Energy & Environment

[Barack Obama-sac]

The earth’s environmental status of the earth has been declining steadily for many years. But we have not really recognized this until these recent years. With the development of electric, hybrid, and flex fuel vehicles, has any other presidential candidates taken step to conserve our precious environment? America’s presidents did not get serious about the environment until about nineteen seventy-seven. President Jimmy Carter proposed an energy policy that he said was the "moral equivalent of war," announcing a program to increase the research and development, and the use of solar power. That seemingly was the, long over due, first leap that a president made to in response to our deteriorating environmental and energy situation. But during Reagan’s Administration energy & environmental policies were thrown out the window, and forgotten. When George H.W Bush entered office, he re-established the concern of the environment by enacting a “law increased the gasoline tax by 5¢/gallon and doubled the gas-guz... for the sake of conservation. Though our history of conserving our environment has been quite jumpy, with the polar ice caps melting and ozone layer being destroyed by the large amounts of carbon dioxide excreted from the world’s automobiles. But with current times demanding much more fuel efficient cars, or cars that do not use petroleum-based fuel, the next presidential candidates have a lot of pressure on their shoulders.

Senator Barack Obama has an extensive Energy & Environmental policy. Including putting, "1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles ... thus ensuring "10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012,... Senator Obama’s policy is centered on reducing or even cutting America’s addiction to oil and reducing "our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80 Percent by 2050." But how does he plan on accomplishing these tremendous tasks? He plans to increase fuel standards by 4% every year, and provide funds for companies to create these highly efficient cars that may drive America in the future. Senator Obama will also “establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to reduce the... and integrate the use of bio-fuels into our fuel supply by 2030. Barack Obama will also “make a national commitment to weatherize at least one million low-... He plans to “Make the U.S. a Leader on Climate Change” and try to create a global network that focuses on the issue of climate and environment. So not only the United States will strive for a cleaner environment, so will the rest of the world.

Energy Tax Policy After 1988." TaxCore® - Congressional Documents. 1 August 2008. TAXCORE. 29 Oct 2008 http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/CRS_Energy_Tax_Policy.pdf.

"New Energy for America." Obama-Biden. MyBO. 29 Oct 2008 http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy.

"New Energy for America." Obama-Biden. MyBO. 29 Oct 2008 http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy_more#emission..

"Primary Sources: The President's Proposed Energy Policy ". PBS. 29 October 2008 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/filmmore/ps_energy.html.

Written by Chris Torres

[Marissa Silva-Garcia]

This was an interesting essay to read because although the environment is a big concern for me, I havn't really heard neither one of the candidates plans about it. I like what Obama has in mind. He has a good point in making the U.S. a "leader" in being a cleaner environment so that others will then follow. Thats really amazing to think about the idea of hybrid cars getting up to 150 mpg! The problem though is that they are more expensive than the regular cars so people may not really look at them as an option especially if they don't make enough money. Its scary to think about what may occur if we do not start taking care of our earth and environment. It would be great if we could become energy independent. Everyone seems to be totally aware of the problem bbut when will something be done!!??

[Willie]

The next president will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders no doubt when it comes to energy. Obama has a plan that actually attempts to fix fixable problems and falls back on technolgy that is readily available. I like Obama views on energy and it appears that he does take the situation as serious as it needs to be. My only fear about the state of the enivornment is that we forget that this is a national problem and that everyone is contributing to. and we must equally work hard to fix it.

[Anna]

I feel that Obama would need to prove to us that he is going to try and cut the gas prices as much as possible. As for me I spend so much money on gas that I fill my tank at least twice a week which is about $40 and it is hard for me to do because of the big budget that I have do to the economy going up. The only reason I spend so much money is because I go to school, work and in order to do that I have to drop my kids off at daycare. So all the driving around that I don’t like doing is really hard to budget on gas, because we need it to get around. If I feel that Obama can do good in helping us cut prices then I am all for him in helping us, but I must see it happen before I can agree with him.

