Choosing from all candidates: Republican, Democrat and independant (are there any this time..?).

I have no idea myself and am a bit sceptical of them all but lets try and be optimistic...

J

Seriously though, there's really no competition. Here's Obama's position:
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/

I've just been reading Huckleberrybee's website - don't bother going there - if he get's in it's game over.

Obama for Dems, and anyone who's #1 issue if environment.
McCain for Reps who could not bring themselves to vote for Dem.

This ignores candidates like Mike Gravel, who is strong on things like a carbon tax, and owning up to the fact that it will cost, but he hardly registers on the voting scale.

Observations, I've looked at sites that have looked at voting records. Obama comes top (closely followed by Hillary).

I initially thought that the order would be Bill Richardson, John Edwards, Obama, Hillary, McCain. However, Bill has tried to avoid coming clean that it will cost the public real money. I've observed Hillary complain about costs of gas/petrol, try UK petrol prices! Obama has come clean about the fact that it will cost the consumer real money, and has the best voting record, and regularly refers to the terriny or oil. On their policies there is little between them, more a difference of emphasis, and how much how soon. What I see as important is owning up to it costing real money.

Whilst Climate Change is not the top of the agenda the smart interest has been placed upon Americas concerns for energy security. Architecture 2030 reports that "after being passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Energy Independence and Security Act became law yesterday (19/12/07) with the President's signature. Section 433 of this bill requires that all federal buildings meet the energy performance standards of The 2030 Challenge. The key passage in this section states that:

Buildings shall be designed so that the fossil fuel-generated energy consumption of the buildings is reduced, as compared with such energy consumption by a similar building in fiscal year 2003 (as measured by Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey or Residential Energy Consumption Survey data from the Energy Information Agency), by the percentage specified in the following table:

-------------------------------------------
Fiscal Year Percentage Reduction
2010 55
2015 65
2020 80
2025 90
2030 100
-------------------------------------------

To view Section 433 of the bill, click here <http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c110query.html> and search for "Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007".

Mark

This one definately is worth a 'We can' bump...!

(there isn't a 'smilie' for crossed fingers...)

J

...you mean stay clear of book stores and grassy knolls?

J

I like the idea of these figures. Like us an 80% cut by 2050 sounds great. my concern is can we actually do it? I can't help but feel, particualy with us that GB is just saying it to try and win popularity. If he was serious surely the feed in tariffs would be sorted out, there would be no discussion about a third runway, no serious talk about a roll out of coal fired stations etc. It all seems like easy politics to me, I'll say it now nowing it will in noway be my problem.

I don't think there need be any 'pain' for there to be an immediate reduction in energy consumption. I'm convinced that there are a lot of Americans who just don't think but who would be happy to turn out a few lights if asked nicely.

....so then...

he's been in a while... hows he doing?

J

They wanted something on the table to get the Chinese and Indian governments on board in December. It's called a hotch-potch of lobby fodder but the half-full glass says at least it's a start and can be progressively improved.

Obama for me - not that I know much about US politics. I don't trust the other guy.

I wonder if America is starting to lose it's power to dominate our world.

“Government is the entertainment division of the military-industrial complex”

Like this:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21628893.500-the-us-military-is-a-useful-ally-on-climate-change.html

"If you have a 'kill list', but the list keeps growing, are you succeeding?" reminds me of an official who said the demolition rate of Listed Buildings was OK because new Listings were happening at a faster rate.

I looks like implosion to me.

Posted By: seascape....................... We are so used to looking at everything from a 'western perspective', quite hard to get your head around anything else.

True; After almost 100 years of US domination of so many aspects of our lives; politics, culture, entertainment, food, etc etc. it will be interesting to see how other cultures impact on our lives. China and India are the two obvious candidates but the very ancient culture of Iran may yet emerge as the "leading light" in the Middle East. I guess thats why the US and their Israeli freinds are scared witless.