Political will
The first responsibility of Congress is not the making of technological or economic judgments - or even to be limited by what is or appears to be technologically feasible. Our responsibility is to establish what the public interest requires to protect the health of persons. This may mean that people and industries will be asked to do what seems to be impossible at the present time. But if health is to be protected, these challenges must be met.
-Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME), during Congressional debates over the Clean Air Act amendments in 1970
The wrong way is to raise taxes, duplicate mandates, or demand sudden and drastic emissions cuts that have no chance of being realized and every chance of hurting our economy. The right way is to set realistic goals for reducing emissions consistent with advances in technology, while increasing our energy security and ensuring our economy can continue to prosper and grow.
-President George Bush (Asshat-TX), Rose Garden speech, 16 April 2008
Anthropogenic global warming (which is a fact; I won't even argue with naysayers) is the result of a lack of political will and leadership over the last thirty years. In 1970, the "Year of the Environment," a bipartisan Congress overwhelmingly approved the Clean Air Act without regard for technological feasibility or the concerns of carmakers (not for lack of trying on the part of John Dingell and the Automobile Manufacturers Association). And the air got cleaner. In some places more than others, sure, but ambient air quality improved to the point where we can see downtown Los Angeles from the suburbs on bright spring days. Unfortunately, strong stances like that in 1970 have disappeared. The United States abandoned the Kyoto Protocol, fought (unsuccessfully) to prevent California and other states from trying to enact strict emissions standards, and pats itself on the back for raising fuel efficiency standards from 25 to 35 miles per gallon. Japanese cars average 40+ mpg. And now Bush wants Congress to take the lead on global warming, but through incentives rather than regulations. Good luck. The automobile and oil industries do not respond to incentives, but they miraculously responded in 1970 (after claiming for years that such goals were impossible) when Congress put its collective foot down.
For further examples of these failures, check out Who Killed the Electric Car which reminded me yet again that environmental regulatory agencies are not always on the side of the public good and got my panties in a bunch last night.
-Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME), during Congressional debates over the Clean Air Act amendments in 1970
The wrong way is to raise taxes, duplicate mandates, or demand sudden and drastic emissions cuts that have no chance of being realized and every chance of hurting our economy. The right way is to set realistic goals for reducing emissions consistent with advances in technology, while increasing our energy security and ensuring our economy can continue to prosper and grow.
-President George Bush (Asshat-TX), Rose Garden speech, 16 April 2008
Anthropogenic global warming (which is a fact; I won't even argue with naysayers) is the result of a lack of political will and leadership over the last thirty years. In 1970, the "Year of the Environment," a bipartisan Congress overwhelmingly approved the Clean Air Act without regard for technological feasibility or the concerns of carmakers (not for lack of trying on the part of John Dingell and the Automobile Manufacturers Association). And the air got cleaner. In some places more than others, sure, but ambient air quality improved to the point where we can see downtown Los Angeles from the suburbs on bright spring days. Unfortunately, strong stances like that in 1970 have disappeared. The United States abandoned the Kyoto Protocol, fought (unsuccessfully) to prevent California and other states from trying to enact strict emissions standards, and pats itself on the back for raising fuel efficiency standards from 25 to 35 miles per gallon. Japanese cars average 40+ mpg. And now Bush wants Congress to take the lead on global warming, but through incentives rather than regulations. Good luck. The automobile and oil industries do not respond to incentives, but they miraculously responded in 1970 (after claiming for years that such goals were impossible) when Congress put its collective foot down.
For further examples of these failures, check out Who Killed the Electric Car which reminded me yet again that environmental regulatory agencies are not always on the side of the public good and got my panties in a bunch last night.