‘Hey I know we said that if we don’t transition from oil then everyone will die but we should have mentioned we’re fine with that if that’s what it takes for us to stay rich’

Though it’ll just mean they get exported to other countries instead and the US will lose out even harder.

I feel so bad for people in my industry who are not leaving the USA. Until I talk to them and they dismiss other options haughtily.

Step back for a moment, and the suggested policy change is remarkable. One of the most distinguished living economists is rejecting what’s been one of the most fundamental principles of economics for more than 200 years: comparative advantage. If a country can manufacture goods at lower costs than you can, you shouldn’t raise tariff barriers. Instead, you should import the goods, and send back something in return where your industry is more efficient.

This is nonsense. China (or the US) didn’t get where they are with free trade.

Typical US attitude. They only care about climate change in as far as they can profit off of it. If someone else, like China, is gonna profit off of it well we just have to stop caring about it!

Isn’t it just peachy how western economists were incessantly preaching about the wonders of free trade and outsourcing? I mean, who needs domestic industries when you can buy everything from whoever can make it cheapest, right?

But now that China has caught up and is offering better deals, suddenly US wants to close their borders and protect their own industries. How convenient for them.

Hilarious. For the past two decades, the industry harp had been “We can sell our tech to China to bring down their emissions!”

How funny that the switch has flipped. What are these tech salesman preaching now? Or do they still think that they are ahead?