We digressed on
another topic so here's a topic just for the polemic kyoto treaty.
A) did your country sign it?
B) Why not?
C) Was your country justified in it's action?
D) What do you think about the treaty?
Many people claim the treaty was flawed, I'd like to hear what the percieved flaws were.
I think it was flawed in that it didn't make a good distinction between delevoping countries and non-developing countries. This made it harder to stick.
One important point, IMO, is that thoise who dismiss it as flawed rarely suggest an alternative treaty which indicated that the idea and not the details are disagreeable to some.
What I'd do re pollution (from an American position of power).
A) Campaign hard for the treaty (this might be political suicide due to big businesses that hate the idea, they will try to convince Americans that they'll lose jobs etc). The campaign must get out to enough Americans so that the ratification would pass in the senate.
B) Heavily subsidize public transportation in the US. We do very well with smog checks etc but out great dependance on private transportation is a great polluter.
C) Give a grace period to developing countries if they sign. Economic assistance or other carrorts in the implementation of the policies might also be a good idea.
D) Give grants toward the developmet of "green technologies".
E) Take my impeachment gracefully. American industries will hate me by now and the greedy businesses will probably have their way.
Also of note, the military is not popular with the green demographics, I'd not let talk about military exeptions to eco laws take place so quickly after the Kyoto rejection.
Ok, gotta run now, that was disjointed but we'll iron it out later.