After years of talking about it, we are finally poised to control our own energy future. We produce more oil at home than we have in 15 years. We have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas, and the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar – with tens of thousands of good, American jobs to show for it. We produce more natural gas than ever before – and nearly everyone’s energy bill is lower because of it. And over the last four years, our emissions of the dangerous carbon pollution that threatens our planet have actually fallen.
But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change. Yes, it’s true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and floods – all are now more frequent and intense. We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science – and act before it’s too late.
The good news is, we can make meaningful progress on this issue while driving strong economic growth. I urge this Congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change, like the one John McCain and Joe Lieberman worked on together a few years ago. But if Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.
This will take some time to parse.
Good strong words affirming the reality of the problem. Important commitment to deal with it in general terms, peculiar reference to McCain/Lieberman cap and trade bill as a proposed solution. I was expecting some kind of carbon tax proposal, if anything.
Then I got dizzy with the sudden pivot:
..as long as countries like China keep going all-in on clean energy, so must we.
In the meantime, the natural gas boom has led to cleaner power and greater energy independence. That’s why my Administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits.
Kind of wished there was a little more clarity in there. As always, we’ll have to wait for the details.
Well. US CO2 emissions went down due to the recession and outsourcing production (China). Also => The Real Reason CO2 Emissions in US Plummeted. But methane emissions (more than 20 times as potent as CO2) have gone up due to the exploration of shale gas (fracking). => Methane Losses Stir Debate on Natural Gas
=> Fracking – The Future
“That’s why my Administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits.”
Is this what one would expect from the “most radical socialist President” in US history?
Re: “We have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas”
Well, no. It’s important to put this sort of soft lie into perspective.
In 1908 the U.S. made Ford Model T averaged 25 miles to the gallon. In 2008, the American fleet got less, about 21 miles per gallon.
http://www.wanttoknow.info/050711carmileageaveragempg
He’s talking about the hypothetical reductions due leading up to 2025. Putting that ‘achievement’ in the past tense is disingenuous at best. But fuel economy is, at least, increasing – however modestly so far:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/new-car-average-fuel-economy-sets-record/
It’s now about 24 mpg on average.
Re: “He’s talking about the hypothetical reductions due leading up to 2025. ”
And I will tell you that the totally corrupt Democrats of the DLC flavor and the GOP are totally in bed with each other to the extent that any promise made by a Dem in 2011 as promotional piece of propaganda was designed entirely cynically to be swept aside by the wave of a magic wand the next time a GOP flavored President takes the White House prize. And believe me the GOP believes that 8 years for the Dems is all they are going to get.
So let’s not listen to politician’s lies.
All I know is that Obama soft-pedaled the initial years of compliance on CAFE while he pitched the long years to the eager propagandistic press and the soft-headed public.
And in the meantime he’s relieved the bottleneck in crude oil inventories in Cushing, OK by allowing the southern extension of the Keystone XL pipeline while promoting his enviro bona fides on the temporary blockage of the northern route. Meanwhile gasoline prices have rocketed up 25 cents in the U.S. Just like the Big Oil boys wanted.
Watch the record, fuggedabout the rhetoric. Do not allow yourself to be seduced by government or politician lies. It make you look foolish and it only encourages them.
In the end, President Obama will be judged by his actions, and not by his words. As Peter says, “As always, we’ll have to wait for the details.” But it’s been 4 years, and the clock is ticking on the remainder of his term.
Re: “In the end, President Obama will be judged by his actions, and not by his words.”
I don’t know how much mental retardation I can handle.
Barack Obama is a fraud. He’s a liar, a cheat and a social networker who is setting his future up with the criminal bankers whose ass he is kissing today.
I really am beginning to lose patience with Obama apologists who aren’t on the take like Obama himself. They are the saddest of the sad. The really stupidest of the stupid.
Obama’s a crook.
His fan club really ought to get a clue.
Here’s a couple of hints about reality for this special class of idiot:
http://www.occupybendor.org/news.php?1654
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175649/tomgram%3A_engelhardt%2C_a_conspiracy_of_stupidity/
Here’s one more. Barack Obama has persecuted and prosecuted more truthtellers (aka whistleblowers) than all previous Presidents combined.
Mostly he persecuted honest people who were trying to let the public know about public corruption which Barack Obama worked extremely hard to keep from the public:
Sounds like an ad for the fracking industry
Re: “Sounds like an ad for the fracking industry”
For once we are in agreement. 🙂
*-)
Obama, a man of miracles!!
Good comment. One thing im not sure about. How natural is natural gas? I have heard its not good for the environment. And there is CO2 emmissions almost as high as oil
On second reading, it appears that whatever happens during next four years, Obama will be able to claim success.
Arsenic is natural. Beladonna is natural. Ebola is natural. Marketing hype is natural. The rise and fall of civilizations is natural.