The President’s Pathetic Political Pandering on Climate Change

by William Yeatman on May 11, 2014

in Blog

Reports the LA Times,

President Obama capped a weeklong focus on climate change with a push for greater energy efficiency, a pitch particularly attuned to reaching two groups: big-dollar donors in the green movement and activists once inspired by his 2008 ambition to heal the planet. Both groups will play a role in turning out Democratic voters in November, a crucial factor for the party’s hope to retain control of the Senate.

The President’s green pivot is, in fact, the essence of political cynicism. It should put the lie, once and for all, to any notion that “Hope” and “Change” were ever anything more than empty campaign slogans.

Remember, President Obama wouldn’t touch green politics with a ten-foot pole when he was running for reelection in 2012. During the second debate, the President actually argued that he was to the right of Mitch Mitt Romney on energy policy. That Obama—the one trying to win the general public—loved fossil fuels (including coal!), global warming be damned. Indeed, he—the guy debating Mitt Romney—didn’t even mention global warming. Of course, that’s what he had to do to win. Poll after poll demonstrates that the preponderance of Americans give high priority to economic growth and low priority to  global warming.

Present-day Obama doesn’t have to win a national election. Instead, he’s got to motivate his base for a mid-term election, for which his party’s odds are long. So he’s desperate. And what does he do? He goes green, in order to get millionaire & billionaire environmentalists to spend money in support of candidates fielded by the Democratic Party. (Citizens United, Picketty, and all that be damned!). It is, therefore, evident that the President’s energy/environment beliefs are wholly dependent on the immediate politics at hand. Again, this is the apotheosis of political cynicism.

Chris F May 11, 2014 at 5:32 pm

“Mitt” Romney.
Obama did indeed pretend to be all for coal but like 99% of the stuff that comes out of his mouth, this too was a lie.

William Yeatman May 14, 2014 at 12:30 pm

Chris F.–thanks for the correction.

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