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Historic Mandate for Clean Energy
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| (Carlos Barria/Reuters) |
Energy policy has never been more prominent in a national election, and rarely have the results been so clear. The landslide election of Barack Obama and pro-environment candidates across the country signals a strong rejection of the failed energy policies of the last eight years and a historic mandate for large-scale, transformational change.
While Barack Obama, John McCain, and their respective parties agreed energy was a top priority, they offered strikingly different agendas. By putting Obama and the Democrats in office, voters have sent a clear message that they want a fundamentally different policy—one that aggressively invests in clean and energy-efficient infrastructure, creates green-collar jobs, fights global warming, and strengthens our economy.
Friends of the Earth Action endorsed other worthy candidates down the ballot, and enjoyed seeing many of them win on Tuesday -- champions like Mark Udall and Tom Udall, who handily took Senate seats in Colorado and New Mexico -- and Donna Edwards, who had a landslide victory in Maryland's 4th Congressional District. See our endorsements here.
We congratulate all progressive victors in 2008. In particular, we congratulate President-Elect Barack Obama on his transformative campaign and welcome victory. And we thank him for the candor and maturity to tell us in his acceptance speech that our work has only begun:
You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead...There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair. The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change.
We look forward to working with you and our next President to make that climb.
McCain's VP Pick a Concern for Environmentalists
Sarah Palin's record is not extensive but what her record indicates is troubling. This spring, she opposed the listing of polar bears as a 'threatened' species. She supports the brutal aerial hunting of wolves. And she has been a friend of Big Oil, opposing a windfall profits tax on the oil industry that could fund affordable clean energy for more Americans. In addition, Palin's husband works for BP.
Read the Full Statement | Read Foe Action President Brent Blackwelder's post on the Hill Blog
Protestors Rain on GOP Dog and Pony Show
Photos by John McComb
House Republicans gathered on the Capitol steps for a PR stunt intended to promote their new oil drilling bill; what they got was an embarrassing rejection from nearly 200 protesters. Friends of the Earth members activists and other protestors carried signs calling out the Republicans for cozying up to Big Oil and pushing a disingenuous plan that would do nothing to actually lower prices at the pump. The protesters outnumbered the GOP members of Congress by about four to one and the overriding message from the event turned out to be a good one: Drilling is a fool’s errand.
PS: More evidence that oil and water don't mix came on the same day:
Ship collision shuts Mississippi River, spills fuel
Lieberman-Warner Not Fixed--Now Ditched!
The Lieberman-Warner global warming bill has officially been pulled from the floor. While the bill would not have done what scientists say we must do to reduce global warming pollution and did not deserve to become law, Friends of the Earth Action wanted a debate and the chance to make this bill better. Unfortunately, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his Republican allies would not allow debate on amendments that could have significantly strengthened the bill.
The climate crisis threatens our health, economy and way of life, and bold legislative action is urgently needed. Looking forward to 2009, the Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate must advance strong bills that inspire environmentalists and progressives across the country to take action and that can ultimately earn the support of all Americans.
