"Barack Obama, Gordon Brown, Warren Buffet and George Soros all agree on one thing. This is rare. The super rich rarely agree with left-of-centre national leaders. It is even rarer for the super rich to call for a new tax. But Buffet and Soros are unusual. All four men support a financial transactions tax." So now we know what Obama will likely do. It will take Obama to become the hero because of the divisions threatening to end the conference in deadlock. There is good blog and audio here... http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/blog/2009/dec/17/copenhagen-climate-change-conference-live
Obam is not even at the conference yet. We do not know what he will do , no reason to panic yet. Regardless of what he does, it still has to go thru congress. Yes and the senate is a place where we have friends, so no reason to panic yet. Also did you see Kevin Rudd, PM Australia against the tax, he said he was all for raising money toward the 100 billion a year, but he said for Australia tobin or aviation taxes were not going to be part of it for his country. So I think Obama arrives tomorrow and we shall see what happens.
Did you read further into the article. It says that a range of political leaders joined Brown in supporting the tax: the German chancellor and president, the French president and many of his ministers. The sticking point in the U.S., where Barack Obama is something of a voice in the wilderness. The author of this article initially says the group of four support the tax, then says the sticking point is Obama. So basically, this author has his head up his ass.
Clinton made the offer contingent on the conference's reaching a broader agreement, including on the issue of "transparency," demanding a Chinese commitment to allow some kind of oversight to verify its actions to control emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This is from the articvle about the us helping to raise 100 billion, if anyone has been following this you know that a chinese commitment to oversight is a huge sticking point to this whole thing they said( the chinese) they wont be verified. So its great to help raise a billion dollars, but there has to be an agreement first, thats the tough part.
Clinton hints about "alternative sources of financing: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSGEE5BB07F20091217
Some of the earlier articles about Clinton offering the 100 billion indicated that the funding would come from private and public funds. Clinton refused to say exactly where the money would come from, and was careful not to say much about this, as there is pending legislation in Congress that could be tied to it. I don't know what that means. Could it mean Defazio's transaction tax bill? Anyone's guess.
There is climate legislation that has been stalled in the senate awaiting cooperation from other countries before it is passed.
China: We're not likely to agree to anything at Copenhagen. http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...ot-likely-to-agree-to-anything-at-copenhagen/ Stick to your guns China. Tell Obama and Clinton to go screw themselves.
More good news: Emerging giants backsliding on scrutiny pledges, says Clinton. http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...fp/article/ALeqM5hodzStxMuDM6NUcxr1hOqZLLi6Dw