McCain Pledges Greener Government

Washington Post: Republican Candidate Says Federal Government Would Buy Fuel-Efficient Vehicles, Retrofit Office Space

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Juliet Eilperin and Lyndsey Layton.

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Sen. John McCain pledged yesterday that he would make the federal government more environmentally friendly, while Sen. Barack Obama mocked his rival as crafting energy policies that merely pander to voters, in the latest skirmish over which presidential candidate is better prepared to tackle the nation's energy and environmental problems.

In a speech in Santa Barbara, Calif., McCain (R-Ariz.) vowed to "put the purchasing power of the United States government on the side of green technology" by buying fuel-efficient vehicles for its civilian fleet of cars and trucks and by retrofitting federal office space. The pledge comes months after Obama (D-Ill.) outlined a more detailed and ambitious proposal on the subject, virtually ensuring that the next administration will take significant steps to lower the government's output of energy and pollution.

A greening of the government would probably have a major impact on the Washington region, as the modernizing of buildings would spark a mini-construction boom and ease energy demands. Cleaner vehicles would also reduce harmful auto emissions, environmentalists say.

"Every year, the federal government buys upwards of 60,000 cars and other vehicles, not including military or law enforcement vehicles," McCain said as he campaigned with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a prominent GOP environmentalist. "From now on, we're going to make those civilian vehicles flex-fuel capable, plug-in hybrid, or cars fueled by clean natural gas."

Saying that the U.S. government ranks as "the single largest consumer of electricity in the world" because it holds sway over "3.3 billion square feet of federal office space" worldwide, McCain said he plans to reduce the government's carbon footprint by updating its buildings and demanding better standards in new ones.

"By retrofitting where possible, and by applying a higher efficiency standard to new buildings leased or purchased, we can save taxpayers billions of dollars in energy costs and move the market in the direction of green technology," he said.

McCain did not provide details about his plan, causing some public watchdog and environmental groups to question how much energy would be saved.

Obama, who first set his targets last October, has promised that he would make all new federal buildings 40 percent more efficient than current ones within five years, and carbon-neutral by 2025. He has also pledged to increase efficiency of existing federal buildings by 25 percent within five years and to ensure that the government derives 30 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2020 -- none of which McCain has promised to do.

President Bush has already instituted energy-efficiency measures for the White House and the government. The changes are not as dramatic as the proposals Obama has outlined, though they are more specific than McCain's.

In January 2007, the president issued an executive order calling on the government to "increase purchase of alternative fuel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles when commercially available" and to "reduce petroleum consumption in fleet vehicles by 2 percent annually through 2015," among other measures.

He and Laura Bush have also made changes in the White House, replacing all incandescent bulbs in hallways with compact florescent lights, installing low-consumption toilets in many places and putting in energy-efficient cooling units.

Speaking at a town hall meeting yesterday in a nature preserve near the Las Vegas Strip, Obama criticized his rival's energy plans, though he did not mention McCain's proposal to "green" the federal government.

Referring to a McCain statement Monday in which the senator from Arizona acknowledged that new offshore U.S. drilling would not affect oil prices for years, Obama said that the presumptive GOP nominee is focused on extolling the "psychological" benefits of drilling. He called McCain's proposed $300 million prize for a new electric car battery a "bounty" for "some rocket scientist to win."

Obama described the nation's current high gasoline prices as the product of "false promises and irresponsible policies" that have prevented new technology and energy sources from replacing fossil fuels. "For decades, John McCain has been part of this failure in Washington," Obama said.

The McCain campaign responded by saying that "Barack Obama has become the 'Dr. No' of energy, refusing to accept any idea that will contribute to solving America's energy crisis."

Outside groups yesterday praised both candidates for seeking to curb the government's carbon emissions.

Julia Bovey, spokeswoman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said municipal governments have made similar changes and cut back on their energy use as a result. "We have seen cities and towns across America make a point to start buying efficient cars and trucks, and it can really make a difference," she said. "There's no reason the federal government should continue to buy dinosaurs."

Steve Ellis, vice president of the budget watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense, said the government should pursue "a generic approach, meaning certain companies or favored individuals aren't getting huge windfalls."

"As the federal government tries to pursue strategies to make its operation more efficient, as long as you do it in a cost-efficient manner, you're helping lead the way," he said.

[clovisbuford]

"Wow. McCain can''''t catch a break with some posters eh? I guess a candidate in the middle just agitates both extremesmj19611"He voted with Gw bush over 90% of the time and you call that the middle ..interesting

[clovisbuford]

I have no doubt Mccain supports a greener government .Hasn''t it been greener for republican supporters? oil companies are seeing a lot more green , drug companies , Halliburton ,any crony that does bidness with the US government in the arms industry,the wealthiest 1%. Mcccains campaign lobbyists undoubtedly sees the greening of america comingif they win

[mj19611]

Wow. McCain can''t catch a break with some posters eh? I guess a candidate in the middle just agitates both extremes. Fortunately the bulk of the votes are in the middle, that why the curve is shaped, you know, like a bell.

[starleo146]

LOL McCain in charge of the environment... Kinda like letting the foxes guard the hen-house.

Posted by fedupwithit1 at 01:45 PM : Jun 25, 2008


You know the red phone if Mc Bush gets it it will be a direct line to GWBush

[starleo146]

McCain Pledges Greener Government;


Does Mc Bush think we are stupid and anything he says we will believe. Get real Mc Bush we know how you voted the last 20 years. You politicians forget we use computers and can check anything you say. You are the worst flip flopper I have ever heard and seen, we are smarter than you think.

[Gary Kempf]

McCain Pledges Greener Government;

John would that be untapped special interest money for you? All these years in office and you are only now promising to do something. Hmmmmm?

