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Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the Climate Change Bill
My Barack Obama.com ^ | 6/06/08 | Barack Obama

Posted on 06/07/2008 5:52:18 PM PDT by vrwc54

As this week’s debate on climate change has unfolded, the American people and those watching us around the world had every reason to hope that we would act. Every credible scientist and expert believes action is necessary. This is critical and long overdue legislation that represents a good first step in addressing one of the most serious problems facing our generation.

Like many of my Senate colleagues, I believe the legislation could have been made even better. Had there been a substantive Senate debate about some of the concerns with this bill, I believe the outcome could have generated broad support. It certainly would have received my support.

Unfortunately, the Republican leadership in the Senate has chosen to block progress, rather than work in a good faith manner to address this challenge. This is a failure of our politics and a failure of leadership – a President who for years denied the problem, and a Republican nominee, John McCain, who claims leadership on the issue but opposes this bipartisan bill.

We can’t afford more of the same timid politics when the future of our planet is at stake. We are already breaking records with the intensity of our storms, the number of forest fires, and the periods of drought. By 2050, famine could force more than 250 million from their homes. And if we do nothing, sea levels will rise high enough to swallow large portions of every coastal city and town.

This bipartisan legislation establishes an economy-wide cap on greenhouse gas emissions. It helps states, cities, and towns invest in technologies to reduce energy bills for homeowners, increase energy efficiency, construct green buildings, and expand public transit. It invests in green technology to help our automakers to retool and our fossil-fuel industries to become clean. The bill provides real financial relief to working families. Importantly, the bill restores our great nation’s international leadership role, while including provisions to ensure that all major emitting nations also take serious action to solve this global problem.

Let me be clear, this bill is not perfect. Emissions reductions must reflect the scientific consensus, which are reductions of at least 80 percent 2050. We must ensure that more middle-class families reap more of the financial benefits created by this bill. And we must direct greater resources to the regions of the country that will bear the brunt of this critical transition to a clean energy economy.

I believe that the American people are ready to lead the world on this issue. The time for distractions, divisions, and excuses is over. The time for new coalitions, informed and civil debate, and a sense of shared purpose is long overdue. As president, I am committed to ensuring that our children and our children’s children can point to this generation as the time when American found its way again.


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 110th; 2008; bo; climatesecurityact; democrat; democrats; globalwarming; liebermanwarner; obama; scaretactics; ussenate
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To: kingattax

"Listen to this, Hillary.....
"As President, I am..."
"As President, I am..."
"As President, I am..."

41 posted on 06/07/2008 6:34:11 PM PDT by taraytarah (He will come as a thief in the night. Are you ready?)
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To: vrwc54

Who’s received what from the energy companies?

http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2008/campaigncontrobutions.html


42 posted on 06/07/2008 6:34:16 PM PDT by JavaJumpy (Let's have a whinefest, shall we? Mark Levin)
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To: the anti-liberal
It is much louder, but also corrupt, biased and slanted to the left. So much so few believe what they hear.
Whenever chrissy mathews get on tv and talks about “that feeling in his leg”, many viewers turn the channel to something a little less unbiased.
43 posted on 06/07/2008 6:39:21 PM PDT by rodguy911 (Support The New media, Ticket the Drive-bys, --America-The land of the Free because of the Brave-)
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To: Night Hides Not
Every credible scientist and expert believes action is necessary.

Every scientist and expert who believes action is necessary is credible.

Petitio Quæsiti

44 posted on 06/07/2008 6:39:25 PM PDT by M203M4 (True Universal Suffrage: Pets of dead illegal-immigrant felons voting Democrat (twice))
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To: jwalsh07
See #14. McCain wouldn't have written this.

If the cities under water don't alarm you enough, maybe this will:

Obama Plans to Disarm America

45 posted on 06/07/2008 6:39:31 PM PDT by vrwc54
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To: jwalsh07
We are between a rock and a hard place.
Trick is to stay on offense and make the rinos, idiots, marixsts, and the rest accountable to “our” standards.
They will since we are right and they are full of it.
46 posted on 06/07/2008 6:42:02 PM PDT by rodguy911 (Support The New media, Ticket the Drive-bys, --America-The land of the Free because of the Brave-)
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To: cpanter
I know where McCain stands on the issue, but at least he opposed this turd.

