Posted on 03/07/2006 1:48:07 PM PST by calcowgirl
The California Chamber of Commerce, perhaps Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's closest political ally, may split with the governor over his commitment to drastically cut greenhouse-gas emissions.
In an executive order signed last year, Schwarzenegger set firm targets for reducing carbon dioxide pollution beginning in 2010. At the same time, he asked the California Environmental Protection Agency to work with other government departments to develop strategies for meeting the goals.
On Monday, the chamber denounced a draft report produced by the agency's "climate action team" as "not convincing" and a potential burden on the state's economy — especially proposals to levy a new tax on gasoline and diesel fuel sales and to cap carbon dioxide emissions, which are believed to cause global warming.
"We don't know what it's really going to cost," said chamber President Allan Zaremberg.
The draft report says fulfilling Schwarzenegger's pledge to cut carbon dioxide pollution 80% by 2050 actually would create jobs as companies developed new energy-saving technologies — a view endorsed Monday by a group of executives from mainly high-tech firms. Over the next 15 years, the report estimates, 83,000 jobs could be created.
But Zaremberg challenged the state agency to "immediately release all documents and data" used in reaching that conclusion.
A public feud between Schwarzenegger and the state's leading business lobby would be a blow for a governor who recruited a number of his top current and former aides from the chamber's ranks. Schwarzenegger also allied himself with the business group in a series of battles, including the legislative overhaul of workers' compensation insurance laws in 2004 and an unsuccessful effort to pass four initiatives in 2005.
The governor is caught between business interests and members of his staff who are trying to meet his environmental goals, said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
It's about time! Schwarzenegger's environmental platform is deadly for business, except the select businesses interested in developing technologies to receive his taxpayer-footed handouts (Solar, Hydrogen Highways, etc.)
The draft report says fulfilling Schwarzenegger's pledge to cut carbon dioxide pollution 80% by 2050 actually would create jobs as companies developed new energy-saving technologies — a view endorsed Monday by a group of executives from mainly high-tech firms. Over the next 15 years, the report estimates, 83,000 jobs could be created.
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A missing little point ... Most of those jobs would likely be created offshore, oh say in China or Malaysia, is my suspicion.
If so, his B.S. ideas live on.
Terry Tamminen is still hanging around, just reassigned to a less obvious role (although he is still running around the country bashing Bush for not supporting Kyoto). Bonnie Reiss is also still there. He has plenty more "greenies" on the staff, and of course, RFK jr, the author of Arnold's environmental platform, is still in the family.
Governor replaces longtime Dem aide, Cabinet secretary riled Republicans with Bush remarksBattered by conservative allies who believe he's broken faith with them, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday replaced Cabinet Secretary Terry Tamminen, a Democrat and well-known environmental activist whose appointment two years ago was trumpeted as a show of the Republican governor's bipartisanship.
Tamminen, who headed the Santa Monica-based Environment Now foundation when he became one of the governor's first major appointments in November 2003, will hold an advisory job as special assistant to the governor for energy and environmental technologies, Schwarzenegger's office announced late Friday.
CO2 is now a green house gas. Reducing the level of CO2 is now reducing the level of pollution. Arborists and gardeners will be next on the list of gross polluters.
Can't wait until the left proposes a tax on human exhalation in their scramble to detoxify the state. They'd do it with compassion, of course. There would be an exemption for the first three breaths of any newborn and later, for the last 72 hours in a state certified hospice.
Aside from his 1st mo. in office, what has A.S. accomplished that's different from what Davis would've done?
It's time for scorched earth !
FYI: Schwarzenegger's efforts have not been conciliatory. They've been complementary.
Schwarzenegger is a Democrat. He just registered in the other party because it was disorganized and easy to take over.
It all becomes clear.
I wish one of our lawmakers would develop a little courage and propose regulating the single greatest greenhouse gas by volume instead of fooling around with gases further down the list.
Think of the fun to be had drawing up legislation regulating water vapor. No irrigation; no large, man made bodies of water; no small, man made bodies of water; cover the aqueducts; cover the reservoirs; outlaw pools; ban lawn sprinklers; no car washing; no crop irrigation; no squirt guns; no fountains!
We've got to get serious about global warming! Tomorrow is too late!
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