Published on March 15th, 2008
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Editor’s note: Political cartoons are a staple of editorial pages and other websites focused on politics, and we’re delighted to bring you the first of our own series of cartoons from our own “Mean Joe Green” Mohr.
Of course, we greenies would love a presidential candidate that took a strong-handed, common sense approach to addressing the myriad of environmental issues facing the planet, and did so with the energy and intensity it deserves.
We don’t.
But we do have these three…
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Published on March 13th, 2008
I don’t know if you caught it, but the whole Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama flap over NAFTA exposed a dirty little secret: The North American Free Trade Agreement isn’t about American jobs or cheap Mexican labor—it’s about Canadian oil.
Think as far back as two weeks ago. I know you can do it. Remember, Britney’s dad started taking control of her life… everyone you know bugged the hell out of you by constantly saying: “I drink your milkshake…”
Anyway, back then, Hillary and Obama were campaigning among blue-collar crowds in Ohio when news broke out that someone from the Obama camp called the Canadian government and reassured them that the tough talk on NAFTA was all just an act. Later, it was revealed that Hillary probably made a similar call.
All of which begged the question: Why would they care so much about Canada if this was about NAFTA? Hasn’t Uncle Lou told us time and time again that NAFTA is all about Mexico: its cheap labor, and its non-existent regulations, which entice American factories to relocate south of the border?
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Published on March 13th, 2008
Presidential election campaign 2008 is well underway. And already the grade school politics are brought to the election playground.
In recent news, both Democratic front runners, in an attempt to woo voters, called for renegotiations of NAFTA. They also threatened to pull out of the trade agreement if U.S. demands aren’t met. Clearly a case of, “do what I want because our economic and military might can beat up your economic and military might.”
The North American Free Trade Agreement, has been under scrutiny since its inception.
Thankfully we have Republican Candidate John McCain to defend this groundbreaking trade agreement.
NAFTA isn’t perfect. It was the first time a free trade agreement existed among such economically disparate countries. It was definitely a great experiment, and a lot has been learned from the results. There is no denying that there have been significant advances in a globally sustainable market that was enabled by NAFTA.
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Published on March 12th, 2008
The Republicans and Democrats will not only be battling it out in the presidential elections this fall, but they are battling it out over who can hold the “greenest” (or is it the most greenwashed) national convention in late summer. From recycled fiber carpet to biodegradable plates, each political party is trying to outdo the other with its eco-friendly and “sustainable” conventions.
The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver, Colorado in August 2008. The party states:
The DNCC has a tremendous opportunity to educate the public and Convention attendees on making individual life choices that are environmentally sustainable. We intend to lead by example in this effort, with organizers applying green planning principles to every decision made in the lead-up to Convention week.
The Democrats will be offsetting the carbon created by the convention, using B20 biodiesel in all their generators, purchasing renewable energy certificates, using sustainable materials, and planning local river clean-ups and tree planting projects in the area. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on March 12th, 2008
Obama Replies, “Scoreboard!”
As Barack Obama chalked up another primary victory Tuesday in Mississippi, Hillary Rodham Clinton challenged rival Barack Obama on his record on energy policy. Campaigning in Pennsylvania and speaking in the state capitol, Clinton accused Obama of being all talk and no walk, by suggesting that he voted for the 2005 Cheney-crafted Energy Policy Act. A bill that Clinton claims is lining the pockets of big oil as the cost of gas nears $4 per gallon.
From the AP:
“Today my opponent is here in Pennsylvania talking about energy policy,” Clinton said. “That’s great, except in 2005 when we had a chance to say no to Dick Cheney and his energy bill, my opponent said yes and voted for it.”
“When it counted, I said no, he said yes,” said Clinton, adding that the measure was stuffed with “tax subsidies and giveaways” for oil companies and slowed the development of renewable energy.
“I gotta tell you, there’s a big difference between talk and action, but if you’re gonna talk, you ought to mean what you say so people can count on it,” Clinton quipped.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton replied that the Illinois senator voted for the energy bill in 2005 because it raised taxes on oil companies and boosted investment in alternative energy sources.
Photo Credit: Joe Crimmings Photography
Associated Press
Washington Post
Published on March 11th, 2008
You know that old saying about having a ‘face for radio’? As mean as the old saying is, it essentially implies that a person on television is not particularly good looking and that they would be better off applying their talents, journalistic or otherwise, to the radio-waves. Got it? Okay, put it this way, I think I have a ‘voice for television’.
Whenever I hear a recording of my voice I always think it sounds really weird. And although it seems like I’m implying that I have a ‘face for television’, I’m not (my twice-broken nose, gave me a nice nasally-twang, and a mighty proboscis that may be unfit for television).
What I’m saying is that XM Radio listeners were “treated” to eight minutes of yours truly today on Channel 130, “POTUS ‘08” (Politics Of The US), XM’s politics talk channel. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on March 8th, 2008
As I monitored the results of Tuesday’s primaries, mostly thanks to my Twitter friends, I was once again struck how the candidates and general population are ignoring the greatest issue facing human kind: climate change. Media outlet after media outlet proclaimed the economy as the greatest concern of voters; however, the connection to the environment seems to be lost in the hype. Not only is environmental degradation caused by our hunger for rapid, continual economic growth, but the environment also offers the solution to leading us out of recession.
Whether you like it or not, we live in a corporatocracy where decisions are made in favor of short term profits in contrast to the long term effects on our environment. When we expect that our economy will perpetually grow without considering the environmental consequences of corporate decisions, we are doomed. This is what the presidential candidates should be talking about: how can we ensure a stable economy that protects the environment. The solution is green jobs. Read the rest of this entry »
