Trump, Climate Treaty, and America's Sovereignty

photo credit: conservative tribune

E. Jeffrey Ludwig at American Thinker had some inspiring observations after listening to President Trump’s Rose Garden speech explaining his decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. Ludwig singled out this paragraph from the speech (his emphasis):

There are serious legal and constitutional issues as well.  Foreign leaders in Europe, Asia, and across the world, should not have more to say with respect to the U.S. economy than our own citizens and their elected representatives, thus, our withdrawal from the agreement represents a reassertion of America's sovereignty. Our constitution is unique among all nations of the world. And it is my highest obligation and greatest honor to protect it. And I will[.] ... It would once have been unthinkable that an international agreement could prevent the United States from conducting its own domestic economic affairs, but this is the new reality we face if we do not leave the agreement or if we do not negotiate a far better deal."

Before taking  look at a few of Ludwig’s further thoughts on this speech, I would note that the EU folks took the bait, and they don’t even know it. The headline at The Independent:

Trump prides himself as being the ultimate deal maker - but he just broke one of the best deals we had

The Guardian reports that France’s new President, Emmanuel Macron responded (my emphasis): “I tell you firmly tonight: we will not renegotiate a less ambitious accord. There is no way,” said Macron. In other words, Trump slammed the door, and Macron et al nailed it shut. What cards are they left holding?

Ludwig comments on Trump’s decision to invoke America’s sovereignty in his speech:

In saying these words, President Trump announced to the world that we are departing from the trajectory of the U.S. toward globalization. . .

Sovereignty has not been discussed in the public square for a long time.  . . .

Trump is thus speaking against not merely membership in the Paris Agreement.  By speaking of our sovereignty, he is throwing down the gauntlet to our entire strategy of world relations during the post-WWII period.  His reference to sovereignty suggests to this writer that he is forthrightly bucking a 72-year trend toward multilateralism, a 72-year trend of diluting American sovereignty.  He is saying no to a furtherance of the many financial and legal compromises made when entering into to such extensive networks.  With great clarity, he closed his announcement by saying, "In other words, the Paris framework is just a starting point.  As bad as it is.  Not an end point."

Seeing that our continued membership would be the beginning of a further phase towards global governance, the president decided boldly to say "no."  We can conclude that his "no" is likewise to be seen as a first step – a game-changing, powerful, proactive step – toward regaining our precious sovereignty.

Read the rest here.

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