Trade war mongering: carbon tariffs
posted at 2:28 pm on March 18, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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After provoking Mexico into a trade war, the Obama administration apparently has set its sights on the entire world. Steven Chu won a Nobel Prize for his work on energy, but shows himself as completely clueless on trade and diplomacy. Yesterday, Chu threatened to set off a global trade war over carbon tariffs:
Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Tuesday advocated adjusting trade duties as a “weapon” to protect U.S. manufacturing, just a day after one of China’s top climate envoys warned of a trade war if developed countries impose tariffs on carbon-intensive imports.
Mr. Chu, speaking before a House science panel, said establishing a carbon tariff would help “level the playing field” if other countries haven’t imposed greenhouse-gas-reduction mandates similar to the one President Barack Obama plans to implement over the next couple of years. It is the first time the Obama administration has made public its view on the issue.
“If other countries don’t impose a cost on carbon, then we will be at a disadvantage…[and] we would look at considering perhaps duties that would offset that cost,” Mr. Chu said.
No one can miss the target of this threat. China refuses to limit its energy production to match the Western fetish of “global warming”, and its trade would get more competitive after the US flagellates its manufacturing sector with cap-and-trade costs estimated to reach $2 trillion. Instead of rethinking their energy-penalty policies, the Obama administration apparently would prefer to start a trade war in the middle of a deep, global recession.
China got the message, and sent its own warning:
Li Gao, a senior Chinese negotiator from the National Development and Reform Commission, told Dow Jones Newswires Monday that a carbon tariff would be a “disaster,” would prompt a trade war and wouldn’t be legal under World Trade Organization agreements[.]
Agreements? We don’t need no stinkin’ agreements. Just as Mexico after our unilateral and apparently abrupt abrogation of NAFTA this week.
This administration keeps itching for a trade war. They’re eventually going to start one, and what better way than nonsense about carbon tariffs? The diplomatic Gong Show continues…
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Maybe we can send them a reset button when Obama rethinks this idea. How do you say “overcharge” in Chinese?
Laura in Maryland on March 18, 2009 at 2:33 PM
I will not fight on Obama’s unjust trade war.
No war for air!
myrenovations on March 18, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Trade wars are boring. No explosions. Let’s not have one.
lorien1973 on March 18, 2009 at 2:36 PM
After prices, of course.
CDeb on March 18, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Um, how much of our debt does China own? And doesn’t Dear Leader want to go back to them for more?
Actually, this is TOTUS’s plan to unite the world: in hatred for the US.
If you thought anti-Americanism was bad before, hold on to your seatbelts.
rbj on March 18, 2009 at 2:37 PM
This is the “Hiroshima” chapter of Obama’s War on Prosperity.
gsherin on March 18, 2009 at 2:37 PM
More proof, in over his head. The question becomes, How long can we tread water?
midwesternperspective on March 18, 2009 at 2:38 PM
*facepalm*
This *entire cabinet* has a case of Epic Fail.
teke184 on March 18, 2009 at 2:38 PM
We’ll all freeze to death next winter.
zmdavid on March 18, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Let’s see… blog post about China and Steven Chu + “Gong” show subtitle = RAAAAAAAACIST
Abby Adams on March 18, 2009 at 2:38 PM
psst…you want to buy some carbon credits…they are real cheap…
We can also sell swamp lands and bridges
Passionate-Conservative on March 18, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Winning the Nobel Prize used to carry some sort of prestige, didn’t it? I could have sworn…
AubieJon on March 18, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Y’now, for a while I’ve felt like I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone, but now I feel we are rapidly spiraling past that metaphor straight into Dante’s Inferno territory.
common sensineer on March 18, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Chuck Barris for president!, er…TelePrompTer!
robblefarian on March 18, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Do carbon credits look like those rollover minutes on the commercials? Maybe they look like charcoal briquettes?
AubieJon on March 18, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Yeah, but they mean well.
PattyJ on March 18, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Just another opportunity for obama and company to mess things up, and I’m sure they won’t miss out on it.
jeanie on March 18, 2009 at 2:41 PM
It is sad when center-right America is agreeing more with China than the President.
Christian Conservative on March 18, 2009 at 2:41 PM
It is sad when China is becoming more free-market than our capitalist-killing President.
Christian Conservative on March 18, 2009 at 2:42 PM
My Chinese is rudimentary, but in typical negotiations “太贵!” seems to be well understood. Put that on a button and give it to the Chinese, I think it’ll do the trick.
DarkCurrent on March 18, 2009 at 2:42 PM
I thought he wanted every one to like us?? Yikes! He is pissing people off all over the world!
becki51758 on March 18, 2009 at 2:43 PM
The Chinese do not believe in messiahs.
Passionate-Conservative on March 18, 2009 at 2:44 PM
I know, let’s just cut to the chase and nuke our own ten biggest cities. That’d kill this country once and for all while eliminating all the suspense.
Akzed on March 18, 2009 at 2:45 PM
I thought we nuked ourselfs when Obambi was elected.
