Trump appears to want to erase Obama's name from the history books. The Executive Order "The North American Energy Independence Order" is one such instance. But give President Obama credit, he understood how reactionary elements in this society are, even though I always criticized him for his Dudley Do-Right attitude.
His sophisticated policy-making genius was not appreciated. Trump thinks by Executive Order he can banish Obama's policy on climate change.It ain't so.
On the Bradpodcast, environmentalists said it will take two-three years to roll back Obama's regulations and the Green groups are ready to litigate this.They point to the Supreme Court up holding the need for the EPA under the Clean Air Act to account for carbon emissions and to take in account the best science to explain its positions. This is called the "endangerment clause." The EPA would have to willfully break the law to avoid this.
The roll-back of the Clean Power Plan calls for a formal process and will be challenged by states. Let's make it clear, Gina McCarthy consulted with all 50 states so that they could develop their individual plans to reduce carbon emissions and all energy sources were admissible.This is actually a business friendly plan and would actually create jobs. And Pruitt was actually have to prove his assertions about the Plan.
The Executive Order was roiled out with the language the GOP used in the 1990s. A lot has changed since then. Then the GOP said solar was too expensive and inefficient. After the Obama administration,that is absolutely not true. The Renewable Revolution has been proceeding domestically and globally at a quantum rate.
35 countries have joined the Paris Climate Accord since Trump took office and the big players like India and China have re-asserted their commitment to meeting their countries' goals. In other words, the World will tell the United States to go hang.
The U.S. could try to sabotage the Paris Agreement by not providing foreign assistance to the affected country. But that's about it.
The major change Obama made was realigning all federal policy to consider climate change in a comprehensive strategy. This Executive Order rescinds Federal Government to consider climate change as a factor in policy. But the Pentagon and Mattis claim it is a threat to national security. So how do you square this?
I've already explained that we are energy independent. Undoubtedly Trump will claim this later. But his Executive Order concentrates only on oil, gas and coal. The Coal industry has already said there will be no additional coal jobs.
In their SEC filings the top 10 American Oil companies said that regulations played no part in their financial wellbeing or how many people they employ.
Yes, Trump ended Obama's moratorium on leasing for coal on public lands.The leasing program had not been reformed for years and basically was tax-payer handouts to the coal industry. The coal owners have said they will not reopen any coal mines.
The Executive Order also mandated that the EPA revisit the social cost of carbon.This was developed during the Bush Administration. Trump wants to ignore Obama but in 2007 the co
urts decided that carbon emission must have a cost.
In short,the EPA has a legal duty to regulate carbon dioxide. This was decided in the case Massachusetts vs. EPA.
People are saying this executive action may slow our responses to climate change but the states,and cities are actually lining up to fight climate change.
Trump can't make the waves recede.
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