Climate Politics
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In either an Obama or McCain adminstration, climate legislation will be back-burnered
Just months ago there was a palpable sense of optimism that no matter who is elected president this November that the U.S. would soon embark on serious climate change legislation. I think recent events have shown that the chances of that happening are slim to none. Let’s start with if McCain is elected. Today the […]
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National Clean Energy Summit: Clinton miscellanea
A few more bits from Clinton’s Q&A were of interest. First, he was asked how he would respond to ordinary people’s pocketbook concerns on energy, and that’s when he really shined. (Responding to average folk was always Clinton’s strength.) He said that of course some of these reforms will raise the unit cost of energy […]
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Sen. Gordon Smith’s frozen-foods plant violates environmental regs
Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith (R) is in hot water over a water-quality violation at his family’s food-processing plant. Wastewater from Smith Frozen Foods in eastern Oregon overflowed into a creek recently while the plant was processing corn, a violation of state environmental regulations. This is bad timing for Smith, who has been touting his eco-credentials […]
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Robert Rubin laments climate change, is forced to answer for Citi’s contribution to it
Robert Rubin — Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Citigroup Inc. and former Clinton administration Treasury Secretary, among many, many other things — gave the afternoon keynote speech at the National Clean Energy Summit, focusing on the macroeconomic woes facing the economy and the possibility for good energy policy to ameliorate them. […]
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Cheney aide poised to head key division of Department of Energy
The Washington Post reports today that F. Chase Hutto III, a senior aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, is likely to be appointed as a key official at the Energy Department. Hutto has been a leading opponent of environmental regulations within the administration. A promotion to assistant secretary for policy and international affairs would put […]
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Time to choose between a new cold war with Russia and a new cold war with Iran
It seems that centrist Mark Kleiman thinks continued Iran bashing is a bad idea because it is time “to give a hard time to” Russia. This belated opponent of the Iraq war seems to think that the point of ending that bloodbath is to turn our firepower against the appropriate new enemy — to be […]
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McCain suggests renegotiating Colorado River compact to benefit Ariz., Nev., and Calif.
What epic gaffe could unite Colorado’s Democratic Senator Ken Salazar — “over my dead body” — and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer — “Over my cold, dead, political carcass“? That would be Arizona Senator John McCain telling The Pueblo Chieftan on Thursady that he wants to renegotiate the famous 1922 Colorado River compact to […]
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Bill Clinton gets into the weeds of energy policy
Photo: Brent Danley On Monday, Bill Clinton gave the opening remarks at the National Clean Energy Summit, speaking for almost an hour and taking questions for another 30 minutes. The energy issue is hot politics these days, but those hoping to witness some of the ’90s-vintage Clinton political jujitsu left disappointed. Instead they were treated […]
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House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says he’d invest in clean energy
The Wall Street Journal asked House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) how he would spend $10 billion of the country’s monetary resources. He says it should be spent on clean energy: A dramatic investment in clean energy would be the most effective check on aggressive petroregimes from Moscow to Tehran. It would be the best […]
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Speaker’s radio address aimed at blunting GOP message on energy
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) took up the “drill more, drill now” refrain Saturday in the Democrats’ weekly radio address, offering up a list of policy proposals intended to show that Democrats do indeed care about high gas and energy prices. Here’s the YouTube version (text can be found here): Pelosi bashes the Bush administration […]