Passionate-Conservative on March 18, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Joe Biden’s already working on a leset button for the occasion.
Ronnie on March 18, 2009 at 2:46 PM
These freakin’ idiots are in over their heads. Anyone looking forward to another Great Depression? Steven Chu is another of the “intellectual elite” who doesn’t know a damned thing outside getting magic unicorns to manufacture “free” energy. Ask him about “oil” and all you get is a puzzled look.
GarandFan on March 18, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Is there anyone inside the #%$#%$%$# Beltway that knows their a** from a hole in the ground? This Obama fiasco has gone way past funny in only two months, its now sublime.
johnsteele on March 18, 2009 at 2:48 PM
This is sad. They keep taking the statement of “NOBODY can be this stupid on purpose.” as a challenge. That’s. Just. Sad.
ExSubNuke on March 18, 2009 at 2:49 PM
It’s cute that you can print Chinese characters, but the rest of us can’t read them (though I can sound out Japanese Hiragana and Katakana).
Count to 10 on March 18, 2009 at 2:49 PM
You’re off by a couple of letters; close, but “no cigar”.
Laura in Maryland on March 18, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Your thinking Japanese–’l’ and ‘r’ are merged into a single sound there.
Correct me if I’m wrong, Dark, but I don’t think the Chinese have any problem with l’s and r’s.
Count to 10 on March 18, 2009 at 2:51 PM
It’s all good. Remember, the world loves us again.
Gaia bless Obama.
whitetop on March 18, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Ya know, I’m starting to wonder if President Biden wouldn’t be an upgrade.
rbj on March 18, 2009 at 2:52 PM
LAAAAACIST!
Laura in Maryland on March 18, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Just Japanese, I think. Why terms like “calla lilies” were used for passwords during WWII in the Pacific.
Wethal on March 18, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Laura in Maryland on March 18, 2009 at 2:56 PM
Easiest way to bring the populist under the control of gubmint if energy starts to be rationed.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on March 18, 2009 at 2:57 PM
I can just see it. We impose the tarrifs and have to pay more for all the batteries, windmills and solar panels we invent when the green jobs move to China.
flyoverland on March 18, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Let us do the right thing, travel to Washington DC and throw the bums out. If our representatives are not willing to prevent this disaster of a President from sinking this nation, it is up to the citizens to do so.
Zelsdorf Ragshaft on March 18, 2009 at 2:57 PM
It’s “tai gui!” in pinyin. Close to “タイぐえ” in Katakana, but not quite.
DarkCurrent on March 18, 2009 at 2:57 PM
This is kind of missing the forest for the trees.
If we impose a carbon tax on our own industry, of course we will have to impose a carbon tariff, or else our industrial sector would quickly die off due to lower-cost imports. McCain was making this point repeatedly throughout the campaign: you can’t have a unilateral carbon tax regime; it has to be worldwide (read: include China) or else we will simply destroy our industrial base and move all this business to China and other places that will be able to flood our markets with cheaper products.
So, it’s silly to get worked up about carbon tariffs; you have to stop this at the point of a unilateral carbon tax.
blue13326 on March 18, 2009 at 3:00 PM
China making more since than anything coming out of Obama’s teleprompter…
How things have changed…
Keemo on March 18, 2009 at 3:00 PM
There is a lot of confusion in DC which is why I have written two books for politicians.
Your Ass and a Hole In the Ground: A Comparative Difference
Finding Your Ass with Both Hands: Map Included.
txaggie on March 18, 2009 at 3:02 PM
Heh. Which of course begs the second question, “what does it mean?”
Count to 10 on March 18, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Apply the logic to Joe Biden, and my joke will make a lot more sense.
Ronnie on March 18, 2009 at 3:04 PM
So Chu’s proposal doesn’t pass “the global test”?
P.S. The global warming is real. Methods to solve this problem backed by the Democrats are largely not. This one isn’t an exception. It’s still funny to watch partisan hacks at play.
The parties have switched their roles, yet there’s little visible difference.
radiofreevillage on March 18, 2009 at 3:06 PM
My Japanese is good, but my Chinese is just enough to survive day to day. You’re right about Japanese. I don’t detect a clear difference between ‘r’ or ‘l’ in standard Chinese either, but there may be.
DarkCurrent on March 18, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Democratic Playbook on how to collapse the economy.
Poptech on March 18, 2009 at 3:08 PM
“Too expensive!” (”you’re OVERCHARGING me!”). Very typical in negotiations with street vendors.
DarkCurrent on March 18, 2009 at 3:10 PM
No.
The Administration is just inept.
pseudonominus on March 18, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Future Jeopardy question:
Took a recoverable recession and turned it into a depression in order to pay off his ideological supporters
Keith_Indy on March 18, 2009 at 3:12 PM
For anyone who has access, I have a mission for you. I want to know where Obama’s teleprompters are made.
Ronnie on March 18, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Is it me, or are the Obammy dunderheads accelerating their retardation at an exponential rate?
