Bush’s latest game:
Let the pollution spread

Feb 18, 2002

On February 15, Bush offered his plan for reducing pollution by offering a way to supposedly reduce emissions. This was Bush’s answer to criticism he got when he rejected the Kyoto agreement. Admittedly, the Kyoto agreement on emissions and global warming calls for only a tiny restriction on the ability of corporations to poison the planet. But Bush openly thumbed his nose at the rest of the world when he rejected it.

So now, here he comes trying to repair the damage, pretending to offer a way to lower pollution emissions.

Well, not exactly.

Bush spoke about lowering greenhouse gas “intensity.” Lowering intensity sounds like a good thing. But what does “intensity” mean? According to Bush, this is an abstract mathematical ratio between a country’s gross domestic product and its pollution. The amount of emissions can increase, so long as a country’s GDP (gross domestic product) also increases.

“Intensity” can go down while the total amount of emissions actually increases.

But it’s not the ‘intensity” that matters – it’s the amount of emissions. When these go up, the poisoning of the planet gets worse. That’s what counts.

Bush can smirk, lie to our faces and pretend he is doing something for the world, all at the same time. He’s a very clever fellow. Not to mention, hypocritical.