Climate Sensitivity

[waltky]

Granny says, "Hmmm, mebbe Obama not Muslim after all - mebbe he Chinese?...

President Obama says climate change to take backseat to economy
11/14/12 - Climate change will take a back seat to efforts to boost the economy in the near term, but the issue would return to the agenda in the future, President Barack Obama said Wednesday.

The president, who won an endorsement from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg late in the presidential campaign because of his support for action on greenhouse gases, said his top priority would be to work to avert the “fiscal cliff.” His comments appeared to thwart hopes from environmental advocates that the White House would push for inclusion of a carbon tax in a broader package to address the “fiscal cliff.” Administration officials have previously said that it’s up to Republicans to propose a carbon tax, which is unlikely. “I am a firm believer that climate change is real, that it is impacted by human behavior and carbon emissions,” Obama said during his first news conference since being reelected. “As a consequence, I think we’ve got an obligation to future generations to do something about it.”

After treading carefully around the issue during the campaign, his comments drew cautious praise from green groups, even as the president steered clear of making specific proposals to deal with the emissions that come largely from burning fossil fuels. “You can expect that you’ll hear more from me in the coming months and years about how we can shape an agenda that garners bipartisan support and helps move this agenda forward,” Obama said. Obama pointed to the wide divide over legislation to address climate change. “I don’t know what either Democrats or Republicans are prepared to do at this point because it’s one of those issues that’s not just a partisan issue, I also think that there are regional differences,” Obama said. “There’s no doubt that for us to take on climate change in a serious way would involve making some tough political choices.”

He stressed that any legislation to address climate change would have to also improve the struggling economy. “I think the American people right now have been so focused and will continue to be focused on our economy, jobs and growth that if the message is somehow that we’re going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate change, I don’t think anybody’s going to go for that. I won’t go for that,” he said. He continued: “If, on the other hand, we can shape an agenda that says we can create jobs, advance growth and make a serious dent in climate change and be an international leader, I think that’s something that the American people will support.”

Read more: President Obama says climate change to take backseat to economy - Andrew Restuccia - POLITICO.com

See also:

Obama lays out second-term agenda
Fri, Nov 16, 2012 - US President Barack Obama laid out his second-term agenda on Wednesday, expressing a willingness to work with Republicans in the US Congress and a resolve to defy them if necessary.

In his first full-scale news conference since March, Obama said he was willing to compromise with Republicans to forge a deal on the nation’s debt and taxes to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” a combination of budget cuts and tax increases that will kick in next year if such an agreement is not reached. However, he said he would not abandon his campaign pledge to allow tax cuts on the top 2 percent of US earners to expire. After a re-election campaign that critics said offered few details of his vision for the next four years, Obama discussed his priorities on policies from immigration to climate change during an hour-long press conference.

The president was relaxed, bantered with reporters who challenged him and expressed gratitude for having the chance to be in the White House for another four years. “I don’t have another election, and Michelle and I were talking last night about what an incredible honor and privilege it is to be put in this position,” he said, referring to his wife.

Critics of his first term say Obama did not do enough to reach out to lawmakers, particularly Republicans who still hold a majority in the US House of Representatives. Obama took a conciliatory tone toward Congress while sticking to his positions on issues that divide Democrats and Republicans, including tax rates and reducing the budget deficit. “Look, I think there’s no doubt that I can always do better and so I will examine ways that I can make sure to communicate my desire to work with everybody, so long as it’s advancing the cause of strengthening our middle class and improving our economy,” he said.

His conciliatory tone broke down when asked about US senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham’s criticism of UN Ambassador Susan Rice — a contender to succeed US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton — saying they would not support her nomination for a Cabinet post because she made misleading statements about the September attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. “For them to go after the UN ambassador, who had nothing to do with Benghazi and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence that she had received, and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous,” Obama said.

More http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2012/11/16/2003547851

 

[flacaltenn]

Steinbruner notes that Pakistan and India currently refuse to share data on precipitation rates with the United States, information that could predict floods and droughts in South Asia. “There needs to be, if you will, a global diplomatic and scientific discussion saying, ‘Look, we need to set rules. We need to set processes where all of us are monitoring according to the same standards.' We all get the same benefit from it,” he said.

Nawwwww -- it's not about "control" or economic imperialism.. We just need to "set some rules" and make sure that India and Pakistan properly reports their weather..

Misery and wars are no longer the outcomes of bad govt -- they are a byproduct of burning fossil fuels.

ANNNND -- there it is -- a couple days after I said the CAGW forces were mustering on the border.. They are gonna push this cart over the edge along with our economy. Obama THOUGHT he had a plan to fix the economy and "heal the planet" and tossed 4 years and $BILLs towards "green jobs" without wondering where and how Twinkies would be made. NOW -- he's still looking for a way to make that phoney plan work..