Obama and Merkel: No easy answers on Afghanistan, climate change

[TomCADem]

Source: USA Today

Merkel, who today becomes the first German chancellor to ever address a joint session of Congress, will push for a new global warming agreement. A big international meeting on this topic is set for early December in Copenhagen.

Obama supports such an agreement. But many Republicans and conservative Democrats say any deal should include high-growth polluters such as China and India, lest the U.S. put itself at economic disadvantage.


It may be tough to get the Senate to ratify a new global warming treaty; remember, the U.S. never joined the Kyoto agreement.

Some of these same topics will likely surface later today, as Obama conducts a brief "summit" with leaders of the European Union.

Read more: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/11/620000885/1

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The media rarely notes this, but compared to "conservative" Merkel, most U.S. Democrats look like tea baggers. Afterall, here is "conservative" Chancellor Merkel pushing for a climate treaty. She has also pushed for tighter financial regulation. Yet, when she won re-election, the U.S. media portrayed it as a victory for conservatism.

[theoldman]

1. It all depends on the meaning of the word Conservative.

Merkel may be a financial conservative and very few Americans are in this category. Americans are religious conservatives regardless of political party.

[ixion]

2. Sure there are:

Afghanistan: Get the hell out of there now.

Climate Change: Go green. It's a no brainer.

This type of status-quo arse licking is why we're in this mess to begin with.

[ginnyinWI]

3. I watched some of the address live.

I didn't know she was the first German chancellor to address Congress. About time.