This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Donald Trump falls back on his mindless mantra "America First" in pulling our nation out of the Paris accord on climate change, babbling how it is not a "good deal" for the United States. But it's not about turning a quick profit.
Trump shows time and again he is an "old man," even older than his years, devoid of vision for the future. If he's going to make this about economics, let me just point out you can't lead in the 21st century if you cling to 19th- and 20th-century fuels.
His backward-looking decision could spark a brain drain, as innovators leave our shores for forward-looking countries. We'll be playing catch-up for decades while other nations develop — and sell — the technology that fuels the future and saves the planet.
And you can't be the world leader if 195 of the world's countries don't want to follow. China is happy to step into the breach, already forging a new relationship with the EU, and Russia's Vladimir Putin, so admired by Trump, is delighted that Trump is aiding him in toppling the U.S. from its long-held position at the forefront of nations.
America First? No. America Last.
Michele Margetts
Salt Lake City