She is ramping up quickly...good job giving a high level view of where she thinks we should be headed...look forward to her fleshing out the details...and it's clear she intends on being an active participant on this issue...
On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy called on Americans to land on the moon within that decade. We accomplished that task about eight years later.
America has a new challenge: To find and market alternative forms of energy.
By doing that, we can clean the environment, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and rejuvenate industry and create jobs.
The current administration has wasted precious time by denying that global warming is a problem. The facts are clear: polar ice is melting, water levels are rising, and weather patterns have changed while our consumption of oil products continues unabated.
At the same time, Americans complain.
We complain about the high cost of gas.
We complain about our dependence on foreign oil.
We complain about the decline of our central cities and urban sprawl while we make longer and longer daily commutes to our homes farther and farther out.
We complain about loss of jobs and young people’s lack of preparation in the math and science needed for new, technological jobs.
When elected to congress, I will push for a national program to perfect and market alternative energy sources to halt global warming and reduce dependence on foreign oil.
This program would involve industry, labor, and all levels of government acting cooperatively to meet this major new challenge. Such a comprehensive program would cover fuel efficiency and alternative fuels for our cars and trucks, and alternative heating and cooling energy sources for our homes and offices.
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Governments at all levels can lead the way toward going green. Fuel-efficient light bulbs, sensors that turn on and then off when people enter or leave a room, and municipal recycling programs are just some of the ways we can protect the environment.
The national program I support would have four major results that would help to keep America strong and retain its leadership in the world.
First, alternative fuels would insulate us from the need to import oil. This would have a major impact on our foreign policy toward the Middle East. This would allow wise leadership to focus on issues such as poverty and health care that lead desperate people to jihad.
Second, the program’s emphasis on cooperation between industry, labor and government would help rejuvenate American industries, including auto, glass, electronics, and metal fabricating.
Third, if tied to education at the primary and secondary levels, as well as higher education, the program would serve a new generation of students with higher proficiency in math and science, ready for jobs of the future.
And fourth, of course, we would greatly reduce carbon emissions that cause global warming and otherwise damage our environment.
Environmental protection is an opportunity, not a burden. As our region seeks to develop existing and new industries, research and innovation offer our economy a real opportunity to compete with other areas of the country as well as an ability to compete globally.Congress has taken some steps in the right direction on this topic this year. On Saturday, August 4th, the House passed “The New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act.” This legislation encompasses the work of several Congressional Committees this year and reflects a new perspective for environmental policy-making in the near future. It calls for the development of alternative energies, worker training in new technologies, International emissions reduction, increased funding for cutting-edge research and encourages energy efficiency in both the public and private sectors, among many other provisions.I believe Northeast Ohio can be a leader in this effort given our abundance of academic institutions and our history of technological innovation. What it will take, however, is the political will and commitment to stick to policies that protect the environment while, at the same time, offering an economic opportunity.
We need the political leadership to guide the way. Leadership is the daily work of committed elected officials working toward the goals of environmental stewardship and economic development as complementary principles and ideals.
Congressman Kucinich failed to show up to vote when this bill was on the House floor. The 10th Congressional District of Ohio can no longer afford to have an empty desk representing us in Washington, DC.We need thoughtful and provoking leadership. We need someone to be at the negotiating table when important decisions are made. I will be that Congresswoman, and I will be committed to these important environmental issues as well as every other issue that matters to Northeast Ohioans, everyday.http://www.rosemarypalmerforcongress.com/index.php?page=display&id=12
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