Bill Clinton admits left is willing to slow economy
January 31st, 2008 by Brendan SteinhauserThis is simply an amazing admission from the former president and first-lady hopeful Bill Clinton. Hat tip to ABC News.
We just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ’cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.
Well, at least someone on the left is admitting that carbon taxes or cap and trade would be economically devastating to the U.S. Too bad John McCain didn’t quite figure this out before last night’s GOP debate in California, where he again expressed his support for cap and trade to deal with “climate change.”
Update [Peter Suderman] – I was going to wait till Brendan got back into the office to let him post this, but he won’t be back for a few more days. In the meantime, as has been pointed out in the comments section (and at numerous other blogs), Clinton didn’t actually indicate that he believed that slowing the economy down was a feasible idea. Nor was he urging anyone to proceed with an economic slowdown. That should’ve been made more clear in the post, and we regret implying otherwise.
But let’s look at the full quote:
And maybe America, and Europe, and Japan, and Canada — the rich countries — would say, ‘O.K., we just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ’cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.’ We could do that. But if we did that, you know as well as I do, China and India and Indonesia and Vietnam and Mexico and Brazil and the Ukraine, and all the other countries will never agree to stay poor to save the planet for our grandchildren. The only way we can do this is if we get back in the world’s fight against global warming and prove it is good economics that we will create more jobs to build a sustainable economy that saves the planet for our children and grandchildren. It is the only way it will work.
I think it’s fair to point out that Clinton is implicitly allowing that slowing down the economy, on a worldwide scale, would reduce emissions, and thus would reduce human contributions to global warming. So while he’s not recommending that we pursue a policy of economic slow down, he is acknowledging that slowing down the economy is one potential way to reduce global warming. And, I think it’s also fair to say, he’s acknowledging that some people — not him — are urging the U.S. to do so. (Otherwise, why would he be addressing the point?)
Now, on the level of substantive policy, I doubt Clinton and FreedomWorks have much in common. But on a purely general level, I think we can agree with him that “good economics” and “creat[ing] more jobs” are the key goals we should be pursuing — although I don’t think that either straightforward carbon taxes or less efficient back-door taxes (cap-and-trade) are the way to do it. For more on why such policies are, in the end, not worth the cost, see Jim Manzi here and here.
January 31st, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Oh, and if that comment ever gets through, I’d also like to remind you that Hot Air (in addition to NRO’s the Corner) also debunked this bit of nonsense.
January 31st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
“Well, at least someone on the left is admitting that carbon taxes or cap and trade would be economically devastating to the U.S.”
What Bubba said there does not equal “devastating” BTW, and I disagree that we need to slow anything down to make energy in this country more efficently and sustainably. Cap and trade is simply baloney.
February 1st, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Mister Guy, Clinton never said this! This all started because Jake Tapper was too stupid to understand what he was saying. The Corner at NRO called bull on it, as did Hot Air from the Right. This should be corrected, but it won’t be.
February 1st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Brendan, why did you moderate my first comment? It provided links conclusively proving that your post here is wrong. Why not just issue a correction? Your own buddies (The Corner) caught this WELL BEFORE you posted it.
Cmon Brendan, do the right thing.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
From the Times:
cmon Brendan, be a man and issue a correction!
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:43 am
Don’t hold yer breath Sickle.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
It’s been five days. Are we going to get a correction or not?
February 4th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
No, obviously not…
February 13th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Thank you very much, Peter. Credit where credit is due. Well done!
February 23rd, 2008 at 7:37 am
The arguments against a slowing of economy are simply stupid. Is it an agument that China or Mexico will not do so? Non. First, China will run into big problems because of its fast growth, and second even if the “others” will not do the same, should be compete who uses the last ounces of gas, etc.? a very silly way to argue. We have the potential to educate and give an example, and to argue well and convincingly, and that should be the message across boarders. Since climat does not respect boaders…
April 30th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I just saw Dick Armey on Glenn Beck. He made a lot of sense on that show this evening. I came to the website thinking that I would learn something of substance about helping the country come back to some fiscal sanity. Instead I found this stupid drivel about Bill Clinton endorsing an economic slowdown. Shame. I was hoping that this was a group that I could get behind and work with. Instead I find your group to be just another political hate group looking to stir up anger within our electorate to make political points. I wouldn’t be surprised if I find a request for money in my email Inbox tomorrow. Again, shame.