|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
« March 2009 | Main | May 2009 »  Insomniac BearsLast week I met a wildlife biologist from New Hampshire. Each year he sees animals that can't adapt to the rising temperatures-- grizzly bears that won't hibernate and snowshoe hares whose fur won't turn white. He came to DC to ask Congress to help out wildlife, by investing in safeguards for wildlife and our natural resources.
Grizzly bears have a hard time getting an audience with their Representatives. But you can help them out, and send a message on their behalf. NRDC Digs Into Newt's Cement Story
When I live-blogged Newt Gingrich's testimony before the House Energy & Commerce Commmittee last week, I left out a yarn Newt spun about a cement factory. The story was allegedly supposed to illustrate the deny & delay crowd's "America can't act before China & India do" talking point.
I didn't mention Gingrich's story in my live-blog. Why? It smelled fishy. Far away places, generic descriptions, no names. Pete Altman of the Natural Resources Defense Council tried to confirm Newt's story. Pete's conclusion? Probably a tall tale: For a case that is supposed to be "fairly famous," it's awfully hard to find any information on it. To be more precise, we can't find any evidence that it actually happened.Makes you wonder about the rest of the stories that Newt tells, doesn't it? Shadowy Group Launches Attack on Clean Energy
As the National Wildlife Federation predicted last month, big polluters and their allies have launched a major blitz against clean energy & climate legislation. And now CQ reports the latest wave comes from a mysterious group called the "American Energy Alliance":
The lobbying and advocacy group, which was formed last year, is headed by Thomas J. Pyle, a former energy policy aide to onetime Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas (1985-2006). It is affiliated with the Institute for Energy Research, a public policy center advocating what it terms “freely functioning energy markets.”So what is the "American Energy Alliance"? The New Mexico Independent tried to find out and didn't get far: Information on the group is hard to come by. There are no online Federal Energy Regulatory Commission filings, no Internal Revenue Service filings and no way to contact the group. The latest news on an American Energy Alliance comes from 1996, in a Washington Post article describing the group as "a coalition of the National Association of Manufacturers, American Petroleum Institute and Edison Electric Institute." [...]Tobacco campaigns paid off doctors and scientists, successfully confusing the public for decades. Now big polluters are following in big tobacco's footsteps, trying to muddy the waters on global warming. Clean Energy & Climate Impact of Specter's Switch?
Just talked to Adam Kolton, the National Wildlife Federation's senior director for Congressional & federal affairs:
PA's Sen. Specter Switching Parties
As first reported by The New Republic, Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter is joining the Democratic Party. Specter is pointing to GOP opposition to the economic stimulus bill, supported by the National Wildlife Federation, as the last straw:
When I supported the stimulus package, I knew that it would not be popular with the Republican Party. But, I saw the stimulus as necessary to lessen the risk of a far more serious recession than we are now experiencing. Since then, I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable.What does Sen. Specter's switch mean for the chances of passing comprehensive clean energy & climate legislation in 2009? I'm going to go talk with some of our key legislative staffers and hope to have more on that this afternoon, check back later! New Poll: Voters Cheer Obama's Fuel Efficiency Push
Now that we're through President Obama's first 100 days, which of his policy decisions has proven to be the most popular with voters? A new Marist poll has the answer:
During his first 100 days in office, President Obama has taken on many hot button issues. Did voters agree with his actions? More than three-quarters — 76% — say the president hit the mark in ordering the Environmental Protection Agency to institute higher fuel efficiency standards including six in ten Republicans.Back in January, National Wildlife Federation President & CEO Larry Schweiger joined President Barack Obama at the White House as he directed the EPA to grant state waiver requests to strengthen tailpipe emissions standards. The requests from California and thirteen other states as well as the District of Columbia had been turned away by the Bush administration. President Obama also instructed his administration to develop new fuel-efficiency guidelines for the auto industry covering 2011 model-year cars. "Today’s decision provides the kind of sound direction the auto industry needs to once again lead and build the kind of cars not only America needs, but the world needs," Larry said at the time. "Our energy policies will no longer be based on denial and delay but instead on sound science that tells us we don’t have to choose among efficient vehicles, jobs and a healthy environment." Let's hope Congress hears this message from voters as it considers comprehensive clean energy & climate legislation in 2009! AP Distorts Gore's Testimony
As Media Matters points out, an Associated Press "analysis" bungled some facts from Al Gore's testimony last week before the House Energy & Commerce Committee.
