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U.S. Political Spectrum: Red, Blue, or Purple = Green

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Back on MLK Day I mused that "when all the colors will bleed into one" that perhaps that new hue would be green. That certainly seems to be the case where the presidential candidacy is concerned. Whether the political color is Red, Blue or Purple, it appears that Green is the new Red, White and Blue. Each of the three remaining presidential hopefuls have been stumping energy, environmental and green building policies as drivers of economic stimulus and other issues if they are elected.

Consider a few sound bites from the candidates:

Barack Obama: 
We're going to have to invest in infrastructure … in science and technology. We have to look at energy and the potential for creating green jobs that can not just save on our energy costs but, more importantly … can put rural communities back on their feet by working on alternative fuels, making buildings more energy efficient.
Hillary Clinton: 
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.
John McCain: 
It's no secret that I have disagreed with the Bush administration in not being more active in addressing the issue of climate change, whether it be through cap-and-trade, through tax incentives for R&D for green technologies and many other measures that I think need to be taken.

Senator Obama has proposed grant and federal match programs to states and localities for encouraging efficiency retrofits in existing buildings while Senator Clinton would create a $1 billion Green Building Fund to make grants or low-interest loans to improve energy efficiency in public buildings.

Each of the remaining presidential candidates has called for billions of dollars of investment in clean energy, dramatic carbon cuts, and economy-wide cap-and-trade programs.

All three candidates want to use profits collected from auctioning allowances from the cap-and-trade programs for reinvestment in green research and education, job training, building efficiency upgrades, renewable technologies and other clean energy programs.

Whoever wins the presidency, let's hope that they deliver on the green leadership they are promising.

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 06:56PM by Registered CommenterBurke Sisco | Comments1 Comment | References1 Reference

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Reader Comments (1)

I've been following local and national coverage of the primaries and think it is encouraging that all three candidates have included green rhetoric in their campaign speeches and debates. No matter who is elected, I'm hopeful that the rhetoric becomes action. We need the federal government to take initiative, without it there is little to motivate state and city governments to offer tax credit incentives to the corporate and residential community.
March 18, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterSandra Cumins

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