- 1
- 2
Blowhard in Chief
Even then, changing U.S. law requires a majority vote in both houses of Congress. Any legislation that is controversial—which is pretty much anything in today's fractious political environment—actually requires the nod of 60 Senators (that is, 60 percent of the vote). As American politics becomes more hotly contested, it has become easier for any senator who opposes a rule to get 39 others to block it. When the rest of the world looks to U.S. leadership, they should eye the 60th senator perhaps as much as the U.S. president.
When a sharp change in course is needed, former White House occupants might be more important than presidents. On global warming, Al Gore has done much more for the cause than he probably would have achieved as president. Not needing to focus on the messy task of actually running a government—with the minutia of isolating 33 or 40 blocking senators and their equally intransigent counterparts in the House—has liberated him to focus American minds on what is really at stake with unchecked global warming. He has been much more influential on that beat than in the areas where a real president would be held to task. His Nobel Prize reflects passion on the dangers of global warming rather than any coherent game plan for actually solving the global-warming problem. Jimmy Carter is perhaps the best ex-president in American history, focusing attention on important humanitarian causes. Former president Bill Clinton has rallied to these issues and used membership in his Clinton Global Inititiative to spur business leaders to do more than they would otherwise.
The silence of the president's father, George H.W. Bush, has probably improved familial relations but has hurt the country on important issues, including global warming. When sober, conservation-oriented Republicans rally around environmental issues, it is much easier for the country to make credible policies. Most of the bedrock of U.S. environmental law arose when Republicans (notably Nixon) were nominally the country's leaders but Democrats and Republicans worked together to forge consensus. The high-water mark for U.S. international leadership on environmental issues arose when Ronald Reagan's administration brokered the United Nations treaty on the ozone layer. That's because it is the ability to work in bipartisan ways that matters much more in America than the proper names of its particular leaders. Leadership comes from credibility, and that requires centrism and consensus, not just presidents.
David G. Victor is a law professor at Stanford's Program on Energy and Sustainable Development and adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
© 2008
- 1
- 2
Loading Menu
Member Comments
Posted By: The_epoch_point @ 05/15/2008 10:55:55 PM
Comment: YOU GOT TO CHECK OUT THIS AWSOME BOOK I JUST READ! its at Amazon.com
The Epoch Point by Spencer Zimmerman is a religious historical conspiracy thriller that follows evil throughout the existence of mankind, revealing the constant conflict between God and the devil, good and evil. Robert Davis is a young Airman fresh out of Air Force basic training who, after being held captive in China, suddenly finds himself unraveling the most immense conspiracy in history. On duty during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he soon uncovers hidden facts suggesting Russian and Iraqi involvement. While exploring abandoned military barracks at Kessler AFB in Mississippi, Davis and his friends discover the diary of Lee Harvey Oswald. Suddenly the Airmen find themselves the target of mysterious agents. As the clues surface, an evil emerges powerful enough to rewrite the entire history of humanity, not to mention kill two of his good friends. Before long the conspiracy takes on a supernatural form, marked by lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, and volcanoes, the wrath of God. Davis finds himself torn by the unbelievable realization that God has a message for him. Nothing could prepare him for the final suspenseful twist the story takes, a Da Vinci style revelation that reaffirms his belief in Christ.
here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Epoch-Point-Spencer-Zimmerman/dp/1934248932/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210731193&sr=1-1
Posted By: CWFlink @ 05/11/2008 11:45:01 PM
Comment: There will be no "green revolution" except as it is exploited by politicians and businessmen to make money. Efficiency, when fully understood in all of its dimensions, will achieve the proper balance between human society and nature. Nature has been doing it for eons without us; it is time we joined in rather than exploiting emotions born of fear and ignorance. NO ONE KNOWS, yet, what is the right answer(s).... making saints and sinners our of ignorant ideologes on either side only worsens the situation and delays solution. KNOW your facts before assigning blame and selecting "winners".
Posted By: INDUSTRYFINEST.com @ 05/05/2008 11:24:19 AM
Comment: "Exelon is the country???s largest nuclear plant operator and one of Ms. Clinton???s largest sources of campaign money.
Since 2003, executives and employees of Exelon, which is based in New York, have contributed at least $227,000 to Ms. Clinton???s campaigns for the United States Senate and for president. Two top Exelon officials, Frank M. Clark, executive vice president, and John W. Rogers Jr., a director, are among his largest fund-raisers.
Another Clinton donor, John W. Rowe, chairman of Exelon, is also chairman of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the nuclear power industry???s lobbying group, based in Washington. Exelon???s support for Ms. Clinton far exceeds its support for any other presidential candidate.
In addition, Ms.clinton???s chief political strategist, David Axelrod, has worked as a consultant to Exelon. A spokeswoman for Exelon said Mr. Axelrod???s company had helped an Exelon subsidiary, Commonwealth Edison, with communications strategy periodically since 2002."