McCain Fibs, Doesn't Support Wind Energy

Have you seen the John McCain campaign ad where he attacks Barack Obama for being a big celebrity? In the ad, McCain shows a beautiful picture of wind energy turbines turning in front of a clear blue sky. While this image is on your television, a narrator says, "Renewable energy to transform our economy, create jobs and energy independence, that's John McCain." Unfortunately, that isn't John McCain.

While John McCain has favored more tax cuts for the oil and gas industries, in addition to low interest loans and subsidies, he has opposed tax incentives for wind energy. His presidential platform on energy doesn't set aside additional funding for wind energy but only proposes to "rationalize" existing tax credits to provide incentives for it.

John McCain does set aside funding for non-renewable energy sources like nuclear and coal in his energy plan. He has designated $2 billion in annual funding for coal power plants and the construction of 45 additional nuclear plants by 2030.

A member of the wind energy industry, Frank Masiano, told Newsweek that he doesn't know what John McCain means when referring to "rationalizing the current patchwork of temporary tax credits" for wind energy development. Maisano said, "It means that they don't want to tell people what that means."

Many environmentalists are frustrated that John McCain has spent his presidential election touting offshore oil drilling, expanded coal energy and increased nuclear power plant construction all while being vague about his renewable energy plans.

Barack Obama, on the other hand, has been far more specific about how he would expand renewable energy. He sets clear guidelines for the amount of renewable energy America will be using by a specific date. He also allocates $150 billion over ten years for development of clean energy sources.

To read the McCain energy plan, click HERE. To read the Obama plan, click HERE. To read Newsweek's breakdown of McCain's misleading ad, click HERE.