Hey, all:

Yes, I have never like the metaphor of 'a rising tide lifts all boats' for the simple fact that if you are not already on a boat, it does NOTHING for you.  And in fact it can make simple treading water more tiring, with the inevitable consequences.  

Germany has its real leadership and has resulted in their "Solar Valley" producing enormous numbers of PV panels, employing a large work force, creating a tremendous ripple effect.    

We could vastly increase domestic skilled and semi-skilled employment in urban population centers large and small with the right incentives, as easily as transferring huge beeeellion dollar fossil fuel subsidies, much of which immediately goes off-shore or into the pockets of rich investors.

Open up a PV manufacturing plant in an existing unused factory in MA and NJ and PA and NY and IL and MI and OH and a dozen other states, put the first 3000 panels on the very same roof where they were made, vastly cutting fixed costs, and then spread them to the surrounding community.  Jobs, reduction of reliance on fossil fuels, CO2 cuts, greater public health, a huge ripple effect, and an awakening to the distorted mentality of 'electricity as commodity' all would be achieved in short order.  

Everyone not only is lifted, but many many more have boats.  Sail on.

David
Sustainability For Life

Messages done with sustainable energy, with Wind and Sun!