Focus Friday: Red light on Obama’s climate change rules

Assistant opinion editor Thom Dwyer

Climate change is one of the biggest issues of this decade. The refusal of some politicians to even acknowledge the scientifically supported phenomenon as valid is mind-boggling.

Obama’s attempt to regulate greenhouse gas emissions is certainly a good start for regulating climate change. But it’s a lot like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that needs more extensive treatment.

Even UN treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol have floundered, as CO2 emissions continue to rise thanks to the U.S., China and India.

Unless all the countries that lead in energy use can curb their own emissions, there will be no point in fretting over our country’s lack of legislation regarding greenhouse gas emissions. There is no clear course of action for this dilemma.

Cutting back on unclean energy means cutting back on existing jobs and using costlier methods to generate power. A developing country like India would never agree to something like that. We can’t afford to reduce our own emissions and suffer an economic slump unless the rest of the world will follow suit.

Opinion columnist John Brucato

The proper question here is not whether Obama’s measures are necessary, but rather if he has the authority to pass such legislation.

He doesn’t.

The Obama administration has formed a habit of overstepping presidential authority and that leads the country down a dangerous path. Similar to Obamacare, the president seems to believe that governmental regulations will solve all of U.S. problems.

The reality is, however, that government regulations typically cause more problems instead of offering solutions. We have the Fed manipulating financial markets and the Affordable Care Act crippling the insurance industry.

Obama should be less concerned with his legacy and more with staying within his role’s boundaries.

Opinion columnist Caprice Carter

Money trumps logic again when it comes to what would be beneficial for society as a whole. My thoughts on climate change remain the same.

It is happening, and skeptics purposefully ignore data to continue lining their pockets. Greenhouse gases are one of the largest contributors to global warming, beginning with the carbon dioxide emitted from power plants.

To remedy the damage humans have caused to the atmosphere, I believe that  Obama’s Clean Power Plan is absolutely necessary. The issue should be pushed further before climate change reaches an irreversible state.