Wednesday, December 2, 2015
House Votes to Block Obama Climate Rules
While Obama and other world leaders attempted to create a global climate agreement in Paris, Congress voted to block his Clean Power Plan, which aims to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. These measures will most likely be vetoed by Obama. The GOP claims they blocked the plan to show the climate conference that Obama doesn't have the support of his country on environmental issues.The opposition argues that the regulations will kill jobs, drive up electricity costs, and reduce the reliability of the U.S. energy supply, and that it's more important to focus on national security at the moment. Supporters of the policies believe this plan is an important step in slowing global climate change and its harmful effects on the environment and the economy. The EPA claims it can enact this plan under the Clean Air Act; however, it has received major backlash from twenty-five states, as well as GOP lawmakers. Do you believe that there is as much opposition to Obama's environmental policies amongst Americans as there is in Congress? Should we prioritize national security over environmental regulation? Do you think we can expect any of Obama's environmental policies to be passed through Congress any time soon?
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I think there's more opposition to Obama's environmental policies amongst Congress than ordinary Americans. Republicans in Congress probably have more extreme views than most citizens - the article mentioned that a lot of them "reject the idea of global warming." Some Republican Congressman deny the existence of global warming, but I think most Americans, even those who self-identify as Republicans, do not. Additionally, I think we should prioritize environmental regulation over national security. A clean, stable environment is actually part of our national security. We can't focus only on other, more obvious threats to the United States and ignore environmental concerns. Unfortunately, I don't think we can expect any of Obama's environmental policies to be passed through Congress any time soon - Republicans seem determined to block them, even if it's just to make a political statement.
ReplyDeleteI believe we should prioritize national security as if we cannot protect people there will be not point in protecting the environment although I do think environmental protection is a high priority. No I do not believe any policies to pass through congress as they are far to divided to agree on anything.
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ReplyDeleteI believe congressmen and women exaggerate the problems to posing solution to certain issues like environmental protection. Thus, in congress there is more opposition then the people. Also, I agree national security is important but not as much as environmental protection. In my opinion our national security is pretty stable. It may need some work but environmental protection needs a lot more for betterment of our future lives. I really hope some of Obama's policies will be passed soon, but in reality that the likeliness is not too high.
ReplyDeleteUntil Republicans move away from an obstructionist mindset, environmental regulation will not get passed. I don't think there is as much opposition among the general public over environmental regulations. There is a common complaint that the US has focused too much on foreign policy and environmental issues are definitely domestic issues that can be solved with proper regulation. National security isn't going to be ignored in the steps of environmental regulation but environmental regulation will absolutely be ignored if we focus solely on national security.
ReplyDeleteI believe congress exaggerates the opposition to Obama's environmental policies. While environmental regulations are very important, national security is more important. The safety of Americans is currently more important than environmental regulations, especially with the surge in attacks with connections to Isis. I do not see these policies being passed by congress any time soon.
ReplyDeleteThe primary reason Republicans block environmental legislation is to harm Obama and the Democratic Party. It doesn't matter what they believe about climate change; partisanship is more important. The majority of Americans agree with the truth that climate change is real and caused by human behavior. It dumbfounds me how many highly-educated lawmakers object to science. National security is important, but it's nonsense that we can't pay attention to the disastrous state of the environment as well. The obstruction is pure partisanship and about keeping campaign donors happy. Environmental legislation will be difficult to pass as long as Obama is in office.
ReplyDeleteCongress tends to feel much more strongly on issues than Americans do and this is no exception. I think that our current system of nation security is fine and that it would do the US much better to focus on environmental policies for awhile. Sadly though, our current Congress is very resistant and the chances of Obama's environmental policies passing through are slim. This nation could benefit from policies that are probably never going to be passed.
ReplyDeleteI believe our environment is not something we can neglect, especially when it comes to neglect over partisanship. I also believe national security is very important, especially with terroristic action around the world, so our government needs to adapt and learn to heed to both needs; we don't need 100% of our focus on national security when the state of our environment is slipping between our fingers, but there needs to be attention to national security as well. I think the policy should be well-considered by GOP, instead of ignored due to partisanship.
ReplyDeleteI believe our environment is not something we can neglect, especially when it comes to neglect over partisanship. I also believe national security is very important, especially with terroristic action around the world, so our government needs to adapt and learn to heed to both needs; we don't need 100% of our focus on national security when the state of our environment is slipping between our fingers, but there needs to be attention to national security as well. I think the policy should be well-considered by GOP, instead of ignored due to partisanship.
ReplyDeleteI do think there is less support for environmental policies in Congress than there is in the general American public. Now more than ever, serious reform is absolutely critical to slow climate change and damage to the environment.
ReplyDeleteNational security, however, is a huge concern now with increasing threats of terrorism around the world. I do believe it should be one of our biggest priorities, as it poses a more direct, immediate threat to the nation. That does not mean, however, that environmental policy should be forgotten at all, as it is far past the time when we could have prevented the damage done by climate change. As a previous blog post discussed, there does seem to be an indirect link between climate change and terrorism.
Unfortunately, it does not seem as if Obama will have much success passing the environmental policies in Congress with the strength of Republican opposition. But the GOP should take a good long look at such policies, as it literally is a world-threatening issue.
This is just my personal opinion, but I think every country in the world has to and will make sacrifices to achieve the goals of a worldwide effort to limit climate change. The job loss and monetary costs that would result from environmental policy in the United States are, unfortunately, a cost that we must pay for the greater good.