Trump’s announcement Thursday that he would not sign the Paris Accord was foolhardy at best. When President Obama signed the agreement in 2015, it will remain valid until 2020, long after Trump is out of the White House. The only valid reason not to add his signature was to finally keep a single campaign promise to his ignorant supporters.

“The cost to the economy at this time would be close to $3 trillion in lost GDP and 6.5 million industrial jobs, while households would have 7,000 less income, and in many cases, much worse than that.”

Simply another lie. Trump obtained these erroneous figures from a group who has opposed any action to slow or stop climate change for over a decade. The truth is that ‘clean energy’ jobs far outnumber those employed in the petroleum industry, and have helped to grow the economy.

“I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” — Rose Garden ceremony.

Trump lost badly to Hillary Clinton in Pittsburgh; 56 to 40 percent. Most importantly, Trump once again proved his ignorance. Pittsburgh does not rely solely on steel production today. After Ronald Reagan allowed the import of foreign steel in the 1980’s, Pittsburgh’s economy crashed. Today it has one of the healthiest economies in the nation thanks to jobs in ‘clean energy,’ the tech community, medicine and other non-polluting industries. The Mayor of Pittsburgh had the following to say after Trump’s announcement: “As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future.”

Trump claims “absolutely tremendous economic progress since Election Day,” adding “more than a million private-sector jobs.”

The number is close to accurate, but from last October thru April approximately 171,000 jobs were added each month, compared to 172,000 in the previous period under President Obama. Last month’s number was only 138,000.

Trump also lied about NATO, claiming that he influenced them to increase their efforts to defeat terrorism. The fact is that nothing has changed. He failed to mention that he did not ratify article five of the NATO agreement, which mutually protects all members from an attack on a single nation.

Trump also claimed that one of the reasons he refused to sign the Paris Accord was because it would “decapitate the coal industry.” The coal industry has been in decline for years thanks to increased production of natural gas. In the entire industry only 51,000 jobs exist today, and that number is likely to diminish. Not signing the agreement was purely political, and accomplished only one thing; to prove that he is not the leader of the free world. Trump is isolating the United States, and that is a very dangerous fact.

Once again “Trump the Liar” is making up things as he goes along. He knows nothing, does nothing, and as a man he is nothing.

The sooner we remove him from office, the sooner we can begin disinfecting the White House.

Op-ed

by James Turnage

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Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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