It’s Time to Start Paying Attention to John McCain’s Ideas on Climate Change
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Thus far, the Democrats have dominated the media’s attentions as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton battle it for the nomination. True, it is hard to ignore innuendos about RFK’s assassination; however, it is time we start paying attention to the Republican nominee John McCain. Personally, I can’t imagine he will be elected, but I have been wrong before with my election predictions, and it is important to know where he stands on climate change.
Two weeks ago while campaigning in Oregon, McCain stood amongst wind turbines to talk climate change:
Instead of idly debating the precise extent of global warming, or the precise timeline of global warming, we need to deal with the central facts of rising temperatures, rising waters, and all the endless troubles that global warming will bring. We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great.
I agree with McCain on many levels, but what exactly are his climate change strategies beyond political rhetoric? According to Plenty Magazine, “He proposes a cap-and-trade scheme that will limit greenhouse gas emissions to sixty percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050;” however, scientists, Obama, and Clinton recommend 80 percent reductions. McCain does not favor allowing companies to buy extra carbon allowances, and he supports carbon offsetting. The problem with McCain’s ideas on climate change is he supports tax payer subsidies for nuclear power and has voted several times against a renewable energy standard.
Nuclear power is not the answer, as the issue of waste disposal has not been resolved and there are safety concerns. Now, Senator McCain plans to “hijack” landmark legislation on global warming. The “Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act” falls short of the 80% reduction of 1990 greenhouse gas emissions levels as recommended by scientists, and with the proposals supported by John McCain, it could be “the greatest greenwash of our generation.” Not only does the bill give carbon permits valued at one trillion dollars to the fossil fuel industry for free, McCain will only support the legislation if it takes funds away from clean energy sources, like wind and solar, and gives them to the nuclear power industry. What could have been real legislation to curb the effects on climate change will become a a vehicle for subsidizing the nuclear power industry if McCain has his way. Meanwhile, Senator Boxer is circulating a new version of the bill.
I won’t pretend to understand everything proposed by Lieberman, Warner, and Boxer, but at least McCain is not doubting global warming, as the current administration has done. Obviously, I am not a McCain supporter; however, when I hear him interviewed on a personal level, I like him. When he starts to talk to politics, I am reminded that he is a Republican and not the leader we need now. I actually voted for McCain once in a political maneuver as an independent California voter in the Republican primary. My efforts failed to win McCain the nomination over Bush, but I do think this country would have been better off after eight years of McCain rather than Bush. Of course, we would have been even better off after eight years of Gore.
Image: johnmccain.com
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