Dean's Remarks on the Environment

[LuminousX]

I'm not sure if these are the actual remarks he will be making today in San Francisco, but I thought they were an interesting starting point to look at what he plans on doing with the environment.

Dean Standing up for the Environment

Howard Dean is in San Francisco today, where he will deliver a major environmental policy address.

In prepared remarks, Dean says:

“One hundred years ago, Theodore Roosevelt saw conservation as not only central to the national social, economic and political health, but as a reflection of basic American values. In the century since he lived in the White House, America has forged a bipartisan consensus on the importance of conservation and the responsibility each of us has to pass along a safe, healthy environment to future generations.

"Today, we have a Republican president who seeks to destroy this consensus and reverse decades of responsible environmental policy. We have a president who seems to regard public resources as gifts to be handed out to special interests.

Dean will lay out 4 key points to his environmental strategy:

1) Promoting "livable communities." Governor Dean first became involved in politics working to improve his own community by pushing for a bike path along Lake Champlain. As president, Dean will work to help strengthen our downtowns and urban areas. Doing so will help protect our wild and open spaces and will help reduce energy consumption.

2) Establishing an Environmentally Sound Energy Policy. Dean’s energy policy will focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy. To help encourage renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, Dean supports requiring that 20 percent of our electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2020.

3) Putting the 'protection' back in Environmental Protection. Dean will reverse course from the Bush Administration’s anti-environmental actions and will work to reestablish important environmental protections such as the road-less rule as put in place by President Clinton. Dean supports elevating EPA to cabinet status. Dean also believes we must improve and strengthen the Superfund and Brownfields programs to clean up more sites more quickly.

4) Restoring our nation’s role as a global leader on environmental issues. For instance, recognizing the threat of global warming, Dean believes we must work toward a Kyoto Protocol we can adopt. Dean believes the agreement should be strengthened to include carbon pollution reductions by developing nations as well as developed nations.

"I want Americans a hundred years from now to inherit a better natural world than we have today-- better because we have taken the steps to reverse the damage done by the Bush-Cheney-Norton Administration. It will be part of the Great Restoration we seek. And the sooner we can start that, the better!” Dean concludes in his prepared remarks. “We can take America back from those who care more about returning a favor to a friend than about creating a sensible environmental or energy policy. And once we do, we can take America forward— and the world with us."

[genius]

1. After Dean supported irradiating California's water supply,

it takes a lot of courage for him to show up in the state. Word is starting to get out in Calfornia about his support of the Yucca Montain Nuclear dump site (which is expected to contaminate CA's water with radioactive waste) and pretty soon everyone in the state will be informed.

[LuminousX]

2. We'll see what kind of reception he gets

and of course, the mentioning of Yucca Mountain in the thread means I owe Dean another $1. Thanks.

[indigo32]

4. He he

}(

way to go

[hedda_foil]

5. Great idea! Bring the blog's troll fund to DU.

I'm in! Because every issue and candidate deserves to be defended and opposed at DU, I propose this change from the way the bloggers are handling it. Every time an anti-Dean (but it could be done for any candidate) poster reposts an attack that he/she has participated in before, and which has been fully discussed and refuted on at least one previous thread, I'll be announcing and making a donation to the Dean troll fund.

[dajabr]

6. Cha-Ching!!!

:-)

[LuminousX]

7. I think that is a better way

I can handle anti-Dean posts, but rehashing the same thing over and over is tiresome. Your way is the better way. Yucca Mountain is definately on the list of 'overworked, already dealt with' issues.

[dajabr]

8. Ok, how about this one...

"You're being fooled! Dean is not the Uber-Liberal that he always says he is!"

[LuminousX]

9. LOL

Yeah, that should be included as well. Anytime someone tries to 'debunk' Dean's Extreme Liberalism, that oughta be donation worthy. As if his supporters haven't already read his position papers and would suddenly be shocked and amazed that he isn't anti-gun.

[LuminousX]

3. Some Pre-Press

Seems positive enough

Maybe California realizes it was Bush who was sending the waste to Yucca Mountain and Dean was basically saying ok, so long as it isn't coming to Vermont. As gov of Vermont, that really was his only concern. And since Bush was actually making the call, not Dean, I can forgive that. It was my reaction too, "Whelp, as long as it isn't coming to Chicago." Call it unenlightened self-interest.