We have a candidate for President, a candidate with some very good to excellent policy concepts. We have a Democratic Party platform with some excellent material. Knowing that ... and supporting them ... here is a concept piece for A Five-Point Plan Toward a Better America.
The Republic is at a critical crossroads – a point where Americans must understand and take action to ensure a future for ourselves, our children, and the unborn Americans of tomorrow.
Today, the nation is being driven down a path of fiscal failure, rotting of industrial strength, immoral and unethical governance, selling of our common heritage and future to a cabal of highest bidders, destruction of the environment, isolation of Americans in the international environment, and decaying of American security. Americans must decide whether there is a tomorrow – and act accordingly.
I believe that there will be a tomorrow.
I believe in acting and planning as if tomorrow exists.
A cowboy has ridden out, gathering a posse, to slay the demon of imported oil. Texas Oilman T Boone Pickens is investing over $50 million in promoting The Pickens' Plan with advertising, a tremendous website, public affairs, and public presentation after presentation. This includes speaking tomorrow at The Big Tent.
In the coming days, for those not actively on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) floor, The Big Tent will be one of (if not the) places to be. And, much of the Tent will be colored Green. Much of The Big Tent's agenda will focus on Green initiatives, energy efficiency, and Global Warming.
Looking at this schedule makes this blogger envious of those able to attend.
And, a few tinges of off-green makes this same blogger concerned.
At Netroots Nation, six dedicated people joined to discuss Energizing America: Setting an Agenda for Progress. On this panel were three core members of the Energize America team and three Energy Smart candidates who are part of the effort to change the composition of Congress toward one more knowledgeable and concerned about creating a sensible energy future.
Part of the discussion was how to provide a rallying point for the freshmen (and women) class of 2009, to join together for passage a set of legislative initiatives to help spark an Energy Smart renaissance across the United States.
This effort is developing.
But, this development is missing something.
YOU!
Join me, after the fold, for a discussion of concepts and ideas as to moving forward together.
John McCain makes much noise about his concern for Global Warming, that he views it as real and something that requires action (even if his actions don't match his words, also). A more prominent activist on Global Warming, Al Gore, has been hit hard for his supposedly excessive energy use at his home being at odds with his expressing concerns about Global Warming and calling for action in the face of the threats of catastrophic climate change. As per Joe Romm, the time is here to ask "What is the carbon footprint of John and Cindy McCain's multiplying homes.
Too often, the two are not talked about in combination as is merited.
While The Pickens Plan has its problems, The Pickens' Problem sadly raises questions about how seriously one should take T Boone Pickens' words about The Pickens' Plan. I would welcome the ability to engage openly and with trust with The Pickens' Plan, but as long as The Pickens' Problem remains unresolved and unaddressed, any engagement will have to be reserved, guarded, and cautious.
T. Boone Pickens speaks to the need to end America's oil addiction, to move off oil. T Boone Pickens' political contributions speak to continuing the status quo, to drilling the hole deeper when it comes to oil addiction.
The Pickens' Problem is undermining the chances that The Pickens' Plan will ever see fruition.
The VP rumors are running hot and heavy. Kaine? Bayh? Sibelius? Clark? Clinton? Biden? Every direction one looks, a different name.
Al
This choice will say something serious about Barack Obama's commitment to taking action on the greatest challenge that this nation, that humanity might ever have faced.
Al
This choice matters. And you have a chance to affect this choice.
John McCain spent part of this last Friday at the Aspen Institute speaking about energy issues, including a meeting with T. Boone Pickens. From an interview there
McCAIN: I have a long record of that support of alternate energy. ... I’ve always been for all of those and I have not missed any crucial vote. But my citizens in Arizona know that when I’m running for the President of the United States I have to be out campaigning.
Simply put, Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!!!!!!!!!
John McCain has missed vote, after vote, after vote in the US Senate.
John McCain has been Absent WithOut Leave (AWOL) for critical vote after critical vote on energy issues.
A critical Republican campaign strategy is working when it comes to framing for the November election. Despite actual facts, media reporting increasingly reports that there is no difference of import between John McSame McCain and Barack Obama when it comes to the arenas of energy and Global Warming. Take David Kesterbaum's NPR report yesterday.
If you are trying to figure out whom to vote for in the upcoming presidential race, the issue of climate change may not be much help. This is one area where both leading candidates for president do not have a lot to disagree about.
Shallow, misinformed, and misleading reporting is about the most polite way to describe Kestenbaum's report which focuses solely on selected sound-bytes rather than the substance of the two candidates' positions.
