Paris Withdrawal Turns Progressive Businessmen Into Free Market, Small Government Activists

FILE - In this April 30, 2015, file photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook responds to a question during a news conference at IBM Watson headquarters, in New York. CEOs of major companies are taking stands about the results of the November 2016 U.S. election, a departure from the traditional model of not mixing politics with business that the major brands have long espoused. Cook is telling his employees to “keep moving forward.” (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

By watching the reaction of the #Resistance to the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, one might think that by Friday morning Manhattan would look like a scene from “The Day After Tomorrow.”

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One of the horrible ramifications, as Voxsplained to us today, is that American corporations were *just* starting to join the climate change battle and President Trump pulling out of an unenforceable, do-nothing agreement ruined all that!

Twenty years ago, US corporations were resistant to any suggestions to cut back on their consumption of fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources were expensive and harder to find. And scientific evidence that humans were making the planet warmer wasn’t as strong.

Then something changed… and though Vox tries to tie it to corporations reading the 2077 IPCC report and having a light-bulb (or should that be a solar powered?) moment, that’s not quite what happened. You don’t even have to read between the lines of their piece to see the real reason.

Corporations that rely heavily on agriculture — including Mars — also started to see the direct effects of increasing droughts and unpredictable weather patterns. Ruined cocoa and wheat crops caused prices to spike, and that affected the bottom line, says Rabinovitch.

What’s that? A corporation started acting in its own self-interest? You don’t say!

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They did it without a government edict compelling them to? Inconceivable!

In addition to the direct effects weather has on a company’s bottom line, public perception plays a huge role. And nowadays the Cult of Climate Change  demands a hefty price from people and companies in the public eye. As New York Times contributor Bret Stephens found out, you cannot even challenge the methods by which this cult disseminates its message, or you are a heretic and banished from the list of Acceptable Businesses With Which to Do Business.

So, progressive business leaders declared their allegiance to the Paris Agreement today, but didn’t realize they’re really advocating for small government, free market solutions to problems.

As it turns out, Vox, corporate America is still on board with whatever it is they’re supposed to be doing to fight climate change – although they’re espousing quite a conservative viewpoint while they pledge allegiance.

Apple’s Tim Cook said, “I want to reassure you that today’s developments will have no impact on Apple’s efforts to protect the environment.”

GE CEO Jeff Immelt declared it an opportunity for industry to lead and not depend on government. Thank you! (By the way, you know that means you can pay higher than minimum wage if you want to – without depending on government.)

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One who really saw the light, and later deleted his shameful thoughts when he realized he’d crossed the line, was ASICS’ Jason Jacobs.

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He also clarified that he did not speak for his company when he tweeted this, to stave off the inevitable angry boycott.

They’re all upset about nothing, though, according to Chris Hayes:

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