In the same week large swaths of the US were under extreme heat warnings, Joe Biden’s Justice Department filed its most recent motion to dismiss a landmark climate case by arguing that nothing in the Constitution guarantees the right to a secure climate.

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61 points

The rules in the Constitution are only relevant so far as they are within the ability of the government to provide. Outlawing slavery, the right to free speech, the right to vote, these can all be provided and protected by the government. The global climate can only be protected by ensuing that the rest of the world does not ruin the climate, in other words, the US would have to invade any country that endangers the climate for is citizens to ensure that right. This is why the Constitution does not provide he right to travel anywhere outside of US borders either.

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22 points

the US would have to invade any country that endangers the climate for is citizens to ensure that right.

The US has invaded several countries to ensure their citizens have the right to cheap oil, which is also not covered in the constitution.

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8 points

And you’ve proven my point.

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-11 points
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No. The complete opposite of your point.

It is not in the constitution, so it can’t be done - your point.

I am saying that the US has done things outside the constitution and in breach of international law to directly and materially aid their citizens.

But this time it is different somehow…

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13 points
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5 points
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I did not say that the US government does not provide protections beyond what the Constitution says, nor does any of the included things prove that it can not provide protections to freedom of expression, etc, inside of its own borders.

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2 points
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-1 points

the US would have to invade any country that endangers the climate for is citizens to ensure that right.

Well, that depends on what we think about climate change. If we think the climat change will destroy the humanity then this seems to be justifiable.

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4 points

Justifiable or not, it’s still not something that is in the control of the government exclusively.

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1 point

Fair point - government can try to provide it, but can’t guarantee the result.

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-2 points

The US subsidizes the world’s demand for military and protection as well as the world’s healthcare. There’s no excuse, we could have this world fully renewable if we had the will to do so.

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2 points

this is irrelevant. this isn’t about the US, this is about how the constitution works.

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