Clinton's energy, jobs policies
Posted: Monday, November 05, 2007 1:40 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ's Athena JonesCEDAR RAPIDS, IA --
Clinton laid out proposals today she said would promote clean energy and create at least five million "green-collar" jobs. The wide-ranging speech was the first of a series she will deliver on the topic this week. In it, she talked about the problems caused by climate change and pollution like rising sea levels, water shortages and health problems and compared dealing with these issues to the great challenges of the last century.
"For this generation of Americans, climate change is our space race,” Clinton told the audience at Clipper Turbine Works, Inc., a factory that makes the giant wind turbines seen churning all over the Iowa countryside. “It is our home-front mobilization during World War II and it is our response to the Great Depression."
Clinton added she would push for a new post-Kyoto treaty on global warming and establish a group of the world's major carbon-emitting nations to tackle energy and environment issues.
The perceived Democratic front-runner has been talking up parts of her energy policy for weeks, highlighting her plan for a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund to invest in alternative energy. This is the first time she has laid out a detailed proposal. She said her policy would help combat global warming, reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, improve the country's national security and be a major engine for job growth.
"What does it mean to be a patriot in America in the 21st century? “End our dependence on foreign oil," the senator said under a green-and-yellow banner that read, "Powering America's Future: New energy, new jobs."
The policy is centered on a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions. Clinton claims it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels; cut oil imports by two-thirds from 2030-projected levels; and raise fuel efficiency standards to 55 miles per gallon by 2030.
The plan sets a goal of reducing electricity consumption 20 percent from projected levels by 2020 through strict appliance efficiency standards and incentives. It would phase out incandescent light bulbs and replace them with compact fluorescent ones -- a move Clinton said would save more than $10 billion over eight years.
Clinton would also speed the production of hybrid gas-electric vehicles, promote biofuels and public transportation and require all new government buildings to be carbon-neutral under her presidency, she said.
The Republican National Committee -- which now seems to be responding to every speech Clinton delivers -- issued this statement: “Hillary Clinton’s failed solution of throwing money at any problem and increasing government involvement in every facet of our lives will be rejected by the American people. Senator Clinton has not earned the trust of voters on Social Security, openness and transparency, immigration or tax policy and there is no reason to believe the energy issue will be any different.”
*** UPDATE *** And the Obama camp, which usually doesn't respond, to individual Clinton speeches, issued this: “You can’t bring about change on our energy policy if you change your position to suit the politics of a presidential campaign,” Obama Iowa communications director Josh Earnest said. “When she had the chance to lead, Senator Clinton voted multiple times against legislation to increase production of renewable fuels and to increase fuel efficiency standards. To stand up for rural America and break America's dependence on foreign oil, we need a leader who won't just tell people on the campaign trail what they want to hear, but one who will tell the American people what they need to hear like Senator Obama did when he called for increased fuel efficiency standards during a speech in front of automakers in Detroit.”
