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Uh, the Paris accords are hugely popular in the U.S. [1]. The word is that even most corporations, oil companies among them, supported staying in the pact. Ev

Uh, the Paris accords are hugely popular in the U.S. [1]. The word is that even most corporations, oil companies among them, supported staying in the pact. Everyone was on board with this, except Trump and his far conservative base. And as long as power gets passed between groups with fundamentally different interests (or even basic notions of reality), no one will trust U.S. for basic security if they have half a choice. [1] https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2017-06-01/a-bipartisan-majority-thinks-the-us-should-stay-in-the-paris-agreement https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2017-06-...

sverige 9y ago
"Hugely popular" is an overstatement. "Everyone" excluding "Trump and his far conservative base" lost the election. And part of Trump's message was that the U.S. shouldn't be the guarantor of the security of the rest of the world. That was a hugely popular proposition with his supporters.
- maxander 9y ago
  Remember, Trump lost the popular vote by a couple million, in an election where about half the country voted, so his base in general could be estimated at about a fourth to a fifth of the country. But if we take the "more than 5 to 1" figure from the linked article as valid, then it implies that even a bunch of people who voted for Trump liked the accord. My impression is that people didn't like Trump for policies having to do with the environment or climate change- they liked his stance on immigration and general outsider status. The not-being-responsible-for-other-countries bit is also a popular policy of his (arguably, its his most widely-appealing position altogether), but I'm confused that you think that that applies to the Paris accord. The accord didn't mandate us giving anyone else anything, and climate change is going to mess the U.S. up as much as anywhere else.
  - sverige 9y ago
    If the Paris accord was so popular, there was plenty of time to ratify it the constitutional way before Trump was elected. Apparently it wasn't that popular. And not everyone believes climate change (f/k/a global warming) theory.
- rhcom2 9y ago
  I don't think "hugely popular" is an overstatement if the number is really nearly 70% in favor. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-paris-climate-deal-agreement-poll-support-popularity-americans-states-a7765626.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics...
  - sverige 9y ago
    From the article,"An overwhelming majority of Democrats, 86 per cent, are fans of the deal, while only about 51 per cent of Republicans say the US should take part in the accord, the programme reported." So, not 70% of his supporters, especially considering not all Republicans voted for him, and some Democrats did. And the math is funny anyway. I haven't seen recent registration numbers, but last I looked, it was roughly 1/3 Democrat, 1/3 Republican, and 1/3 unaffiliated. It might be 40%, 30%, and 30%, not sure; the point is that I seriously doubt 70% of the people who voted for Trump support the Paris treaty, and certainly this article does not say that, though it tries very hard to imply it.
    - noobermin 9y ago
      The gov't of the US should represent its people, not just the side who won.
      - sverige 9y ago
        And the people of the U.S. should support their president, even if they didn't vote for him.
        noobermin 9y ago
        Sorry, I'm not making or am swayed by emotive arguments, and no one should be. Nothing in the constitution or in established interpretation of it require citizens to support the president.
        9y ago

sverige 9y ago

"Hugely popular" is an overstatement. "Everyone" excluding "Trump and his far conservative base" lost the election. And part of Trump's message was that the U.S. shouldn't be the guarantor of the security of the rest of the world. That was a hugely popular proposition with his supporters.

maxander 9y ago
Remember, Trump lost the popular vote by a couple million, in an election where about half the country voted, so his base in general could be estimated at about a fourth to a fifth of the country. But if we take the "more than 5 to 1" figure from the linked article as valid, then it implies that even a bunch of people who voted for Trump liked the accord. My impression is that people didn't like Trump for policies having to do with the environment or climate change- they liked his stance on immigration and general outsider status. The not-being-responsible-for-other-countries bit is also a popular policy of his (arguably, its his most widely-appealing position altogether), but I'm confused that you think that that applies to the Paris accord. The accord didn't mandate us giving anyone else anything, and climate change is going to mess the U.S. up as much as anywhere else.
- sverige 9y ago
  If the Paris accord was so popular, there was plenty of time to ratify it the constitutional way before Trump was elected. Apparently it wasn't that popular. And not everyone believes climate change (f/k/a global warming) theory.
rhcom2 9y ago
I don't think "hugely popular" is an overstatement if the number is really nearly 70% in favor. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-paris-climate-deal-agreement-poll-support-popularity-americans-states-a7765626.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics...
- sverige 9y ago
  From the article,"An overwhelming majority of Democrats, 86 per cent, are fans of the deal, while only about 51 per cent of Republicans say the US should take part in the accord, the programme reported." So, not 70% of his supporters, especially considering not all Republicans voted for him, and some Democrats did. And the math is funny anyway. I haven't seen recent registration numbers, but last I looked, it was roughly 1/3 Democrat, 1/3 Republican, and 1/3 unaffiliated. It might be 40%, 30%, and 30%, not sure; the point is that I seriously doubt 70% of the people who voted for Trump support the Paris treaty, and certainly this article does not say that, though it tries very hard to imply it.
  - noobermin 9y ago
    The gov't of the US should represent its people, not just the side who won.
    - sverige 9y ago
      And the people of the U.S. should support their president, even if they didn't vote for him.
      - noobermin 9y ago
        Sorry, I'm not making or am swayed by emotive arguments, and no one should be. Nothing in the constitution or in established interpretation of it require citizens to support the president.
        9y ago