Yes, Al Gore is still enough of a celebrity that I still bother to care that he met with Obama and Biden. The topic of the discussion was obviously energy and climate change.  Al Gore and Obama seem to disagree on one issue being clean coal.  Biden also seemed to disagree with Obama during the campaign on this issue as well… but apparently Biden “misspoke”.  So, I’ kind of curious if they talked about, though we might never know.  Overall Al Gore and Obama-Biden seem to agree on the basics.

After years of an administration that ignored the issues of global warming and the need for green jobs, it would be nice to see the Obama-Biden energy and environment agenda implemented.  Though it may be hard, this is vital to America sustaining not only our economy, but out environment that is so resourceful and beautiful.  Industries such as tourism and food will greatly suffer if this issue isn’t taken care of.  This in turn will cause grave economic consequences as well as food shortage…which in turn will cause food prices to rise and then that will ruin the economy and people spending habits.  In fact, Obama spoke about this when he address the Global Climate Summit.  So, I decided to do something I haven’t done in a while which is provide  information, on this crucial crisis.

First is a short video of Obama’s opening remarks to the press before he met privately with Al Gore.  In the beginning, he also mentions the Gov. of Illinois Rod Blagojevich arrest for corruption. 

The Obama-Biden energy and environment agenda encompasses the following,

1. Creating millions of green jobs
2. Reduce use of foreign oil
3. Encourage the use of hybrid cars and use renewable sources for energy
4. Install a cap and trade system

The Obama-Biden transition website states the following,

Energy Plan Overview

Provide Short-term Relief to American Families
• Crack Down on Excessive Energy Speculation.
• Swap Oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Cut Prices.

Eliminate Our Current Imports from the Middle East and Venezuela within 10 Years

• Increase Fuel Economy Standards.
• Get 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Cars on the Road by 2015.
• Create a New $7,000 Tax Credit for Purchasing Advanced Vehicles.
• Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
• A “Use it or Lose It” Approach to Existing Oil and Gas Leases.
• Promote the Responsible Domestic Production of Oil and Natural Gas.

Create Millions of New Green Jobs

• Ensure 10 percent of Our Electricity Comes from Renewable Sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
• Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy Source – Energy Efficiency.
• Weatherize One Million Homes Annually.
• Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology.
• Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.

Reduce our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80 Percent by 2050

• Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.
• Make the U.S. a Leader on Climate Change.

Obama’s record on the environment throughout his career in the Illinois state senate and US senate has been great.  Back during the campaign I have done many reviews of Obama’s voting record in the senate on various issue, so I will be partially quoting myself on this from this post on energy, and this post on the environment,

Energy

Obama has worked with GOP Senator Lugar to introduced the American Fuels Act in 2007.  What this act would do is increase domestic fuel production while giving tax credits to cellulous fuel producing companies.  He also authored Fuel Economy Reform Act, which works in raising automobile fuel efficiency standards.  With all that has gone on with the auto industry, you would think they would have though of this before.  This being Health Care For Hybrids Act, which provides incentives for the auto industry to make more fuel efficient cars. Click here to learn more about what Obama has done in the senate to work towards energy independence.

Environment

Obama in 2005 introduced in the senate the Lead-Free Toys Acts which holds the Consumer Products Safety Commission responsible and requires that they don’t allow lead in children’s toys.  He also co-sponsored the Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act to preserve the Great Lakes and keep them clean and as a Michigan resident I’m rather pleased.  He also introduced legislation on Missing Mercury in Manufacturing Monitoring and Mitigation Act. These are only a few of many ways Obama has worked to improve the environment, but I don’t have enough time to go through all of it. So, check his senate site out.

So, now that Obama is in fact the President Elect, he will be at the fore front of this issue, and even if he didn’t want to be, he would be forced to by the public.  This issue is not something we can just set aside for the next generation.  Mainly because there might be too late to be able to fix

it.  We need corporation from our politicians to come together and solve the crisis. So, Obama is currently providing an open government, where people can come to Obama’s transition site and submit ideas on how to fix various issues.  Another thing he is going is letting us into his transition team and process.  I find it exciting that we have a president who cares enough to educate us on whats going on.  If you have an idea on how to improve the environment, you can go to Obama’s transition site and submit your ideas and people can comment on them.  Remember that if we don’t take care of this issue of the environment and energy then we are in trouble.  This could create a situation where our economy worsens.  Also, wouldn’t it be great to solve these issues and not have to hear politicians every single year talk about solving them because they would have already been solved.

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