Eight Strikes for John McCain, Home Run for Tom Friedman

Senator McCain did not show up for the crucial vote on July 30, and the renewable energy bill was defeated for the eighth time. In fact, John McCain has a perfect record on this renewable energy legislation. He has missed all eight votes over the last year — which effectively counts as a no vote each time. Once, he was even in the Senate and wouldn’t leave his office to vote.

Tom Friedman in the New York Times, 8/13/2008

If you're wondering what to think when you hear John McCain say he's for clean energy, or when you watch his ad running on Olympic time showing spinning windmills, Tom Friedman sets the record straight in his op-ed today. He chronicles how McCain has struck out on clean energy 2 2/3 times. One more strike for McCain, and the side is retired.

But that's not all. The biggest solar energy project ever -- in Arizona, McCain's home state -- is on hold because the banks won't provide financing without the incentives in the legislation McCain didn't vote for. Two thousand jobs are now on hold.

But that's not all either.

While Congress plays politics with America's energy future, China is heading for the gold medal in renewable energy. A new report from the Climate Group, called China's Clean Revolution, offers this stunning conclusion:

In the move to a low carbon economy, we believe that China will no longer be a developing country following where others have led, but a pioneer leading the way.

That's not stopping McCain and the Republicans from their Chicken Little strategy -- spreading misinformation that China is drilling for oil in Cuba's waters, and relentlessly stumping for domestic offshore drilling.

Here's Friedman again on what it will take for a clean energy revolution in the US:

It will require a fundamental reshaping by government of the prices and regulations and research-and-development budgets that shape the energy market. Without taxing fossil fuels so they become more expensive and giving subsidies to renewable fuels so they become more competitive — and changing regulations so more people and companies have an interest in energy efficiency — we will not get innovation in clean power at the scale we need.

That is what this election should be focusing on. Everything else is just bogus rhetoric designed by cynical candidates who think Americans are so stupid — so bloody stupid — that if you just show them wind turbines in your Olympics ad they’ll actually think you showed up and voted for such renewable power — when you didn’t.

It is high. It is far. It is gone! Home run for Tom Friedman.......

Related Stories:

The McCain Dipstick: How Deep Is Your Oil Money?

McCain a No-Show on Clean Energy. Again.

McCain Staff Lying to Callers About His Clean Energy Vote

Strike Three for McCain on Renewable Energy?

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