Obama Energy Plan — Green Vets and Green Kids
SAN DIEGO — 8 a.m. PDT
So much has already been blogged and written about Barack Obama’s new energy plan — unveiled, it appears to put a substantive policy barrier between his campaign and the rising tide of polling data in favor of offshore and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling — but hadn’t seen much so far on four items deep in the plan that I thought noteworthy.
1. Obama’s energy plan targets Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans for special green treatment. It’s called the Green Vets Initiative. The Obama website newenergyforamerica.com says last year $2.6 billion in venture capital flowed to green projects in the private sector, meaning there is a pathway to jobs for those with the skills and awareness to seek them. Obama’s plan seeks to identify those among the 837,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who need job counseling and job placement to find these new venture capital-funded jobs. The plan also says the federal government will work with “industry partners” to “create career pathways and educational programs” to assist in linking job-seeking vets with emerging “green jobs.”
2. The Obama plan seeks to incorporate “green technologies training” — meaning instruction in advanced green manufacturing and weatherizing techniques so that participants in federal job training programs can adapt to the emerging need for green-skilled workers. If the green technology craze does take off, it seems the private sector will work overtime to find applicants interested in learning the necessary skills. Often, federal and state job training programs must focus on core life skills to prepare applicants for the simple rigors of work life. It seems reasonable to wonder if specialized job training at the federal level will be necessary when, historically, it’s been all the federal government can do to handle training applicants in “core” life skills needed to find, secure and hold an entry-level job.
3. Obama also wants to create “an energy-focused” youth jobs program “to invest in disconnected and disadvantaged youth.” The program “will provide youth participants with energy efficiency and environmental service opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of homes and buildings in their communities.” The program will also provide “practical skills and experience” in emerging fields of “expected high-growth employment.” This assumes those doing the training will not have found more lucrative careers doing the actual high-paying work in the green technology field and that specialized training in green jobs can be taught by a wide-array of trainers and easily learned by those who sign up. After all, if it’s nothing more than changing light bulbs and applying weather-stripping, it’s not much of a launch pad for future green jobs. If it’s more technical immediate problems will arise, it seems safe to predict, in finding enough job trainers and job training applicants adept enough to take in the higher-skilled “green” training.
4. Obama also has a Rust Belt conversion plan that will “allocate money to state to identify and support local manufacturers with the most compelling plans to modernize existing or closed manufacturing facilities to produce new, advanced, clean technologies.” The annual allocation under the plan is $1 billion. The website does not define what “most compelling” means. Allocation of federal dollars through state-run entities to bolster private sector development can sometimes become conduits for political favors. One might wonder if the definition of “most compelling” is precise enough to avoid this age-old problem.
This much can be said. These programs certainly make the Obama energy program comprehensive. When you tackle CAFE standards, lowering carbon emissions, establish and auction system for all pollution credits, demand a conversion of half the government fleet of vehicles to plug-in hybrids by 2012, advocate a new digital electricity grid, and still find room to imagine how to spread the “green” revolution to federal job training programs for adults and teens, you certainly have touched every conceivable policy box.
To some, that will look visionary, generous and astute. To others, it will look unwieldy, costly, and arrogant.
We must start now but do things gradually. Start out slowly and learn the best ways to be energy efficient. Things will continue to change over time. What is best for today may not be best tomorrow just as in the past. Whatever we do needs a lot of forethought so we spend our monies wisely for the best outcome.
Here’s where Obama falls short everytime by supporting “green” initiatives.
He’s trying to create the illusion that “green” is a viable enterprise rather than a niche market. Make no mistake, it’s a niche market. I know several homeowners and business owners, none of them have any interest in “greening” their homes or business and from my observations, their line of thought is the majority. “Green” is costly and unwieldly as offered in the article. Furthermore, he’s banking on the country adopting “green” as a policy. It’s expensive and impractical, most homeowners and businesses won’t embrace it without huge, inexpensive and viable changes. It’s simply not a credible option as it stands today.
Bottom line, you can’t viably employ, create and sustain jobs for a market that isn’t a credible option to the majority of businesses or homeowners. Currently, it’s not much more than a fad and a selling trick.
More economics 101 shortcomings from Obama.
More smoke and mirrors from Obama.
It’s certainly an ambitious plan, but it does seem to be well-thought out and balanced. I personally like the idea of generating our own power here at home rather than buying it from overseas. There is no doubt that we are on the verge of the next generation of energy production, the question is will America lead the way, or will we let the Europeans and Chinese take the helm?
sounds like hocus pocus. vets will want to live close to family when they come back.
plug in electrical cars need power plants, and power plants need fossil fuel, unless they are hydro or nuclear.
why not drill and drill now and use those unemployed rust belt works for work on the oil rigs with 2 weeks on and 2 week s off. they can commute and that is not uncommon.
how about our entire fleet of cars, trucks , boats and planes? are we going to trash them and make everybody buy new vehicles? that’s not thinking green. what obama failed to address is a conversion process. i know he wont have any specifics, but at least acknowledging would be important. we could use natural gas, that burns very clean, we have abundant resources in the us, but that involves drilling, and you mention drilling to obama and he becomes stupid. we could convert our gas stations to natural gas, but realistically that would take at least 5 yrs nation wide. what do we do in the mean time? drill for oil. don’t let obama fool you, this is not rocket science.
Very fair comment from Major! Keep up the great reporting!
