2008 Candidate Environmental Policies, Part II

Yesterday I went through the 3 leading Democratic candidates' platform on the environment. Today I will go through the leading Republican candidates' platform on the environment. Because the Republican race is more fluid at this point, I will do my best to cover McCain, Giuliani, Romney, Thompson, and Huckabee's views.

As a side note, both the Democrats and the Republicans focus almost exclusively on ensuring new energy sources and reducing dependence on foreign oil. I appreciate this concern and understand the emphasis on this issue at times such as these. However, we protect our domestic environment so that our water is clean, our food is safe, our air is breathable, our surroundings can protect us, etc. In the heat of the moment, we cannot forget that protecting the environment means addressing a wide-array of various important issues.

• Senator John McCain: Click HERE for full information
  
• Ensure clean air, safe and healthy water, sustainable land use, ample green space. Protect "Natural Treasures" and the US Park System.
  
• America's economic prospects depend on a sustainable use of ample and unspoiled natural resources.
• Limit carbon emissions by utilizing market focused tools that help make new technologies, such as nuclear energy, available sooner.
  
• Reduce America's dependence on foreign oil while making sure other nations are doing their share to protect the environment.
  
• Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani: Click HERE for full information
  
• Diversify America's energy portfolio through the development of ethanol and bio-fuels, nuclear energy, and solar/wind energy
• Expanding the use of clean coal technologies, like carbon sequestration (holding the carbon in the ground after its production in the energy creation process).
  
• Increase natural gas use in truck and bus fleets. Use "environmentally friendly" techniques for accessing natural gas in Mexico and Canada.
  
• Improve the nation's energy infrastructure with the addition of more oil refineries, nuclear reactors, transmission lines and renewable energy facilities. Do this by streamlining the regulatory process, cutting the "red tape," investing in a "smart grid," and creating better batteries for improved energy storage.
• Encourage Americans and the government to make more energy efficient decisions while not affecting our economic standing in the world or adjusting our standard of living.
  
• Creation of an "Energy Stat" which will monitor energy independence and climate change and the effective management of each. The Energy Stat will be available to all Americans so they may hold government accountable for its failure to make improvements.
  
• Former Governor Mitt Romney: Click HERE for full information
  
• Mitt Romney's environmental/energy page is sparse. I'll just quote him below.
• "We're using too much oil," Romney said. "We have an answer. We can use alternative sources of energy -- biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear power -- and we can drill for more oil here. We can be more energy independent and we can be far more efficient in the use of that energy."
• There is also a video on the page featuring a speech by Governor Romney to the Detroit Economic Club on the need to improve vehicle fuel effecincy standards after he gathers a team of experts to re-evaluate the current system for setting fuel efficiency standards.
• There is a section of his website that briefly addresses the need for more investment in the development of energy technologies.
• Former Senator Fred Thompson: Click HERE for full information
  
• Thompson states clearly that we "Don't know for certain why climate change is occurring." He says that all the different available energy options should be on the table.
• He believes in taking steps to curb carbon emissions without "harming the economy." I do wonder how the development of new technologies, which will create several new jobs and a whole new American industry, could negatively affect the economy.
• Increase domestic supplies of oil, reduces demand for oil and gas, and promote alternative fuels and other diverse energy sources.
• Invest in renewable and alternative fuels to promote greater energy independence and a cleaner environment.
• Create an energy policy that invests in the advanced technologies of tomorrow and places more emphasis on conservation and energy efficiency.
• Conducting research and development into technologies that improve the environment, especially the reduction of CO2 emissions.
• Former Governor Mike Huckabee: Click HERE for full information
  
• Pledges, as the first thing he will do as President, to send Congress his "comprehensive independent energy bill."
• I certainly appreciate Huckabee's strong, aggressive language on energy reform. Unfortunately, there is a lot of chest thumping and very little substance. I'll just quote the substantive paragraph below.
• "We have to explore, we have to conserve, and we have to pursue all avenues of alternative energy: nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel, and biomass. Some will come from our farms and some will come from our laboratories. Dwindling supplies and increasing demand from newly-industrialized countries of fossil fuels are driving up prices. These price increases will facilitate innovation and the opportunity for independence. We will remove red tape that slows innovation. We will set aside a federal research and development budget that will be matched by the private sector to seek the best new products in alternative fuels. Our free market will sort out what makes the most sense economically and will reward consumer preferences."

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