for Kiwi businesses
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- Wide ranging legislation to make justice system more efficient
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- Torture redress for survivors of the Lake Alice Unit
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- Greater reporting on Treaty settlement commitments
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- New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...5 days ago
- Government takes steps to reduce card fees for Kiwis
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- Review recommends ECE regulation shakeup
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- Offshore Renewable Energy Bill passes first reading
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- Local Government (Water Services) Bill passes first reading
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Yep, this was a great way for Obama to circumnavigate the checks and balances put in place by those pesky Founding Fathers.
Bravo, Mr President.
Don’t be stupid scribe. He is granted the powers to do this under legislation the Congress legitimately passed.
If they don’t like what he does with that legislation, guess what Congress has the power to do?
Yep, this was a great way for Obama to circumnavigate the checks and balances put in place by those pesky Founding Fathers
So where were you Scribe when the Bush administration gutted the Constitution? Patriot Act any one?
American democracy is an empty shell owned by big money. Checks and balances have become tools to strangle any reform agenda. If Obama has a legal mechanism for smashing the logjam then I say good for him.
r0b,
I was critical of that, too, in answer to your question. I supported the Act, but not the method of implementation.
What did you think of how the Patriot Act was implemented? Based on your comment above — If Obama has a legal mechanism for smashing the logjam then I say good for him — you mustn’t have had a problem with it.
Or is the use of such legal mechanisms dependent on your agreement with the policy it’s enabling?
captcha: authoritys — no spellcheck on captcha?
I supported the Act, but not the method of implementation.
You supported an unconstitutional Act? An Act with crucial provisions that were against the law? You now have a bit of a credibility problem when appealing to legal distinctions.
The method of implementation sucked big time. But as far as I recall it wasn’t technically illegal. Just immoral, dirty and stupid (much like our current government’s abuse of urgency – do you have a problem with that too?). I supported neither the Act (illegal) nor its method of implementation (dirty).
Obama’s use of the EPA is not in the same ballpark. Arguably the EPA is doing (for once) exactly what it was set up to do. The fact that it bypasses political logjams happens to be a bonus that yes, I thoroughly approve of.
There’s some fishy Orwellian bollox going on here.
According to The Story of Cap and Trade, a Supreme Court ruling in April gave the EPA the power to regulate major greenhouse gasses. The EPA was also apparently gutted…. market solutions being favoured over legislation or regulations
Anyway, this is December. The ruling was in April. Not breaking news…just propaganda.
Took the EPA bloody long enough.
And the “Danish text” is frankly pathetic, for it seems the Danish, UK and USA negotiators have failed to realise that they need to act in good faith with the developing nations, otherwise Copenhagen is not going to get very far.
Yep, the Danish Text effectively removes any possibility of agreement if the rich countries try to keep it in any shape or form.
I agree with James Hansen that an ETS is a stupid idea.
http://www.good.is/post/Cap-and-Tirade-Hansen-and-Krugman-Can-t-Agree
ETS are far worse than merely stupid.
In Europe it failed. Emissions increased and consumer costs skyrocketed.
The trade aspect is a rort. Plain and simple.
Again, the cartoon linked in my previous comment outlines a couple of the more obvious trading scams associated with the offsets of ‘Cap and Trade’.
Why will people not face the simple reality that we can have either capitalism or a future and act accordingly?
Because their representatives are owned by the capitalists and they’re fed a lot of misinformation through the MSM. They don’t yet realise that that’s pretty much the options available.
While i do not like Obama, I applaud him for doing something that will most likely be politically unpalatable in America. It shows guts and courage to stand against the electorate. I don’t like what he is doing, but respect his belief that what he is doing is right. good on him. if only our leaders here showed a bit more courage to make changes.
Unfortunately this is exactly the sort of thing that the ignorant masses get worked up about – see the Palin Supporters video from a few days ago. Almost everything they talked about was completely groundless and fabricated, but when Obama goes and actually does something along the lines of what they were talking about, it’s really going to drive the right-wing propagandists into overdrive.
I have faith in Obama.
He will do the right thing.
FYI.. the US EPA is in effect the US environment standards setter.
It’s recent top official announcement (Lisa Jackson) gives practise and process implementation powers to the Supreme Court ruling (was it back in 2007) that carbon dioxide is an atmospheric pollutant.
As an atmospheric pollutant this waste gas has been deemed after significant studies conducted for the EPA, harmful to health.
An immediate importance of this is what state and federal judicial process can now render unto polluters.. as for instance in a Louisiana community’s (Kivalina I seem to recall) allegations on industrial CO2 emitters(and other GHG gasses, as SO2 from coal) harming health and livelihood etc in their communities.
A further question you might consider is why is the US Chamber of Commerce currently so very concerned for its members about likely legal actions centered on the law of tort. That is, polluters need now answer or evade the legal consequences of their polluting ways.
Else smarten up their act. Or, in several major coal-fired energy plants, close down.