[Jessica]

I think energy and environment are the important issues going on right now, I think is more important than economy, war, etc. I even wrote a paper of global warming and it impressed me all the effects casued for global warming. We dont even stop thinking how are we using energy too much and how much we depend of it. Im so glad that Obama is thinking about solving those problems . technology is getting out of control I think that they should stop that or control itsome how since sooner or later we are just going to be laying down in a bed since technology is doing everything for us...dont know weird thought

[Alex Jones-Duffey]

I have a great deal of concern for our earth and the environment, and I have found myself recently thinking more and more about all of the possible catostrophic outcomes should humanity not stray from our destructive ways. I think our energy crisis is a lot like kicking a drug addiction. We are finally starting to see signs of deterioration of the planet on a massive scale and it has caused us to start to worry. Now, we recognize that we have a very serious problem and a number of people are taking a course of action to try and fix things. I'm extremely glad that at least one of the candidates has a concern for the environment, whereas the othere just wants to "drill baby drill." Stop thinking about money for one second and look at the bigger picture John McCain.

[Jared Nichols]

Electric cars..... hmmmm. Well the technology has been here forever. So why aren’t we using it. It’s one of those ideas that seems to get real big and everyone’s really into it, but no one does anything about it. Is it inefficient as far as running on electricity goes? Is it a better to look into cleaner / greener modes of transportation? Absolutely; the argument is oil and getting it from other countries. Off shore drilling seems to be what McCain and palin want to do but in my opinion that should only be a short term fix until the greener modes of transportation and power have taken over completely, thus making oil obsolete. We have the technology and the brilliance to change the way we run and it needs to be put into action as soon as possible.

[Josue I. Cruz-Lambert]

Before I begin I have a question to the previous post. Shouldn’t people open more than one account instead of storing all their money in one bank account that is insured to a certain limit? It makes sense that if an account is only insured to a certain amount then don't put any more money than that and open a new account. Hence all your money is insured and in my opinion the banks as well as the customers were at fault for losing the money. I agree with the essay that no matter who wins there has to be a lot of pressure on the next president since the environment needs to be look at more seriously. Also I think it would be nice to be a leader in one more other form. After all America is known for being a leader in many other fields so why not be the leader in global environment reform.

[Robert Melita]

Our economy and what’s going to happen to it. I have witnessed many of my friends, and family members watch their hard earned dollars vanish. You deposit your pay check into what we are told, by our government as safe, “federally insured” sounds great. Now, tell that to all of those people that lost thousands of dollars, when several banks closed and could not get their money, or could only get a portion of their money, because they were only insured up to so much. Again its election time, and again, our candidates have both told the American people, that they will restore America. Bring back the American way, restore our economy, all this and much more. Did they both find a magic bottle with a genie inside to grant them three wishes, and of all, of the issues, which three will they ask the genie to fix?

[Eric Sawyer]

I agree that we need to cut our addiction to oil, the fact that everyone wants to become less dependent upon oil is a great thing. But to be honest I think we have dug ourselves in hole we can’t get out of, with the current standing of the economy not many people can afford a hybrid or electric car. And solar powered houses and cars are almost something out of a science fiction movie to most people. I think that a few people with the time and money will experiment with that but I don’t think the mainstream American is ready just yet. The technology for these products just hasn’t come that far. I think that Obama has a great idea to help the ecosystem and save the planet but its going to take a lot more than a speech and some tax cuts to make the American people change their way of living.

[Johanna Estrada]

I agree with Obama plan everything that he would do I am sure that I will help us to do a good thong instead of a bad thing I am sure that is all he wants if he really wins the presidential. I rally believe in him and I am hoping that if he wins to maintain those words that he had promise and turn them to reality. As we now the energy have went up the air conditioner in the house just get the bills with higher amount each time. And there I people that don’t have that much money to be paying such those high amounts. I really hope to get a change in all these.