While some issues can be addressed sufficiently at the local level, climate change is not one of those issues. Climate change must be addressed at the Federal, state, local, and private business levels. That's why choosing our next president is so important. That's also why, if you care at all about climate change and your children's future, you should not, not, not vote for Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, or Marco Rubio. I'm going to let their statements speak for themselves:
Donald Trump on climate change:
- His official website, www.donaldjtrump.com, includes absolutely no information on his climate change policy. It does, though, include videos on such important topics as "life changing experiences."
- He's called climate change a hoax invented by the Chinese. Not just once. Just watch him on FOX. 'nuff said.
Ted Cruz on climate change:
- His official website, www.TedCruz.org, also includes no information on his climate change policy.
- Ted Cruz claims that satellites don't show any warming. Here's the full explanation of why he's cherry-picking the data. The above video demonstrates Ted Cruz's vast scientific knowledge and understanding.
And if that's not enough to move your hand away from the Cruz button in the voting booth, here's a nice little interview with Glenn Beck that should scare the pants off you:
The good news is that Marco Rubio's official website does mention energy and climate change. The bad news is his plan, which includes:
- approving the Keystone XL pipeline
- opposing any type of cap and trade carbon tax
- stopping President Obama's carbon mandates
- not "destroying our economy" with climate change measures -- I'll remember that when we have to buy all of our renewable energy equipment overseas, because our government leaders were rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic rather than dealing with climate change.
John Kasich on climate change:
In keeping with the previous three candidates, the John Kasich official website does not mention climate change. But hope is not lost! According to an article by Renee Cho in Scientific American (10/28/2015),
John Kasich "believes climate change is real and manmade and has called for action against it, but has not said how he would combat climate change if elected. While he feels renewable energy should be a large part of our future energy mix and encourages research into new technologies, he supports an all-of-the-above energy policy, which includes approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and oil drilling on federal lands. Kasich opposes the EPA's Clean Power Plan and would undo all federal fracking regulations."
Not exactly the greenest choice, but if you want to vote Republican and deal with climate change, Kasich is your man.
Hillary Clinton on climate change
Hillary Clinton's official website has an entire page devoted to her plan for tackling climate change. From her website, Clinton pledges to:
- "Create good-paying jobs by making the United States the clean energy superpower of the 21st century.
- Set national goals to have 500 million solar panels installed; generate enough renewable energy to power every home in America; cut energy waste in homes, schools, and hospitals by a third; and reduce American oil consumption by a third.
- Lead the world in the fight against climate change by bringing greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below what they were in 2005 within the next decade—and keep going."
Elements of the plan include pollution and efficiency standards, help for coal and low-income communities, reforms of leasing on public lands, and cutting methane emissions.
Bernie Sanders on climate change
Bernie Sanders is so into fighting climate change that it's even got a hashtag on his website (#peoplebeforepolluters)! From his official website:
"The scientists are virtually unanimous that climate change is real, is caused by human activity and is already causing devastating problems in the United States and around the world. And, they tell us, if we do not act boldly the situation will only become much worse i years to come in terms of drought, floods, extreme storms and acidification of the oceans. Sadly, we now have a Republican Party that is more concerned about protecting the profits of Exxon, BP and Shell and the coal industry than protecting the planet. While fossil fuel companies are raking in record profits, climate change ravages our planet and our people -- all because the wealthiest industry in the history of our planet has bribed politicians into ignoring science."
Bernie Sanders definitely doesn't hold back. His plan includes such steps as:
- accelerating a just transition away from fossil fuels
- taking policy control/power back from the oil companies
- revolutionizing our electric and transportation infrastructure
You can read about his plans on the website.
The take-home: whether you're republican, democrat, or independent, there's a climate-friendly choice for you in 2016.
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