THE PAIN, THE ANGUISH – AT 9:50 A.M. ET:  President Trump is expected to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accords.  The news, or maybe-news, or expected-news, is already causing anguish and pain.  The pain may be too much to bear.  From CNN:

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump is expected to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, two senior US officials familiar with his plans told CNN Wednesday.

The decision would be a significant foreign policy break with nearly every other nation on earth and a major reversal of the Obama administration's efforts on climate change.

Trump met Tuesday with a key voice advocating for withdrawal, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt. He is set to meet Wednesday with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who supports remaining in the deal.

The precise mechanism for withdrawal hasn't yet been determined, but Trump has made clear he plans to fulfill his campaign promises to withdraw.

COMMENT:  I find it amusing that Tillerson, who ran Exxon-Mobil, is in favor of staying.  The climate nuts will be frustrated by that one.

My own sense is that it might be wiser to stay and try to change the deal from the inside, but Trump promised withdrawal during his campaign, and apparently wants to keep his pledge.

At minimum, America's withdrawal should force a rethink of the whole climate issue.  There is widespread suspicion, especially among conservatives, that the deal is more about a transfer of wealth from rich nations to poor than it is about climate change.

I have always favored a Challenger-type commission on climate change that would answer three questions:  1) What do we know?  2)  What don't we know?  3) What must we know? 

The climate-change "community" (I love that absurd term) is demanding trillions of dollars to "fight" climate change when there is much not known about the issue.  Those trillions could be used for other noble purposes.  Wouldn't it be better to spend a few years on a true national study, with well-chosen supervisors, than to just start writing checks?  I think so, but those receiving the checks, especially in third-word nations, won't think so.

May 31,  2017