There are fundamental differences between McSame's and Obama's positions and fundamental differences about the prospects for the future between President McSame and President Obama. Differences that Kesterbaum reporting will leave you ignorant about.
Before entering the ballot box, you deserve to know. You have the right to know. Actually, you have the responsibility to know candidates' positions on the critical issues before us and before the US. And, a new tool has emerged for doing so on critical energy and environmental issues.
Candid Answers provides a path for voters (for citizens) to query quickly candidates on five critical issues: Global Warming; Renewable Energy; Nuclear Power; Public Transportation; and Automobile Fuel Efficiency. And, these queries, if they are made, will lead to a public record for candidates across the nation.
Meteor Blades has sought to foster and recognize Daily Kos discussions related to environmental issues with Eco-Diary Rescue (the Green version of Diary Rescue?). To do these, which he has done often in a spectacular manner, takes an extraordinary amount of time and significant commitment. We all owe a thank to MB. The effort to keep this up seems to have faltered, as the last Eco-Diary Rescue came on 31 May.
I have recently spent a period with limited internet access and, with the help of Daily Kos Environmentalists efforts and Diary Rescue have been making my way through environmental and energy discussions since Netroots Nation. Join me, after the fold, for links and brief introductions to 10s of items in this 'user's Eco-Diary Rescue'.
For both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions (DNC/RNC), a bike sharing program will be made available to delegates, media and representatives. Humana is providing 1000 bikes in partnership with Bikes Belong, a biking advocacy coalition. While, sadly, the bikes will be available only from 7 am to 7 pm (perhaps to reduce drunken bike riding?), this will be an opportunity for politicians, staff, and others to learn about the value and strength of urban bike programs to provide (essentially) free bicycles for use within their urban area. These are having great success in Europe (such as in Paris.
For the conventions, pre-registration is recommended, but not required.
The New York Times published a strong editorial, Energy Fictions, that borders on fantasy itself. Reading (and rereading it) makes one wonder whether the NYTimes editorial board simply need new glasses as they seem not to understand some basic facts.
John McCain is White; Barack Obama is not.
McCain is old; Obama is not.
McCain is routinely lying about energy policy and key issues; Obama is not
What are we do when the nation's great "paper of record" misrepresents and misleads in its editorials as what is expected, day in and day out, from the Wall Street Journal and Washington Times?
At times, we might forget that there are a good number of very bright, extremely dedicated, and fundamental people working in Congress. Elected officials and staff. Our funding system that seems to drive member after member to be begging, tin in cup, for funds can make the entire process look open to purchase. The traditional media mania for ever lower quality reporting magnifies this, making foolish shallowness the norm. Reality is far from this and it is worthwhile at times to take a moment to consider that reality.
Amid skyrocketing oil, gasoline, coal, and electricity (coming to a neighborhood near you) prices, 2008 offers Americans quite serious and stark choices between knowledgeable, impassioned, and thoughtful candidates when it comes to finding paths toward a prosperous 21st century economy, on the one side, and Fossil-Fool candidates focused on tightening our shackles to the ever-more costly (pollution, financial, otherwise) and archaic oil-coal based energy system.
Possum was an easy, albeit sentimental, choice for membership in the ranks of the Energy Smart Act Blue page. A fellow blogger, concerned about energy and environmental issues, who has dedicated himself to Crashing the Gate to bring more sensible policy-making, including on energy and global warming, to Washington, DC.
Join me after the fold for some indications as to why.
The Republic is at a critical crossroads – a point where Americans must understand and take action to ensure a future for ourselves, our children, and the unborn Americans of tomorrow. 
demon of imported oil. Texas Oilman T Boone Pickens is investing over $50 million in promoting 
the Democratic National Convention (DNC) floor, 
Netroots Nation, six dedicated people joined to discuss 
that he views it as real and something that requires action (even if his 
many in the right-wing sound machine are all too willing to act as an off-key chorus singing the praises of this 
At times, we might forget that there are a good number of very bright, extremely dedicated, and fundamental people working in Congress. Elected officials and staff. Our funding system that seems to drive member after member to be begging, tin in cup, for funds can make the entire process look open to purchase. The traditional media mania for ever lower quality reporting magnifies this, making foolish shallowness the norm. Reality is far from this and it is worthwhile at times to take a moment to consider that reality.
(coming to a neighborhood near you) prices, 2008 offers Americans quite serious and stark choices between knowledgeable, impassioned, and thoughtful candidates when it comes to finding paths toward a prosperous 21st century economy, on the one side, and Fossil-Fool candidates focused on tightening our shackles to the ever-more costly (pollution, financial, otherwise) and archaic oil-coal based energy system.
