How green was Obama’s jobs speech?
-
- Published on September 8th, 2011
Well, he talked the talk. But when it comes to the environment, will President Obama be able to walk the walk?
The President addressed Congress tonight to propose his “American Jobs Act” that would feature $447 billion in tax cuts, aid to states and infrastructure spending on roads and schools. It would be paid for with equal spending cuts and revenue increases down the road (Good trick! Make Congress in 2020 pass the hard stuff…)
Restructuring mortgages to put more money in the hands of consumers might be good for the economy, but it won’t do as much for the environment as earlier programs like tax credits for home solar and wind power installations.
Words not used in tonight’s speech:
- Environment
- Climate
- Green
- Energy
- Jobs (34 times)
- Tax & taxes (32 times)
- Pass this (17 times)
- Deficit (4 times)
The only time he came close to any of the green initiatives he’s pushed in the past was here:
Should we keep tax loopholes for oil companies? Or should we use that money to give small business owners a tax credit when they hire new workers? Because we can’t afford to do both. (Full text here)
How about regulation?
Republicans want to gut the EPA… and most everything else. President Obama:
Some of you sincerely believe that the only solution to our economic challenges is to simply cut most government spending and eliminate most government regulations. (Wild Republican applause)
…What we can’t do – what I won’t do – is let this economic crisis be used as an excuse to wipe out the basic protections that Americans have counted on for decades.
…We shouldn’t be in a race to the bottom, where we try to offer the cheapest labor and the worst pollution standards. America should be in a race to the top. And I believe that’s a race we can win. (Full text here)
So that’s sort of drawing a line in the sand. But what happens when the GOP takes its next round of hostages? Obama has not exactly established much of a reputation for firmness.
For instance, in the last budget, the GOP inserted a line item that simply removed endangered species protection from wolves. The Republicans played hardball, and the Democrats rolled over.
Since it worked, the GOP has already started inserting dozens -of similar line-items that trash environmental protections in the next budget. Will the President really stand up to them?
What about the green economy?
Here’s Jed Lewison:
Since the Great Depression, Americans have also counted on government to use basic macroeconomics—econ 101—to prevent long-term economic stagnation. And while President Obama did get the stimulus through, since then we have not had nearly enough government support.
Tonight’s jobs proposal has many positive elements, but it’s impossible to ignore the fact that it comes while we are simultaneously cutting spending, and that even if it does pass, it won’t be nearly as ambitious as the plan proposed tonight.
Not as ambitious? Even if some pale shell of this plan eventually makes it through Congress, that $300 billion is Obama’s STARTING POINT. You can bet we’ll be negotiating DOWN from there.
Here’s how the Huffington Posts’ Amanda Terkle sees that “bipartisan cooperation” unfolding:
Primarily, [Republicans] will be opposing more stimulus spending, more regulations and a payroll tax extension. But the House Republican Conference, led by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), notes there may be room for cooperation on permitting for construction projects, infrastructure spending, free trade agreements and a jobs program for the unemployed being eyed by the White House.
And despite Obama’s repeated mantra of “pass this bill”, you can bet it won’t be on any kind of fast-track agenda.
-> Next page: Send in the clowns
1 comment
[…] CongressHow green was Obama's jobs speech? […]
Comments are closed.