I'm under the impression that McCain publicized a letter saying that, had he been on the floor, he would've voted for the measure.

47 posted on 06/07/2008 6:42:29 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: vrwc54
"Every creditable scientist.."

What about the 30,000 scientists that signed a letter a month or so ago saying it was NOT a given about GW? What he is calling creditable should read grant receivers, UN money scientists.

As far as the ocean encroaching, it could happen, eventually, because it has happened before without the aid of man made emissions. But it would take a few thousand years or so.

This chicken little mindset has got to go.

vaudine

48 posted on 06/07/2008 6:43:45 PM PDT by vaudine (RO)
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To: vrwc54

“Every credible scientist and expert believes action is necessary.”

He wouldn’t know a credible scientist if it bit him in the posterior! He has more brass than P.T. Barnum, and unfortunately he’s playing to the same audience that Barnum did.


49 posted on 06/07/2008 6:44:20 PM PDT by GWMcClintock (The last thing the US needs is B.O.!)
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To: cpanter

This is NOT a reason to decide between candidates.

McCain is the virtually the same as Obama on climate change. The predecessor to Warner-Lieberman was the Lieberman-McCain Climate Stewardship Act. (It failed 43 to 55 in 2003).


50 posted on 06/07/2008 6:44:27 PM PDT by RBroadfoot
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To: vrwc54

I don’t get alarmed much these days, I have the wisdom to understand what I can or can’t change. And I can’t change the Democrat or Republican nominees, both of whom are AGW idiots.


51 posted on 06/07/2008 6:48:11 PM PDT by jwalsh07 (El Nino is climate, La Nina is weather.)
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To: vrwc54
BTW, do you understand who foots the bill in Cap and Trade policies?

If you guessed you...

You're RIGHT!

52 posted on 06/07/2008 6:50:13 PM PDT by jwalsh07 (El Nino is climate, La Nina is weather.)
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To: vrwc54
Every credible scientist and expert believes action is necessary.

What a disgusting liar...

53 posted on 06/07/2008 6:52:37 PM PDT by taraytarah (He will come as a thief in the night. Are you ready?)
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To: vrwc54
Obama forgot to mention that every gallon will cost $1+ more. I'm sure he inadvertently forgot this tiny little detail. /s
54 posted on 06/07/2008 7:04:57 PM PDT by tobyhill (The media lies so much the truth is the exception)
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To: vrwc54

A mind is such a terrible thing to waste!


55 posted on 06/07/2008 7:12:15 PM PDT by LiteKeeper (Beware the secularization of America; the Islamization of Eurabia)
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To: okie01

In Obama’s statement 3rd paragraph, last sentence - he says that McCain opposes this bi-partisan bill.


56 posted on 06/07/2008 7:14:38 PM PDT by cpanter (Steyn is my Obamamania!)
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To: jwalsh07

I’m going to vote for the lesser of two idiots.


57 posted on 06/07/2008 7:15:40 PM PDT by vrwc54
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To: RBroadfoot

I guess I didn’t realize how up front he was with wanting a cap and trade. I tried reading his plan on his website. Maybe it is the same minus the fear-mongering???? We’re sunk.


58 posted on 06/07/2008 7:17:04 PM PDT by cpanter (Steyn is my Obamamania!)
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To: vrwc54
and a Republican nominee, John McCain, who claims leadership on the issue but opposes this bipartisan bill.

Yesterday Senator Reid claimed he had a letter supporting the bill that included John McCain's signature.

So, who is lying -- Senator Reid or Barack Obama.

(Hint: It's a trick question)

59 posted on 06/07/2008 7:17:18 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: vrwc54

Hmmm...do the libs want this or not?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20080528/pl_usnw/overwhelming_majority_of_americans_oppose_lieberman_warner_global_warming_proposal__new_poll_suggests


60 posted on 06/07/2008 7:18:29 PM PDT by JavaJumpy (Let's have a whinefest, shall we? Mark Levin)
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