Kaine: Alt-energy equals economic health
One of a handful of potential VP candidates on the Obama ticket, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine appeared at the library a couple blocks from my house Saturday. It was one of a series of stops he made in Washington's outer suburbs that day to campaign for the Democratic presidential hopeful. So, after canvassing for the candidate myself, I dropped in for a listen among about 100 people lucky enough to snag a spot in the tiny room's inside the historic building where he spoke.
Kaine announced that while he'd accept an invitation to run with the Democratic nominee, he did not think the scenario was likely. What was more likely, he said, is that alternative energy was the absolute answer to economic recovery in the U.S. The key to reducing gas prices is less dependence on oil as fuel, he said. A "comprehensive" energy policy that would invest heavily in alternative energy sources would do just that, he said, rather than McCain's plan to serve as "Dentist in Chief, because all he wants to do is drill, drill, drill." The analogy was borrowed from Senator Evan Bayh, another on the short list of possible Obama running mates who has received criticism for the comment.
Clearly, economic recovery via alternative energy won't happen at the speed of a V8, but the payoff would be priceless. Regardless of who Obama's running mate turns out to be, let's hope they are as savvy as Virginia's governor when it comes to the reality of what we need to fuel our future.
Meanwhile, Obama is scheduled to be in Richmond tomorrow. Hmm ...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-20-2008 @ 2:08PM
dan said...
I would urge extreme caution before you go applauding the Governor as a green energy visionary.
Gov. Kaine talks a big game, from the way he waxes poetic about the importance of going green and the economic boost to follow you would think he was out there installing wind turbines himself.
His actions tell a starkly different story: while promising a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025, so far the largest impact he has had on the climate front has been to champion the coal-fired power plant now being built in southwest VA. He strong-armed regulatory bodies and fast-tracked the plans through the system as if it were a pet project of his.
We can't be taken in by his soothe-saying on the energy issue and must hold him accountable for his bait-and-switch.
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