Grover Norquist appeared on MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle today to debate the Paris climate accord with Bill Nye, the self-proclaimed “Science Guy.”
Norquist explained the agreement benefits foreign countries at the expense of American workers:
The 190 countries you’re talking about, a great many of them are going to be receiving cash, American tax dollar cash, which they get because they voted for the plan and if they say the right things politically. So why would you be surprised that third-world dictatorships around the globe say, ‘let’s do it – because you’re paying us.’
[Europe] made a decision to increase their own costs of energy. They don’t want a more competitive United States. And China, which is building 350 new coal plants and has plans for another 800 because they’re not hamstrung by this agreement. China would love to see us shackle ourselves to the desk and not be able to compete. Europe would prefer that we not compete. Everyone’s interests are quite in line except for American workers’.
A study by NERA Economic Consulting found compliance with the Paris agreement would cost the United States 6.5 million jobs by 2040. The agreement would drive up energy prices, leading to a $5,000 loss in annual income for every household in America.
Nye, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, ridiculed the argument that national resources might be better spent securing American jobs than complying with the Paris agreement. He implored, “Climate change affects us tomorrow. Climate change affects everyone in the world because we all share the air.”
In fact, an MIT report found that even if all of the commitments of the Paris agreement are upheld, those pledges will only prevent 0.2°C of warming. The Paris agreement, it seems, is a costly plan that fails to make any significant impact on the climate.
Grover Norquist emphasized that while we may all share the air, we do not all share the costs of the Paris agreement. He remarked:
According to this treaty, Chinese and Indian coal doesn’t seem to affect anything because they’re not limited. We’re signing an agreement that handcuffs ourselves. This is not reasonable.
Watch the full clip here.