Matt Yglesias

7 Responses to “As Long As You’re Going to Be in Scandinavia…”

1. Marshall Says:
   October 10th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

   Honestly, if the Senate hasn’t moved the cap-and-trade bill by December, what exactly with the US’ stance at Copenhagen be? Unless the administration is willing to come out and say that there will either be Waxman Markey or the EPA will regulate according to the following rules, I don’t see how anyone would want to negotiate with us. And thus far, at least, the administration seems to be using the administrative option as a vague threat to scare Congress, not as an actual regulatory proposal.

2. Stefan Says:
   October 10th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

   The conference is being held in Copenhagen and it starts on December 7 but runs for a couple of weeks. Interestingly enough, the Nobel Prize is going to be handed out in Oslo on December 10. In other words, in the middle of the conference. And Oslo is pretty close to Copenhagen. And Obama will be in Oslo to accept the award.

   My god it’s a trap! The whole thing’s a fiendish ruse!

3. Jasper Says:
   October 10th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

   Unless the administration is willing to come out and say that there will either be Waxman Markey or the EPA will regulate according to the following rules,

   Well, there’s no way they’ll be able to get both healthcare and W-M passed between now and then, so let’s hope it’s the latter.

   I personally rather suspect we’ll see more vigorous action on a host of issues (all of them being politically controversial as it’s not possible for a proposal not to be controversial in today’s political environment) after a healthcare bill reaches Obama’s desk: climate change, gay rights, more stimulus, Guantanamo, etc. It’s been obvious since the beginning that the administration (correctly, IMO) believes BHO has just enough political capital to get healthcare done if he’s very careful not to dissipate it on other items. I think once it’s passed — just a hunch — we’ll see a more aggressive White House on sundry other issues.

4. joe from Lowell Says:
   October 10th, 2009 at 4:03 pm

   A fiendish, Nordic ruse!

5. Omega Centauri Says:
   October 10th, 2009 at 6:05 pm

   Being that even if by some miracle he has some sort of domestic bill by then, the conference will be most noted for the poorer nations beating up the richer ones (excepting I suspect Norway) for not commiting to serious reductions. The prime country to beat up on will be the US, for even if we get some sort of domestic progress, the targets will be woefully short of what the world wants to see. So I can understand not wanting that sort of press.

6. ChooChoo! Says:
   October 11th, 2009 at 5:57 am

   Perhaps Obama will not want to be embarrassed by this:
   http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8299079.stm

   And then he will also prefer not to be beat up by poorer nations who are using the whole Global Warming Fraud
   to try and guilt trip the richer into further funding
   their corrupt governments.
   Nor to be lectured by India and China as to why they deserve
   an exception to the rigors demanded by the Sky Is Falling
   sheeple.
   But most importantly, having been told that my god we will all die if we don’t do X Y Z by yesterday!, and X Y Z will not be agreed in Copenhagen, it will be difficult for
   Obama to put his person on the line.
   Then again maybe they can invent some dumb ass Climate
   Saviour award to give him for Healing The Planet.
   Or whatever.
   Gee mommy, winter sure came early this year!

7. joe from Lowell Says:
   October 11th, 2009 at 10:29 am

   If I take one of your hand-written, memeographed sheets, will you move out of the way and let me exit the subway station?