Notes on Optimism

On the other hand, there’s plenty of reason for optimism on the strength of that statement alone. 

Sure, the pledge to start a “clean-energy dialogue” is a long way short of substance. Sure, most of his conversation with our Prime Minister focused on economics and border security. But even so, Canadians (and everyone else, for that matter) are sublimely justified in their joy at seeing someone in the White House who actually believes in government.

This is a profound departure—especially as it applies to global warming. Despite all the work by each of us as individuals to reduce our carbon footprint, we know our best efforts are only buying us time. For solutions to take root, they must be nourished by government. It’s fair to say that the previous administration of the world’s biggest economy was not that way inclined.

But that era is behind us—on both sides of the border—and we have reason to be elated at its passage.

The transformation is already astonishing. Our own Prime Minister has metamorphosized from a man who not long ago called Kyoto “a socialist scheme to suck money out of wealth-producing nations” into a lobbyist for a continental system of carbon cap and trade.

And that alone is worth celebrating.

 

Scott