Reply #1: A Bit More

[KittyWampus]

Brown described an encounter with former Bush administration Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill to demonstrate the extent to which politics drive Bush administration environmental policy. Asked whether, since joining the administration, he still supported imposing a tax on companies commensurate with their emissions of carbon dioxide, O'Neill responded, "If I answer that question, I probably won't have a job tomorrow."


A "carbon tax," said Brown, is considered one of the most powerful ways to promote the restructuring of the U.S. economy in favor of cleaner energy sources. Clark's environmental platform includes imposing stricter standards of fuel-efficiency on the automotive industry and offering tax incentives for the purchase of fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. Clark would also provide incentives for power plants to limit carbon emissions and aggressively promote the use of renewable energy like solar and wind, setting a target of producing 20 percent of U.S. electricity from renewablesources by the year 2020.


"Protecting the environment is a basic and fundamental responsibility of our national leaders," states the introduction to Clark's environmental strategy paper. "Those who would sacrifice our natural gifts to give well-connected insiders a short-term windfall ignore this responsibility and undermine America's long-term economic strength. As President, I will protect the health of our citizens and conserve the resources our children will inherit," pledged Clark