America in the race towards clean energy
Clean energy for you?
Thus far in America, it is mainly the Democrats, with the support of environmentalists, who are championing clean energy (renewable energy such as wind and solar energy) as the way forward for America's energy future. Given the current problems in terms of environmental degradation and national security, heading towards clean energy seems like a viable solution to deal with both problems, but getting the Republicans to support such measures is difficult because many either do not believe in climate change or are skeptical of the impact of climate change. Jim DiPeso, as The Green Conservative (resident Republican environmentalist) on The Daily Green, argues that America needs to take the lead in clean energy and cannot wait for China to act, because China is already working on renewable energy, leaving America behind.
His appeal to the conservative Republicans? That America, as self-purported global leader, cannot wait for China to take the lead in pursuing renewable energy: in his words, why should America "forsake global leadership on a critical issue and defer to the world's largest communist country"?
And the larger point is, it is not just about losing the race towards developing clean energy technology: it is also about forsaking the money that could potentially pour in as well as jobs. Which dovetails nicely with what President Obama has been saying about clean energy: that it can bring in the jobs, even if you are skeptical about whether climate change is really happening or not.
The thing now is, will the Republicans embrace bipartisanship once again to piece together a clean energy bill? Unfortunately, given the immigration reform brouhaha in America right now, the only Republican senator pledging support for such a bill might withdraw his support... and perhaps lead to the collapse of the bill.