Climate Politics

Dems touch on green issues at debate in crucial primary state of Ohio

Environmental issues popped up during a discussion of trade policy in last night’s debate between Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Clinton said she would “renegotiate the core labor and environmental standards” of NAFTA. Obama agreed, saying, “I intend to make certain that every [trade] agreement that we sign has the labor standards, […]

After all the fuss, looks like we might get an extension of the 2002 farm bill

Photo: iStockphoto Remember the farm bill — the omnibus federal legislation that generated so much sound and fury last year? Like a downer cow slouching toward its executioner, the farm bill still lives, sort of. The House, Senate, and president are haggling over it, squabbling over the bill’s price tag and how it will be […]

Notable quotable

“So when it came time to vote on Dick Cheney’s energy bill, I voted no, and Senator Obama voted yes.” — Hillary Clinton, Ohio Democratic presidential primary debate

Notable quotable

"I helped to pass legislation to begin a training program for green collar jobs. I want to see people throughout Ohio being trained to do the work that will put solar panels on roofs, install wind turbines, do geothermal, take advantage of biofuels, and I know that if we had put $5 billion into the […]

Notable quotable

"We’re going to have to invest in infrastructure to make sure that we’re competitive. And I’ve got a plan to do that. We’re going to have to invest in science and technology. We’ve got to vastly improve our education system. We have to look at energy and the potential for creating green jobs that can […]

Crist

Florida governor Charlie Crist is arguably greener than John McCain, and is often discussed as a possible running mate. Here he is kissing McCain’s ass, conspicuously failing to deny that he’s being considered for the VP slot, conspicuously failing to say he wouldn’t take it, and listing the three major issues for the general campaign […]

Ban on loaded firearms in national parks may be lifted

Photo: iStockphoto The Interior Department plans to revise regulations banning loaded guns in national parks, and park rangers and green groups are up in arms (figuratively, of course). Current rules, which require guns to be disarmed and stowed away within park boundaries, “are not unduly burdensome, but are limited, reasonable, and necessary,” says the president […]

Factory farms fight to avoid reporting on toxic emissions

This article in the WaPo shows yet again how insidious the agricultural lobby in this country is, and how we need leadership that will take it on. This time it's the factory farms fighting laws that mandate that they provide information on their emission of toxic gases (from animal waste).

Breaking the power of the agricultural lobby should be a top priority for the environmental community; at every turn it fights for corporate welfare and against environmental progress and the public good.

Clinton only candidate to appear at energy forum on Thurs.

The Greater Houston Partnership had planned a bigtime energy forum where all the presidential candidates would come and discuss America’s energy future. Only Clinton agreed to come. Despite that, it should be interesting. There will be lots of players from Big Oil & Gas there, and they want to hear about what they euphemistically call […]

Chris Dodd endorses Barack Obama for prez

Former presidential contender Chris Dodd has broken with the wait-and-see Democrats to endorse Barack Obama for president. Obama has been “poked and prodded, analyzed and criticized, called too green, too trusting, and for all of that has already won” a majority of states and votes, said Dodd. See what he did there, using the word […]