Hey, G.I. Joe, me love you long time. Make boom-boom for carbon credits.
Wyznowski on March 18, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Super, the Bed Crapper in Chief strikes again and soon we won’t have a pot to piss in.
Remind me why anyone besides Michelle Obama voted for this jackass last November?
NoDonkey on March 18, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Damn, girl…I think I just pee’d myself a little.
Wyznowski on March 18, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Here you go Ronnie
txaggie on March 18, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Smoot-Hawley were pikers. Let Barry O show you how it is really done.
Just A Grunt on March 18, 2009 at 3:20 PM
DemonRats……stuck on stupid!
larvcom on March 18, 2009 at 3:36 PM
I repeat: this is NOT incompetence. It is intentional. See Manufactured Crisis and http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x32cxf_yuri-bezmenov.
JustTruth101 on March 18, 2009 at 3:39 PM
With a name like Chu, maybe he’s trying to help the Chinese.
China: You tax our coal plants, we don’t buy your T-bills.
The Chinese will Chu up our economy.
Steve Z on March 18, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Did you ever wonder what it would be like if the people that say we don’t pay the “real” cost of things got in to power? Well wonder no more. They’re goal is to make us pay the “real” cost of everything. It’s time to stop your whining and start sacrificing.
rockhead on March 18, 2009 at 4:01 PM
This guy has a degree ?
In what
MORONICS 101?
sheesh go ahead start a trade war
based upon a false idea of global warming
and destroy whats left of the usa..
you frigging moron
send this moron to me i will straighten his ass out..
\
jcila on March 18, 2009 at 4:02 PM
With us in hock to China for almost 2 trillion and now begging for more, ticking them off is pretty stupid.
Word of advice: it doesn’t pay to kick your landlord in the ass.
TexasJew on March 18, 2009 at 4:08 PM
So, is the whole world charmed by President Obama and his administration yet?
mchristian on March 18, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Would it be a trade war, or would China stop buying US Treasuries?
eaglewingz08 on March 18, 2009 at 4:25 PM
Hey, let’s elect a guy with nothing resembling anything remotely close to even approaching executive experience who will then choose as his paladins a bunch of retread Clinton hacks and a smattering of world class “academics”.
What, I ask, could possibly go wrong?
A Balrog of Morgoth on March 18, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Wait a sec, I just figured it out.
You know the saying, “If you owe a little money to the bank, the bank owns you. If you owe a lot, you own the bank.”
I guess we own China, then. Or something.
A Balrog of Morgoth on March 18, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Well … it’s because China is right here. They recognize the whole Global Warming thing is folly. Bambi is infected by it.
HondaV65 on March 18, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Where’s Professor Irwin Corey? I understand he’s still available.
Greg Toombs on March 18, 2009 at 5:05 PM
tai gui, indeed. zhende tai gui.
it’s almost like, almost like. . .he’s doing this on purpose
Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
It’s not like he’d trash the entire world economy just to make Mommy, Grandaddy, Uncle Frank, and his bestest secret buddy Bill happy by killing the evil capitalism and humbling those piggish, arrogant, bigoted neo-colonial American slobs, or anything.
That’s just crazy talk.
Wind Rider on March 18, 2009 at 5:22 PM
Didn’t the Chinese ask North Korea how to handle diplomacy with a Democratic President?
You say everything he wants to hear; then go do what you want and immediately violate every term agreed to. All the Democrats want is the appearance of an agreement, actually agreeing with them isn’t required at all.
Some showboating, a bit of a dance, and everyone would be happy. False claims that you’re using “cleaner coal” which offsets the new building and your golden.
Not like they worry about what happens on the other side of the world, or would bother to inspect for compliance. Simple lies and everything is perfect.
Why would they fight it? Do they just not like Obama enough to even lie and pretend?
gekkobear on March 18, 2009 at 5:33 PM
“If other countries don’t impose a cost on carbon, then we will be at a disadvantage”
Duh! This administration apparently wants to tick off our fellow world citizens, contrary to their campaign rhetoric. Maybe Obama will soothe the tensions with a gift – I suggest a DVD collection about underage Olympic gymnasts.
KS Rex on March 18, 2009 at 5:49 PM
What about when the Red Chinese cut off the credit line?? Guess it is like the lady said ” Yall might be rich now but we got Barack Obama!!” Tear rolls down cheek..shaking myhis head.
Dire Straits on March 18, 2009 at 6:34 PM
Sorry! Fixed it.
Dire Straits on March 18, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Is that why the planet has been cooling?
Johan Klaus on March 18, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Climate incompetence.
Johan Klaus on March 18, 2009 at 7:00 PM
Fetish is the right word. I wish you had started using is four years ago.
burt on March 18, 2009 at 8:57 PM
The ONLY reason Steven Chu has not been laughed out of office is Turbo-Tax-Tim’s antics. At some point, probably soon, both will be replaced.
Freddy on March 19, 2009 at 4:13 AM
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