2008 DNC Roundup, Last Day: Obama Vows to End Oil Dependence in 10 Years
by Stacy Feldman - Aug 29th, 2008
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No big surprise at the DNC on Day 4: Obama’s acceptance speech was the story of the night (transcript).
The New York Times’ Chris Suellentrop rounds up early reactions in this aptly titled post: Well Spoken. More reax here from Andrew Sullivan, from the left and right.
Obama put energy squarely in the spotlight, as he dangled this whopper of a promise in front of Americans:
For the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.
Here’s how:
I'll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.
Historic. But it must be said that Obama dished out three unsavory energy pledges, too, and that was before he made any mention of renewables:
As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power.
In his role as warm-up act, Al Gore delivered another excellent speech on the urgency of vigorous US climate action and castigated McCain for pandering to the right on the issue:
In spite of John McCain's past record of open-mindedness on the climate crisis, he has apparently now allowed his party to browbeat him into abandoning his support of mandatory caps on global warming pollution.
More from Gore:
It just so happens that the climate crisis is intertwined with the other two great challenges facing our nation: reviving our economy and strengthening our national security. The solutions to all three require us to end our dependence on carbon-based fuels.
Instead of letting lobbyists and polluters control our destiny, we need to invest in American innovation.
Almost a hundred years ago, Thomas Edison, our most famous inventor, said, "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power!" he continued. "I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that."
Well, now, in 2008, we already have everything we need to use the sun, the wind, geothermal power, conservation and efficiency to solve the climate crisis -- everything, that is, except a president in the White House who inspires us to believe, "Yes, we can." But we know how to fix that.
Yep, we know: Obama for president.
All in all, as the curtains closed last night on the DNC’s week in Denver, it seems the convention was a success on many fronts, though only time will tell. Energy and climate issues were vital pieces in nearly every major speech. And: Obama got a bump from the blitz. So reports Gallup. He now leads McCain by a 48% to 42% margin.
Question now becomes: How will McCain try to top this week’s events?
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FINAL DAY SPEECHES:
Barack Obama:
Al Gore:
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Now that Obama's the
Now that Obama's the president, I wonder how he will start fulfilling his promises like this one. Will he support the use of tips to save gas as well?
No More Oil
Change incorporation law, add social responsibility! If the U.S. had chosen to be a moral people, and leaving Iraqi oil alone, and following Al Gore, decided to develop the South Western deserts, with the technology of the times - solar/thermal-molten sodium - electricity installations, for the same amount of money as that war cost, ($650 Billion), today, we would be tapping into the largest, renewable, sustainable, energy source the world has ever known. It would have paid every energy bill in the U.S.A. for maintenance fees only - FOREVER! It would be equivalent to an oil field that can NEVER run dry! Low cost electric power, and storeable hydrogen gasoline replacement from the electricity, for all!
After the millions of murders, and $650 billions of dollars, borrowed from our children’s futures and pissed away, with thousands of our own and others maimed and disfigured for life, millions of families utterly destroyed, ours and theirs, we are no closer to Iraqi oil production than the Iraqis are!
The next time you hear a blithering idiot spoiled brat, drunken, drug addicted, sociopath, rich Arabic saber dancing daddie’s boy oilman, stand at a microphone and threaten YOUR safety with someone ELSE’S weapons, remember what you lost America, remember, and weep! (also see http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=a-solar-grand-plan)
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