Posted on 11/12/2012 1:45:46 PM PST by Zakeet
President Obama has some unfinished business to attend to, and taking care of it will require help and support from corporate leaders across the country.
When he ran for president in 2008, Obama made three big promises: end the Iraq War, extend health care coverage to all Americans, and take federal action to reduce the threat of global climate change. He delivered on the first two. And though his Administration made some progress on emissions reduction by doubling federal fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles, the president chose not to move comprehensive climate legislation through a recalcitrant Senate in the wake of the Great Recession. After 2010, climate all but disappeared from the national conversation.
Hurricane Sandy put it back on the map. Sandy is just the latest reminder that climate change, which fed the storm's fury by warming Atlantic waters and loading moisture into the atmosphere, isn't going away. Since January, we have seen record drought, rising commodities prices, the lowest Arctic ice levels in recorded history, and a rash of costly extreme weather events. In fact, 2012 is likely to be the hottest year since accurate record-keeping began in the late 19th century. And as Sandy's $50 billion estimated price tag demonstrates, the cost of doing nothing is far greater than the cost of taking action. So what can the President do to fulfill his promise, reiterated in his victory speech, to ensure that America "isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet"? Some argue that he can't do much, since he faces a divided Congress where some members still reject the reality of climate change. But as Obama is fond of saying, presidents are not elected to do the easy things, and political realities are not set in stone. Sandy has not only restarted the climate conversation in this country; it has also changed the calculus of what is politically possible.
Here are five steps the president should take to address climate change from no-brainer ideas almost everyone can agree on to ambitious items that would require Congressional action. None is likely to be successful without the active support and participation of the business community.
1. Feed the conversation. ...
2. Reduce climate accelerants. ...
3. Start a clean energy race. ...
4. Use the Clean Air Act. ...
5. Put a price on carbon. ...
Snob school in land of Lib-Lib also got-em heap many dum-dum's in Bee School!
None of this piffle is Business-Friendly.
I am not gonna bother reading it. It will just be bad for my blood pressure.
Translated into the Newspeak mode - All you business are belong to us. And we call it “Patriotic Capitalism”.
Obama did say ‘private sector is doing fine’, it is the public sector employees that saw the budget cuts and were the ones suffering since BOOOOOOOOSH.
Eco Ping.
IMHO, at least half the businesses in this country are now more concerned with currying political favor in order to tilt the table in their direction than in building it through old-fashioned Capitalism.
>3. Start a clean energy race
That is the only suggestion that makes any sense.
Assuming it’s not any of the tried and failed Unicorn dung examples.
All toghether now...
WITH FRIEDNS LIKE THESE WHO NEEDS ENEMIES!
True dat! That’s the way the facists roll with ‘Corporatism’. Those closest to the source of power will be successful, no matter their business savy. No one ever talks about competition anymore for good reason.
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The Economic Impact of a Regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard on Northeast/Mid-Atlantic States
Global Warming on Free Republic
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