Raul
Torrance, CA
Again we see the Robin Hood take from the rich to give to the poor theroy mentality spreading to the energy issue. Obama wants to take from the oil companies to finace these programs and when the taxes taken from big oil lessen over time he will tax other people to pay the way. The market will react to public pressure to give us what we want for the environment rather than government taking form one group to give to another. Obama is “Robin Hood from another mother”. He is a socialist who wants to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor. Many of these poor have made bad choices in their lives and need help getting back on track, but to take money from those who have worked hard to get it to help those who do not wish to work and only collect their check from the government is wrong. Socialism will not work in a Captialist system. Charity for the poor is one thing but the Robin Hood system will never work. Give tax breaks for energy investment, require houses to be built using green methods, develope vehicles that run on hydrogen cumbustion engines. These ideas will help us out of the mess Congress has gotten us into.
Obama’s energy plan against drilling means we will have to continue to get our oil from overseas. We will never totally get rid of our need for oil no matter what other energy sources we develop. McCain’s plan for drilling, amoung other things, will possibly not only reduce our need for oil from overseas but may eliminate it.
I also find it strange that Obama is now talking “Green energy” this was one of Hillary Clintons talking points in several of the debates. Guess he’s had to copy her again. Sad because copies are never as good as the original.
I have yet to hear an original doable idea from Obama. When I do I believe I’ll faint.
Boy oh boy, no wonder the old saying put it this way as “Talk is cheap”!
This is just about the “trade mark” for Obama as his campaign goes on. This is also his only speciality; Talk, talk and talk…… His “energy plan” surely makes him talk BIG!
How big is it? We may say it is as big as the Green Giant!
Regardless of the consequences from other factors such as the cost, the efficiency, the environment, and the overall practical implement in details, etc. This
plan, better than any blank paper, it’s just too much for us to chew, and it is also beyond any foreseeable reality to carry out for time being!
His plan of this and of that on any subject you name it, he has the “answer” but not the “assurance” for you! That’s the CHANGE naturely, but it’s going to be the “mass changes”, which are bound to be a big mess for us, because he doesn’t have any eperience of know-how on this national level task to lead the way.
He is a very likeable new face in the America political field, but he simply is not qualified nore is ready to run for this highest/toughest position of this greatest
country on earth!
Look at him closely, folks, he is not the right man to be our commander-in-chief, preiod.
Chrene
…to Tel…
What you have to understand about Obama’s energy plan is this is NOT an option. An Obama lead government will mandate this “green” technology. What is now a niche will become the law of the land. Corporations as well as individuals will be FORCED to develop this technology….remember..”we have a planet to save”. Obama’s plan to finance his green revolution will come from two sources:
- winfall profits from oil companies
- making “the polluters”(his words) pay taxes through a carbon cap and trade system.
Everyone that leaves a “carbon footprint” will be defined as polluters…key word…EVERYONE.
Nevermind that we will be paying to companies such as General Investment Management…a London based company whose Washington D.C. office is chaired by none other than Mr.Gore himself(…has already secured over $200 million in investments).
We will all be FORCED…I mean encouraged…to offset our dirty earth destroying lifestyles by remaining “carbon neutral”. Our sins will be forgiven by “purchasing verifiable reductions in CO2 elsewhere”.
Why do we have companies already set up for this Great Re-Distribution of Wealth if it where perceived to be an option:
-Chicago Climate Exchange(CCE)
-International Carbon Bank& Exchange(ICBE)
-Global Carbon Exchange(GCX)
…just wondering…
Obama will say and do ANYTHING to get elected even try to jump on the GREEN hype with a carrot and stick approach to lure military loyalty to his camp…get real…recent measures have been taken by the current President and Congress to give the military substantive training benefits beyond what they have had and that give our vets a choice in where they want to go with their future without politicians telling you where and what you get trained on. If you follow Obama’s line, he will redirect military spending (translation: weaken our military) and any monies and programs in place will be subject to change and the vets won’t have a say where they want to go with their lives…
Obama’s plan as is the Democratic agenda is to one that requires social re-engineering for Americans…the same mentality and methods to control and shape behavior like the welfare programs of old where the GOVERNMENT controls your daily life and tells you what you can and can’t do with your money and your lives. Not saying that welfare is bad for those that truly need it but any time bureaucracy and politicians are involved in these dole programs everyone loses. Having firsthand experience with these programs and seeing the abuse up front on both sides of the line, I can tell you that Obama is selling CRACK here and he wants all of America on it, independent of energy initiatives whether they be green, brown, or otherwise.
Look, everyone knows we need alternative energy sources and it will be American entrepreneurial spirit that will lead us away from these dependencies so long as Americans make a conscious effort to change our own behavior with or without the government involvement.
I would rather see less talk about what politicians are promising and REAL action on the government’s behalf in developing programs and incentives for corporations to take these measures. Money and initiatives should be taken to sponsor and reward innovation not merely dole out money to train people for the sake of training. If I produce something that everybody wants and will save them money, time, or improve the quality of their life, the demand will increase. As demand increases, I need to train people to develop, manufacture, and supply this. Jobs are created and people get trained. Its not the other way around; that’s akin to saying I have an answer so what’s your problem…
ANYTIME a politician says he’s gonna take taxpayer money and use it for training I want to know for what purpose and is it tied to a broader program that drives business, if so I will listen otherwise its rhetoric and its akin to a man throwing money in the wind…
It appears that most people have recognized that “green theory” while making good sound bites is not an economically feasible project….unless you are part of the “green theory” receiving end. Gore has made millions scaring everyone and the only “Green” that Obama wants….goes into his bank account and pocket. As a business owner, I will simply close my company and liquidate its assets in the face of any “mandated” reforms. I do not pollute but I will no add things because it is mandated. This is a Robin Hood approach designed to make him and his cronies rich.
Where is a viable third party? Democrats are far worse than Republicans…but neither have the country at heart.