John Kerry envisions a carbon-free future in a speech at USC

[karynnj]

Source: USC Annenberg Media

He also articulated his vision of building incentives into the economy that would push us closer to being carbon fee, including a carbon tax that would protect low and middle class families.
“We are looking at the greatest market opportunity ever,” Kerry said. “But time is running out.”
Despite that warning, Kerry was also unequivocal about his view for the United States' carbon future.

“I have no doubt that the United States will eventually be a virtually carbon-free economy; the question is whether we will get there fast enough,” he said.

Read more: http://www.uscannenbergmedia.com/2019/04/10/john-kerry-envisions-a-carbon-free-future-during-climate-speech-at-usc/

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This is part of an effort by Secretaries Kerry and Moniz and others to push the country forward fighting climate change.

[sandensea]

1. We'll have to drop the internal combustion engine first.

Big Awl would sooner blow up the world than allow it.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. And turbine engines as well.

Battery-powered airlines?

And, replace coal/oil/natural gas/propane home furnaces as well.

This transition will take a while.

[riversedge]

5. Slow but sure. Faster once vile Trump is gone.

[pangaia]

7. We'll have to drop republicans first or none of this will EVER happen...

[MBS]

2. GOOD FOR HIM.

Great to see Kerry and Moniz teaming up again, too. They worked together beautifully on the Iran deal.

[riversedge]

6. I have often wondered how sad (angry ) they are now that Trump has blown up that deal. They worked

so hard and so long. I recall Kerry had broken his leg during all that back and forth--but he carried on, determined to get it done.

[MBS]

9. I'm sure they feel both emotions.

I heard Wendy Sherman in a Washington Post panel discussion a few weeks ago, talking about the Iran deal - and I could hear both emotions in her voice.
Sec. Kerry gave it his all to both the Paris accords and the Iran deal, plus there was the opening to Cuba. All three events important breakthroughs, achieved against all odds. Plus, for Sec. Kerry, environmental issues have been a priority for him since the 1970's.
Years of hard work, carried out with deep commitment by people with deep diplomatic (Sherman, Kerry, Moniz, and their respective teams) and scientific expertise (Moniz and team in the Iran deal, and the cadre of environmental scientists involved in the Paris Accords).
All of this work, destroyed in days by a cabal of ignorant, dishonest, corrupt thugs and vandals. (At DOE alone, the descent at DOE from world renowned nuclear physicist Ernie Moniz to world class idiot Rick Perry is too painful to contemplate).
So much easier to destroy than to build.

But then so heartening to see John Kerry, and Chuck Hagel, and Ernie Moniz, fighting back.

[JI7]

3. we will always have lost something during those times with Republicans in the white house

and what we could have had instead.

[LisaM]

8. Al Gore and John Kerry were both absolutely stellar on environmental issues.

I get really cross when people say the Democrats didn't run good candidates - they not only would have been amazing Presidents, but they were both A+++ on the environment. But they didn't have enough "charisma" for the populace, I guess.

So aggravating. I heard John Kerry speak in 2004, the speech was wonderful, nuanced, full of local detail about the Pacific Northwest, very aware of environmental issues and the coverage on it, even locally, was squat.

WTF is the matter with people? If we'd paid attention and elected these good people, we wouldn't be scrambling for a Green New Deal now - we'd be ahead of the game. But apparently the only thing that matters is big rallies with snappy slogans, not the actual environment (or actual women's rights, or actual gun control, etc.....)

[MBS]

10. Yes to everything you said!!

And I share your frustration.

[karynnj]

11. I completely agree

Especially with Kerry, who when he was considered as VP in 2000 was always described as very charismatic. In 2004, I loved his environment/climate change speech because it was not just passionate but it was so positive in how making the changes had so many great side effects. It was one of the best issue speeches I ever heard. Not to mention, I really liked his sense of humor and his respectful way of speaking to everyone. Not to mention, there was Teresa, who would have been an awesome First Lady. (No one who won Teresa's love could be boring - she was fascinating.) Kerry also had an exceptional record on women's issues - starting with when he was a prosecutor. It is very likely, for me, that he will be the statesman I most wanted to lead the country. However, his work to get the China agreement and the Paris Accord as SoS might be more significant than anything he could have done with the awful 109th Congress.

I agree that there is a tendency to value slogans rather than complicated, nuanced positions designed to lead to real changes.

As to now, I really liked that he defended AOC in the House hearing -- and as a WP article noted, he really may have found the best way for Democrats to speak of it - as a means to generate activism and make it an issue.