I’m wading into an opinionated minefield. We’re not supposed to talk about religion or politics in polite company. But we already did a show on the Pope’s Environmental Encyclical. And politicians are blasting the airwaves with their energy views in the run up to the presidential primaries. So this week’s show is about the politics of clean energy.
We have a lot of recent material to work with. There is Obama’s Clean Power Plan, Candidate Clinton’s plan for 500 million solar panels by 2021, and plans from various Republicans reflecting their view of energy and the environment. As usual, the parties are diametrically opposed regarding both the problem and the solution.
Both parties are in favor of the environment (apple pie, too), more jobs, cheaper electricity and better economic conditions. But that’s about all they agree on. Republican politicians are adrift on that long river in Egypt when it comes to global warming; hence, their solutions are unlikely to solve the real problem. Democratic politicians are swimming upstream against another river – a river of fossil fuel money. For two different perspectives on the politics of clean energy, please Listen Up to this week’s Energy Show.