Phife wrote:
Well why don't you take the time to explain why you think they wont "pass" us on environmental protections.
You do recognize that they already produce less total green house gas emissions per capita than we do? You also realize that because the way their government works they can implement wide sweeping changes much more easily than we do. Take a look at their ambitious plans that go right up to 2050. Their culture is much more all for one.
Trump has bailed out of the Paris Accord and his base is cheering him. What does it REALLY mean for them? More $, jobs?, maybe just an angry FU for the sake of being contradictory or basking in anti-intellectualism. It's a move backwards
You should reread my post. Your reading comprehension is poor. I never said I thought China would or would not pass us.
Some of your second paragraph about China is interesting and accurate, but still does not show that China has or will pass us.
Your final statements are ridiculous. Trump's voter base (and the Republican base) is far more educated than the Democrat base, so I don't understand why you are talking about "basking in anti-intellectualism". The truth is that many of the Democrats and antiTrumpers are "basking" in anti-science and anti-fact. Honestly, I'd bet that many people in both parties don't really understand the Paris agreement and its potential consequences. For them, this is just about party loyalty or something similar.
I have no strong opinions on the issue of the Paris agreement (because I haven't read the whole thing), but from what I've heard, Trump's decision is not a move backwards (or forwards). It is just a move. He feels that the US is not getting a very good deal and that the US would face economic hardships because of the deal that other countries may not have to face. Doesn't seem fair to me, so I can understand why he made the decision until better terms are offered in the agreement. It is certainly not backwards or stupid.
There are pros and cons of staying and leaving. Calling him backwards or antiintellectual because he doesn't agree with your opinion is silly and makes you a bigot.