On Our World: Notations For the Week-End

It has been "Summit Week" around the World as APEC and G20 happened with leaders smiling and talking--with no clear indication on what can and should be done about the challenges being faced around the World.    Russia was rightly berated for its' actions and left early because "he wanted to catch up on sleep".    But beyond the summitry, there is one true reality that  seems ever so true was exemplified in this Economist Twitter Feed: 

The Economist@TheEconomist The Pacific Age has now clearly arrivedecon.st/1EElmEApic.twitter.com/poQjysKRH4 06:46 PM - 14 Nov 14

It was fun to see the #POTUS moment with a Koala:

  

(Photo Source:  The White House) 

Although one highlight of the week was a deal that the United States and China struck on Climate Change.     However, the Republican Majority in the House has begun to assert its muscle despite commitments by the Republican Leadership to Govern after what has ostensibly been two years of gridlock and the subsequent discussion on Conservative Outlets like The Media Research Center and RedState:   

GOP leaders denounce U.S.-China climate deal:

Criticism by House and Senate GOP leaders dimmed hopes for bipartisanship in the new Congress.

Andrea Mitchell Hails Obama's 'Landmark' Climate Deal; Slams GOP As Anti-Science

At the top of her 1hour MSNBC show  host Andrea Mitchell cheered President Obama "achieving a landmark climate agreement" with China to restrict carbon emissions: "I know this is going to take place over a long time, but – there are a lot of obstacles ahead, but this still marks a very big change from the stalemate between the U.S. and China..." NBC chief environmental affairs correspondent Anne Thompson could barely contain her excitement: "Absolutely, this is a huge step forward in the transition to a low-carbon economy, Andrea....[it] sends a powerful signal to the business world and the rest of the world....very, very big developments in the battle against climate change.

All of these dismisses some of the realities out there today--the continued drop in the price of oil and how a sense of self-sufficiency is ever so in the United States which is causing profound headaches for countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela who depend on Oil for a profound share of their revenue.    

In the meantime, it has pushed the Keystone Pipeline as it passed legislation to get the project off the ground.  It was quite ironic that the opponents in the US Senate Race in Louisiana were the lead sponsors in each House of Congress.   The comments by #POTUS was telling in this regard: 

Post by The Daily "Outsider".

There is also the broader challenge of Climate Change in general that seems to be lost in the braoder debate: 

Post by The Daily "Outsider".

It is also striking how another signature #POTUS initiative, Obamacare will have to endure further onslaughts as a #SCOTUS will be hearing a new challenge as the onslaught from the right continues.  This is as the open enrollment period begins in earnest and the GOP pounced on comments by Jonathan Gruber.  We will be releasing commentary it on Soon.  

Beyond the domestic political scene, there is the on-going deliberations with Iran that the GOP has also set its' sights on:

Post by The Hill Newspaper.

We noted in earlier comments how it seems both #POTUS & President Rohani of Iran seem to be kindred spirits in more ways than one.