[olderthnadam]

The only viable long term solution to the problems of dependancy on foriegn oil and greenhouse gases as pertaining to automobiles is to go all electric. We are not that far away from practical electric cars. The primary obstacles to electric cars is oil company interests and increased electricity production. In the long term increased electricity production will have to be met by solar means, most likely point of use production. The only thing standing in the way right now is cost of buying and installing solar panels. Once the cost comes down enough to make it viable no other option will be as practical. All energy on earth comes secondhand from the sun allready. Cutting out the middleman (oil, natural gas, coal, and wood) and going directly to the source only makes sense. Of course point of use production runs afoul of the interests of existing energy companies. How do they make a profit off of it. Until they figure out a way to get their share of the action, they will do everything in their power to stand in it''s way. So as long as politicians in Washington are beholding to special interest money nothing real and practical will get done.

[noloyalisti]

All of a sudden this war monger with a 26 approval rating by the League of Conservation Votes is green. The flip flopping hypocrite must be trying to get selected like the rest of his passe party of death.

[homespunlady]

In the meantime:
Economists worry about consumer spending for holiday season
Jun 25, 4:36 PM (ET)

By ANNE D''INNOCENZIO

NEW YORK (AP) - The holiday shopping season is still months away, but already a growing number of economists are predicting that it could even be worse than last year - which is to say, disastrous.

Soaring gas and food prices, a slumping housing market and a falling stock market have depressed consumer confidence, raising fears that shoppers will pull back even more in the critical months ahead.

With consumer spending accounting for two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, the economy''s health is at stake. While Americans have cut back on nonessentials like clothing, spending has remained fairly resilient despite their darkening mood. But analysts worry that once the short-term benefits of the federal stimulus checks fade, shoppers will retrench further - possibly tipping the economy into a recession.

[mcvet]

This MADNESS of thinking we can BUY people to like and accept Democracy with OUR jobs is INSANITY! How does dragging AMERICAN Workers down to the level of the Worker in Columbia help Democracy!? There''s NO wonder these people are turning away from it... they see how TERRIBLE the Workers who SAVED the entire world are treated by OUR Government. SIEG HEIL McSame!!

[noloyalisti]

Mudrose like the rest of the Greasy Old Pervert party, the party of death, is out of material (and ideas and plans). So all they have left is to call names and character assassinate. Hopefully, the sheeple won''t fall for the Rovian and right wing media tactics again.

[pr_boxer]

Yeah Sure John, only "green" Republicans know is $$$

[jjorcutt]

Where have I heard this before. Remember George Sr was going to be the "environmental President". Don''t believe him. If McSame becomes President we will have more of the same.

[jersupporter]

MCWheelie - please explain where the change is that Democrats voted into Congress in 2006 promised. Your DumbObama is campaigning on the same issue of change. Of course someone who is dying, has no job, and has no friends or family because of your PTSD would really no matter anyway - so keep remaining relevent in your own mind by posting dribble on this message baord each and every day. LOL Truly pathetic

[frootloop47]

McCain Defends ''Enron Loophole''
by Jason Leopold
May 19, 2008%u2014Sen. John McCain says he opposes the $307 billion farm bill because it would dole out wasteful subsidies, but his chief economic adviser Phil Gramm also wants to stop its proposed regulation of energy futures trading, a market that was famously abused when Enron Corp. manipulated California%u2019s electricity prices in 2001.
Clearing the way for that California price gouging, Gramm, as a powerful Texas senator in 2000, slipped an Enron-backed provision into the Commodities Futures Modernization Act that exempted from regulation energy trading on electronic platforms.
Then, over the next year, Enron %u2013 with Gramm%u2019s wife Wendy serving on its board of directors %u2013 worked to create false electricity shortages in California, bilking consumers out of an estimated $40 billion.
Read full story at:http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2008/051908Leopold.shtml

Vote OBAMA!!!

[frootloop47]

Yeah, McCain admits more off shore drilling wouldn''t produce any quick results, yet he''s still pushing to get those Oil Companies more off shore leases!

Only thing GREEN about McCain is his whithering old skin.

Vote OBAMA!!!

[payasyougo]

McCain has a hearing problem.

I told him "smaller" not "greener".

[mudrose-2009]

Here''''''''s some more of my limited vocabulary. RamaLamaObama is a clown.

Posted by mudrose at 12:49 PM : Jun 25, 2008
+ rep

Yep THIS from a Nazi who supported a LOSER of a Fuhrer who attacked the WRONG Country, allowed our enemy to escape into a SAFE Haven, took a balanced budget and turned it into record debt AND has trashed the constitution. Not exactly someone we should be looking to for help picking our NEXT leader I''''d say! Now come on Mud! HELP me out here! The "Party" needs all you simple minded bootlickers right now... sing it out!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!! ROFLMAO
Posted by MCVet

Yawn!

[mcvet]

Here''''s some more of my limited vocabulary. RamaLamaObama is a clown.

Posted by mudrose at 12:49 PM : Jun 25, 2008
+ rep

Yep THIS from a Nazi who supported a LOSER of a Fuhrer who attacked the WRONG Country, allowed our enemy to escape into a SAFE Haven, took a balanced budget and turned it into record debt AND has trashed the constitution. Not exactly someone we should be looking to for help picking our NEXT leader I''d say! Now come on Mud! HELP me out here! The "Party" needs all you simple minded bootlickers right now... sing it out!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!! ROFLMAO

[noloyalisti]

It is the Grand Oil Party, the party of death, that is the cause of this oil problem. They invited the oil cartel in to write the energy policy and through their twisted privatization schemes, got rid of government oversight for the right wing fascist corporations.

Jimmy Carter was 100% correct back in ''72 and we should have listened. Look where we got listening to Ray Gun.