Green States v. White House

Green States v. White House
Jeff Rickert
April 22, 2005

Jeff Rickert is the field director for the Apollo Alliance.

Yesterday, just in time for Earth Day, the House of Representatives passed an energy bill that demonstrates exactly what's wrong with money in politics today.

Rather than facing our pressing energy and security problems, this bill actually increases gas prices and causes imports to rise. It rewards polluters with major subsidies and rolls back landmark consumer protections. And it hurts workers and communities by failing to invest in innovation and infrastructure, and by limiting states' abilities to regulate. But while the halls of Congress are curiously silent in the competition for good ideas, state governments are leading the way.

For four years, the U.S. Congress has struggled to pass a Federal Energy Policy Act. This year's version is virtually unchanged from past versions, despite the political obstacles that have doomed it in years before. The original energy bill was drafted following the findings of Vice President Cheney's secret energy commission, which jammed it full of controversial provisions that did little or nothing to relieve our dependence on foreign energy sources. Meanwhile, the price of gas has continued to skyrocket, averaging more than $2.20 per gallon. Our dependence on OPEC nations for natural gas has increased as well as home heating pressures rise, and natural gas becomes the first alternative when traditional electrical plants are at capacity.

more at...
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/green_states_v_white_house.php?dateid=20050422

so many things lately.