Kerry: Bush administration ‘increasingly irrelevant’ on climate

[babylonsister]

Kerry: Bush administration ‘increasingly irrelevant’ on climate
By Klaus Marre | Posted 12/19/07 2:35 PM
December 19, 2007


Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) slammed the Bush administration on Wednesday for its reluctance to take bold action on climate change, but the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee added that the White House does not represent the view of the American people on the issue.

Kerry, who just returned from the climate negotiations in Bali, Indonesia, at which he represented Congress, criticized the Bush administration for standing in the way of a stronger agreement on the issue. The senator stated, however, that the opportunities of this White House to stand in the way of action are dwindling.

“The world needs to know: This White House doesn’t represent the American people today, and it cannot represent America’s policy beyond January 2009,” Kerry said, pointing to state and local efforts to address climate change.

“The reality is, the Bush White House is increasingly irrelevant to any future agreement,” the senator added in a speech at the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

Kerry said that, despite the administration’s efforts, the so-called “Bali roadmap” makes progress on the issue.

“What I found in Bali was a world ready to act, full of willing partners when the United States finally decides to lead,” Kerry stated. “To a person, almost everyone told me the same thing: Ultimately we can’t do this without the U.S., but we won’t wait to get started until America comes on board.”

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/kerry-bush-administration-increasingly-irrelevant-on-climate-2007-12-19.html

[globalvillage]

1. There's video of the speech

http://www.americanprogressaction.org/events/2007/kerry.html

[babylonsister]

2. Thanks, globalvillage! nt

[ProSense]

4. Thanks! n/t

[YvonneCa]

3. Increasingly irrelevant...

...on most everything! :7

[tuvor]

5. I wish the USA's administration WERE irrelevant.

You (and my native Canada) are among the biggest damn polluters!

[Gloria]

6. Tell that to CA's plan....

[TayTay]

7. Ahm, what?

Can we have that again, in English?

[YvonneCa]

8. Huh? n/t

[DCKit]

9. Kerry and Gore rocking Jr.'s boat. Boo Hoo, or Hoo Boy, depending on your viewpoint.

I believe the reference to CA is their adamant stance that, if the Feds won't do their job, it will be done at the state level. The CARB decision in 2003 (?), which led to the recall and the end of manufacture of the electric cars made by GM, Toyota and Ford, also led to the serious, current backlash against the current administration's anti-environmental policies.