Let's compare the AP's account to last Friday's NWF live-blog (emphasis added): NWF -- 11:33am ... Gore compares people who take their science advice from global warming deniers to people who took their financial advice from Bernie Madoff. AP -- Gore then compared Barton and Bernard Madoff, who swindled investors out of $50 billion, prompting Barton to interrupt Gore: "I've never talked to Bernie Madoff."Gore wasn't comparing Barton to Madoff. He was comparing Barton to Madoff's victims. Big difference. Let's look at another exchange (again, emphasis added): NWF -- 12:03pm: What's with committee Republicans wasting hearing time to take surveys? Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA) is asking every witness if they want a "transparent" hearing for the bill. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) is asking every witness if they've read the entire draft bill (then complaining he didn't get enough time for questions). AP -- "I have read all 648 pages of this bill," Gore bragged, a boast that would surprise no one who caught his teacher's-pet performance in the 2000 presidential race. "It took me two transcontinental flights on United Airlines to finish it."Gore wasn't bragging -- he was prepared to give an answer to a question that every other panelist all week had been asked. Was everyone else who said they read the bill "bragging"? Clearly the AP's Laurie Kellman was trying to re-write the exchanges to fit the frame of her "analysis" piece -- there goes that know-it-all Al Gore again, trying to make himself look smart and us feel dumb! The article makes similar broad generalizations about Newt Gingrich. You know what makes me feel dumb? When reporters ignore the economic, energy and climate crises that America faces and instead waste our time trying to perpetuate political stereotypes. Americans Give Obama High Marks on Climate Action
One of the questions in last week's Washington Post-ABC News poll:
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling global warming?The same poll shows just four percent of Americans have "a great deal of confidence" in Congressional Republicans' ability to make the right decisions for the country's future. It doesn't help their case that when the House holds hearings on America's interconnected economic, energy and environment crises, all House Republicans can respond with is jacuzzi jokes. Or that when he's asked for his plan to confront our energy and climate challenges, the House Minority Leader can't give a straight answer. The National Wildlife Federation is working with members on both sides of the aisle to pass comprehensive climate and energy legislation in 2009. We hope Congressional Republicans join our push to create millions of clean energy jobs, secure our energy supply, and preserve our climate for our children's future. Gore vs. Gingrich: Liveblogging House Clean Energy Hearings, Day 4
We've spent all week glued to the House Energy & Commerce Committee video feed, taking notes for you on the committee's hearings on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. That's the draft clean energy & climate legislation introduced by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA).
But today is the main event. Set to testify are former Sen. John Warner (R-VA), former Vice President Al Gore and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The question is, which Newt will show up? "Look at Me, I'm Centrist and Presidential" Newt who cut an ad for Gore's We Campaign declaring "our country must take action to address climate change"? Or "My 527 Needs Big Oil Money" Newt, who used voodoo economics to trash President Obama's clean energy & climate action plan? The hearings are due to start at 10am and we'll have minute-by-minute notes over at DailyKos! Crafting Clean Energy Legislation: Live Blog, Day 3
We're live over at DailyKos with another day of live blogging the House Energy & Commerce Committee hearings on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, draft clean energy & climate legislation introduced by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA). To read the full live blog, click here!
 Recent Posts
 Bookmark SiteNWF on the Web
 
Blogroll
 |
|
|
© 1996- National Wildlife Federation | 11100 Wildlife Center Dr, Reston VA 20190 | 800-822-9919 Contact Us | Jobs at NWF | Link to NWF | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
|
