Green's Energy Policy
GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp. org
For Immediate Release:
Monday, August 11, 2008
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-904-7614,
mclarty@greens. org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp. org
America needs the Green Party's solutions to energy and global warming
crises, not the Obama or McCain plans, say Greens
• Greens call rise of gas prices and demand for expanded drilling a
manipulation by oil companies seeking control over US energy policy
WASHINGTON, DC -- Green candidates and leaders called Barack Obama's and
John McCain's positions on energy policy, gas prices, and global warming
a capitulation to corporate lobbies, and urged adoption of the Green
Party's plan to reduce fossil fuel consumption, generate new jobs in
conservation and new energy sources, and curb the advance of climate change.
"Both the McCain and Obama energy plans privilege corporate profits over
the urgent need to transforms our nation's energy policies. Both Mr.
McCain and Mr. Obama are seeking ways to preserve corporate profits at a
time when the future of our planet is at stake," said John M. Wages,
Jr., Green candidate for the US House in Mississippi (District 1)
(http://www.VoteJohn Wages.com). "Barack Obama's support for nuclear
power and ethanol and his recent turnaround on offshore drilling prove
that he, like John McCain, will not challenge the power and profits of
the energy industry. We need the kind of national leadership on energy
and the global warming threat that's represented by our presidential and
congressional Green candidates."
Exelon, a nuclear power company, is among Barack Obama's top corporate
donors ((Source: Center for Responsive Politics,
http://www.opensecr ets.org/pres08/ contrib.php? cycle=2008& cid=N00009638).
(John McCain's corporate donor list:
http://www.opensecr ets.org/pres08/ contrib.php? id=N00006424& cycle2=2008& goButt2.x= 7&goButt2. y=6)
Oil industry contributions to Democrats and Republicans in 2008 are
already soaring, while the percentage gap between contributions to the
two parties' candidates, though consistently higher for Republicans, has
begun to diminish (Source:
http://www.opensecr ets.org/industri es/indus. php?ind=E01).
Greens said that two factors are behind the demand for drilling in the
Alaska National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) and in offshore areas,
purportedly to reduce dependence on foreign oil:
(1) The oil companies are manipulating prices to create fear among
Americans to win support for drilling in these areas. In fact, Canada
increased its exports to the States by almost 100 million barrels
between 2005 and 2007, thanks to an oil boom in Alberta's oil sands, and
oil companies have posted record profits recently.
Naomi Klein has written that "drilling in ANWR would have little
discernible impact on actual global oil supplies, as its advocates well
know. The argument that it could nonetheless bring down oil prices is
based not on hard economics but on market psychoanalysis: drilling would
'send a message' to the oil traders that more oil is on the way, which
would cause them to start betting down the price." (The Nation, July
21, 2008, http://www.thenatio n.com/doc/ 20080721/ lookout)
(2) Popular fears over gas prices have given the oil industry greater
leverage over measures to curb global warming at a time when fossil fuel
consumption must be drastically reduced.
Furthermore, Exxon Mobil, Texaco, BP, and other companies are using
their increased leverage during the current gas price panic to win oil
production contracts in Iraq, which will prolong the US occupation
indefinitely. Sen. Obama, while promising a reduction of US troops in
Iraq, would leave a residual occupation force to protect "American
interests," which means US control over Iraqi oil resources.
The Green Party has strongly opposed ANWR and off-shore drilling and
trading of carbon caps, and favors bans on new coal fired-power plants,
new nuclear power plants (as well as early retirement of current nuclear
reactors), and all mountaintop coal removal. The party endorses a
reduction by 90% of mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants by
2012, targeted carbon taxes, investment in renewable noncarbon-based
energy technology, and reduction of CO2 and SO2 emissions by 80% by
2020. These and other policies are listed in a recommendation for
environmental action for a Green President's first 100 days in office
(http://www.gp. org/press/ pr-national. php?ID=58).
"America's first priorities must be conservation and efficiency. The
Green Party has an effective plan to reorganize the economy, create
millions of new jobs in conversion to safe clean energy, conservation,
and expansion of public transportation to replace car traffic," said
Rosa Clemente, nominated by the Green Party as Cynthia McKinney's
running mate for Vice President of the United States
(http://www.rosaclem ente.com). "Such an effort should be comparable to
America's concerted and internationally cooperative effort to defeat the
Axis powers during World War II. But this time we'd be uniting for
peace, since global warming threatens the security of the entire world
in the coming decades."
"Without such an effort, the disaster we witnessed in New Orleans during
and after Katrina will take place on a global scale. Billions of people
will see their homes, livelihoods, health, and lives threatened, while
corporate interests exploit the devastation for more money and power,"
added Ms. Clemente.
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States http://www.gp. org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
• Green candidate database for 2008 and other campaign information:
http://www.gp. org/elections. shtml
• Green Party News Center http://www.gp. org/newscenter. shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp. org/speakers
• Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp. org/2008- elections
Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente 'Power to the People' Campaign for the
White House http://www.runcynth iarun.org
2008 Green National Convention, July 10-13 in Chicago, Illinois
http://www.greenpar ty2008.org
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Posted by Chuck Jordan at August 12, 2008 12:20 AM