With so much in the balance in today’s elections, we’re finding hard to write general news.
Here are some useful websites we’ve been using to drill down beyond the top races and learn about propositions that are your ballot:
Vote411.org: put in your address and you’ll be able to basic comparisons of candidates; SierraClub.org endorsements (by state); League of Conservation Voters (by state).
With $4 billion poured into the mid-term elections, there’s plenty of misinformation out there. Many important issues are at stake from raising the minimum wage to women and voter rights and getting big money out of politics, but our focus here is whether we move on climate change, renewable energy and protecting our natural resources – air, water and wildlife. Unfortunately, these have become partisan issues in too many cases.
Here’s some information on just some of the races:
Governor races: Under Charlie Crist, the sunshine state would no longer lag on solar energy and Florida would address its serious rising sea level problems. Pennsylvania would join the successful northeast cap-and-trade program (RGGI) under Tom Wolf, and states long known for environmental leadership – Maine and Wisconsin – would stop suffering under LePage and Walker if they are voted out. Because the wind industry has become an economic engine in many Plains states, there is bipartisan support, but Renewable Energy Portfolios will still be attacked, as well as solar net-metering under Republican leadership.
What’s at stake at the federal level? If the GOP controls the Senate, Mitch McConnell has already announced his agenda: "poison pill" amendments attached to every must-pass bill – approve the Keystone Pipeline; no funding for EPA unless it stops the War on Coal (greenhouse gas regulations on power plants). Forget renewing the wind Production Tax Credit.
Another example is who takes over key Senate committees if the GOP controls the chamber. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) – the most famous climate denier in Congress – will replace Barbara Boxer (D-CA) as Chair of Environment and Public Works, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) – who staunchly advocates endless oil and gas
drilling and the Keystone pipeline – is in line for the Energy and
Natural Resources Committee.
Here are some headlines we’re already seeing:
Inhofe Blasts Extreme Climate Report! (referring to the IPCC’s final report, which we’ll report on tomorrow)
Top Dem: Ignoring UN climate report could lead to ‘irreversible problems’
Obama Will Sign Keystone Bill, Boxed Into Corner, Says Priebus
Please VOTE!!
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