How is Kyoto doing? Who supports it and who doesn't?

How is Kyoto doing? Who supports it and who doesn’t?

You be the judge:

Exhibit 1: http://www.environmentaldefense.org/pressrelease.cfm?ContentID=499
Whereupon we find that President Clinton found time to sign the Kyoto protocol three years before the end of his presidency.

Exhibit 2: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articleii.html
Whereupon we learn that Article II of the Constitution requires the Advise and Consent of the Senate for Treaty ratification.

Exhibit 3:
This symbolizes the Press Release of the vote on the Kyoto protocol for which President Clinton did not call.

Exhibit 4: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/europe/jan-june01/bush_6-14.html
Whereupon Bush announces our withdrawal from the Treaty, using his Presidential powers under Exhibit 2. Exhibit 4 also demonstrates the outrage of our partners and other treaty signatories over this action, as well as the uniform condemnation of the press.

Exhibit 5: http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/12/10/climate.conference.ap/index.html
Whereupon we find from President Clinton that our approach in withdrawing from the non-Treaty, and climate change in general is “flat wrong.” Never mind that he did not find the time to present it to the Senate.

Exhibit 6: http://www.forbes.com/finance/feeds/afx/2005/11/18/afx2345473.html
Whereupon we find that, rather than achieving a 6% reduction from emissions as the main provision of their Treaty calls for, the following countries have increased emissions as follows:

Canada, 24.2%
Japan (home of Kyoto), 12.8%
Spain, 41.7%
Portugal, 36.7%
Greece, 25.8%
Ireland, 25.6%
Finland, 21.5%
Austria, 16.5%

In the interest of fairness, several countries have cut emissions, such as Germany and Britain (which was, of course, transitioning out of a coal-based electrical production when it signed the treaty and had already reduced from 1990).

But what about the Great Satanic Polluter, where are we? Well, as luck would have it, we have increased ours by 13.3%, well below several of the most strident protestors, even while our economy has expanded at 300% their combined rate. But you would not glean that without a little homework as it is rather unclear from the press coverage, wouldn’t you say?

Which goes to show you how words speak louder than actions.

The Start of the First U.N. Resolution

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4513646.stm

Let's see how the U.N. does at it this time.....

Whatever happened to the "Bush lied on WMD's movement?"

Am I the only one keeping this alive?

Where is the democratic wing of the Democratic party?

This blog sounds like an echo chamber. We have Nym Pseudo on the right, Carl Spackler and Centerline in the center..... Bonafide to the right of Nym, and so forth. Can we get some participation from the democratic wing of the Democratic party? Or perhaps y'all have some friends on the left we can invite?

John Kerry said what?

JOHN KERRY: I don't agree with that. But I think what we need to do is recognize what we all agree on, which is, you've got to begin to set benchmarks for accomplishment; you've got to begin to transfer authority to the Iraqis, and there is no reason, Bob, that young American soldiers need to be going into the homes of Iraqis in the dead of night, terrorizing kids and children, you know, women, breaking sort of the customs of the -- of -- of -- of -- historical customs, religious customs, whether you like it or not. Iraqis should be doing that. And after all of these two and a half years, with all --

NYM PSEDUO: Are you fucking kidding me Mr. Kerry? Did you not use this page from your playbook after Vietnam when you cited all these incidents that you were never involved in. Now we are the terrorists. We will truly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory if Dean, Kerry, or Pelosi actually win something.

I think i have come to the conclusion that the Democrats are much more intelligent than anyone else. They are making me hate everyone in the party so much that Hillary seems ok. What a fucking ploy.....

Is a mind a terrible thing to waste? Or is a waste a terrible thing to mind?

This is an interesting article on a rational approach to bring Africa into the 19th century and beyond. If you think globalization makes people poorer, you probably won't agree with it.....

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/ORGANIZATION/EXTOFFICEPRESIDENT/0,,contentMDK:20747792~menuPK:64343271~pagePK:51174171~piPK:64258873~theSitePK:1014541,00.html

The "beyond the shadow of a doubt" standard....

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/12/07/professor.terror.ap/index.html

This is the reason we can't be putting enemy combatants through trials in the U.S. Our system is designed to ensure that we should allow most guilty people to go free rather than condemn an innocent person, in following the "beyond the shadow of a doubt" doctrine.

I, for one, would feel better about UBL being tried as an enemy combatant and hidden in a secret CIA prison than tried by the Orenthal J. Simpson jury. I realize we are talking about two extremes of a continuum but, if we simply legislate that the CIA cannot have secret prisons and incarcerate enemy combatants, then we've gone to the other extreme. What would keep us safer? I'd appreciate any arguments that do not contain any references to Japanese Americans in WWII, as I have already read the "joke of the day" for today.

50 years after Rosa Parks and there's not even a bus

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10354221/

I hope SOMEONE, such as Nym or Carl, can explain to me why, 50 years after Rosa Parks, discrimination is so rampant in this country.

I have to stand up for my brothers and sisters against the institutionalized racism of the administration. I think Kanye West who, having been denied the Album of the Year award in more than one occasion is no stranger to racism, said it best. He, Jesse Jackson and The Reverend Al Sharpton have denounced the racism that has kept them down, and will continue to do so.

Yesterday, it was the 9th Ward in New Orleans. Tomorrow, it may be Kendall or Hialeah.

The official democratic position on Iraq

Finally some clarity from the Chairman himself.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/06/dean.iraq/index.html

Can we talk about job loss for 2005?

Centerline,

Your party talked on and on and on and on about how the Bushies kept losing jobs and was the worst ever as a President. Care to give us an update on how that has gone for 2005? I figure the Iraq thing is much more pressing so we don't hear about how bad of a job Bush is doing here.

Nym