<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Climate legislation may be easier next year, but it won’t be easy]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by lorna salzman http://www.grist.org/article/leap-year/ Thu, 24 Jan 2008 03:11:03 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/leap-year/1 Next year in congress: no change

This outlook on energy legislation in 2009 leads right into Obama's theme song of Change. If elected president, can he and will he propose the changes needed? Highly dubious; he supports nuclear power and favors subsidies for that oxymoron,  "clean coal" and corn-based ethanol. He isn't likely to eliminated fossil subsidies or nuclear ones for that matter, which still amount to tens of billions of dollars, in insurance, uranium enrichment and radioactive waste disposal. No Democrat, Obama included, has proposed eliminating these subsidies. No Democrat has proposed the sweeping comprehensive mandatory efficiency measures that are needed to cut the projected demand in energy touted by the coal utilities to justify  new coal plants and avoid phasing out existing ones. No Democrat is supporting carbon taxes. Will Democrats support auctioning of carbon cap and trade permits? They will meet fierce resistance. Neither Obama's or Clinton's record show any inclination to take the really tough actions needed to reduce CO2 the requisite 80% by the year 2020. CHANGE?
Not from either side of the aisle in congress, regardless of who is president.

]]> Next year in congress: no change

This outlook on energy legislation in 2009 leads right into Obama's theme song of Change. If elected president, can he and will he propose the changes needed? Highly dubious; he supports nuclear power and favors subsidies for that oxymoron,  "clean coal" and corn-based ethanol. He isn't likely to eliminated fossil subsidies or nuclear ones for that matter, which still amount to tens of billions of dollars, in insurance, uranium enrichment and radioactive waste disposal. No Democrat, Obama included, has proposed eliminating these subsidies. No Democrat has proposed the sweeping comprehensive mandatory efficiency measures that are needed to cut the projected demand in energy touted by the coal utilities to justify  new coal plants and avoid phasing out existing ones. No Democrat is supporting carbon taxes. Will Democrats support auctioning of carbon cap and trade permits? They will meet fierce resistance. Neither Obama's or Clinton's record show any inclination to take the really tough actions needed to reduce CO2 the requisite 80% by the year 2020. CHANGE?
Not from either side of the aisle in congress, regardless of who is president.

]]> Comment #2 by KELLIB http://www.grist.org/article/leap-year/ Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:05:40 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/leap-year/2 No, this will not do.

Dear American citizens,
  Do you realize that we need to curb our carbon emissions IN SEVEN YEARS? Yes, by 2015 we need to have stopped increasing our carbon emissions every year and start reducing. Congress needs to create this legislation now, or we will not be able to avoid the worst global warming will DEFINITELY bring us.  Renewable energy will be a big part of this movement, which will end up creating 185,000 green jobs nationwide. What other prospect will create that many jobs that quickly? So, American people listen up and tell your congressmen that you want to see climate change solutions NOW, not in 2009.  Who cares if it is "difficult" this year...the members of Congress need to stop acting like whiny children protecting the auto and energy industries and start protecting their people.

Sincerely,
  Kelli Bosak
  Ann Arbor, MI

p.s. If you are not sure of how to get involved, start with calling or writing your representative and go from there.


]]> No, this will not do.

Dear American citizens,
  Do you realize that we need to curb our carbon emissions IN SEVEN YEARS? Yes, by 2015 we need to have stopped increasing our carbon emissions every year and start reducing. Congress needs to create this legislation now, or we will not be able to avoid the worst global warming will DEFINITELY bring us.  Renewable energy will be a big part of this movement, which will end up creating 185,000 green jobs nationwide. What other prospect will create that many jobs that quickly? So, American people listen up and tell your congressmen that you want to see climate change solutions NOW, not in 2009.  Who cares if it is "difficult" this year...the members of Congress need to stop acting like whiny children protecting the auto and energy industries and start protecting their people.

Sincerely,
  Kelli Bosak
  Ann Arbor, MI

p.s. If you are not sure of how to get involved, start with calling or writing your representative and go from there.


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