How green is Sen. Hillary Clinton? (Bloomberg)
By Lynne
With the Pennsylvania primary falling on Earth Day, running as a “green” candidate makes a lot of sense. But every mainstream article pretty much says the same: Clinton and Obama are practically indistinguishable on the environment. According to Newsweek, both Democrats
“aim for a reduction of 80 percent (of carbon emissions) from 1990 levels by the year 2050, which most scientists think is the minimum necessary to head off the worst effects of climate change.”
Gee, policies to meet the bare minimum necessary. Change is really in the air ...
McCain even lays claim to some serious eco-cred (although it’s still not enough to make up for that ZERO score from the League of Conservation Voters). The Lieberman-McCain Climate Stewardship Act of 2003 was the first climate change bill introduced to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it lost 55-43. A later version received even less support due to the addition of billions in taxpayer subsidies for the nuclear energy industry.
Speaking of which, want to hear a dirty secret? Nuclear industry executives and employees have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Obama and Clinton. Clinton is apparently agnostic on the issue, but with Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant just 24 miles north of NYC and millions of New Yorkers in the peak injury zone, I get nervous when McCain and Obama make supportive noises about nuclear power. And don’t get me started on the exploitation of indigenous lands for uranium mining, nuclear testing and radioactive waste dumping.
Enough of the doom and gloom (that’s so Al Gore 2000), it’s time for a green makeover.
(continued)
A recent Slate article estimates that over the course of the entire primary campaign, Hillary Clinton will have spent the equivalent of two more weeks on primping than Obama or McCain. But is she using cosmetics that were tested on animals? When she gets a manicure, are the nail salon workers being exposed to toxic conditions? Does she refuse to travel without vegan lipstick or organic hair care products?
While Clinton applies a little green glam to her morning routine, Obama could save the planet with style. Armani’s Three-Button Hemp Suit is eco-chic. Of course, it’s from Italy since it is still illegal to grow industrial hemp in the US. I rarely agree with Ron Paul but he did introduce the Industrial Hemp Farming Act last year to allow farmers in Hawaii, Maine, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia to grow this versatile (and profitable) crop. Even George W. was quoted as saying,
“Make the most of the hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!”
George Washington, that is.
OK, back to 2008. Candidates no longer travel by horse and buggy and the only manure getting spread are any promises to walk the talk — especially when it comes to greener transportation. Commercial flights don’t offer the same flexibility as the more popular private charter jets (some of Obama’s include carbon offsets as part of the cost) so air quality loses out to audience quantity.
Back in February, the Washington Times revealed that only Clinton was up to date on her bills to offset her campaign’s carbon footprint. Unfortunately, with her cash flow drying up like key western reservoirs, they now appear to be off her priority list. At least when the mayors of Oakland and San Francisco traveled to support Clinton, they did so in a bio-diesel bus.
As the father of an asthmatic child, Obama should clearly understand the link between the environment and public health. But no vegetable oil was in sight (or smelling distance) of his “Road to Change” tour as far as I can tell. Maybe it was fueled by his charisma. But is that truly a sustainable resource? We’re already starting to see cracks — Jon Stewart recently nominated Obama for a “Dick Move of the Week.”
Here’s some straight talk: To gain a monopoly on the hearts and votes (and endorsements) of steelworkers throughout the state, get off the bus and take a ride the Pennsylvania Railroad.