(11 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)
Crossposted at Daily Kos
Yes, revolution, but as the title states, it’s not what you may think. In this case, I say Revolution as in drastic change, and when I say change I mean the kind of change you can believe in.
On to the show. So you say you want a Revolution? How about a solar energy revolution?
Thomas Edison, one of history’s greatest inventors said; “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” He was right then, in 1931, and he remains right today. The American people agree. Today, 92 percent of all Americans want our country to develop solar energy resources, and 77 percent believe the federal government should make solar power development a national priority.
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It also would mean the creation of over a million new jobs.
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Much more below the fold
That is why I was joined by 10 of my colleagues (Senators Whitehouse, Cardin, Gillibrand, Merkley, Lautenberg, Leahy, Boxer, Menendez, Specter, and Harkin) in introducing the Ten Million Solar Roofs Act. The bill is all of 9 pages and is pretty straightforward. It calls for 10 million new solar rooftop systems and 200,000 new solar water heating systems over the next 10 years. When fully implemented, this legislation would lead to 30,000 megawatts of new photovoltaic energy, triple our total current U.S. solar energy capacity. It will increase by almost 20 times our current energy output from photovoltaic panels. The legislation will rapidly increase production of solar panels, driving down the price of photovoltaic systems. It also would mean the creation of over a million new jobs. The passage of this bill would dramatically reorient our energy priorities and would be a major step forward toward a clean energy future for the United States.
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I strongly encourage everyone to read the full article by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) at HuffingtonPost.com, where he explains in detail how this plan will create a sustainable energy plan for America AND create jobs. When you compare this plan with anything fossil fuel related it should just be a no-brainer, but on that basis I am certain that Sarah palin and the Know Nothing Party is against it. As usual, I say screw the Conservatives and their corporatist bullshit. I have looked up their three part energy plan and I can sum it up for you in these three pictures.
Step 1.
Step 2. Profit
Step 3.
If we are serious about the issues facing America, the Too Big To Fail banks that tanked our economy and cost us all of our jobs so they could make big bonuses, the private health insurance cartels that can not be trusted, the war profiteers and oil men, we can not seek incremental changes little by little, we get nothing after the negotiations that way as far as real change I can believe in goes, and I don’t use those words in jest or as a jab at our President because I hope he succeeds, and I hope America succeeds too.
Real change I can believe in, in my eyes, means reform, reform that benefits the majority of American people first and foremost. To paraphrase an old saw, we live in drastic times, and drastic times call for drastic, but sensible, measures. To those ends, we must propose drastic but sensible ideas, such as a non profit robust health insurance system, or non fossil fuels. The Conservatives, due to their very nature, will always fight drastic change they can see coming, but their narrow and often misinformed world view leaves them paralyzed in the face of the massive corruption among their own Political Party and the blatant dishonesty in their rhetoric and policy. Conservatives, basically, are totally fucking useless when it comes to drastic and GOOD changes. For a look into drastic BAD Conservative change, one need look no farther the deregulation of Wall St and the destruction of the DEMOCRATIC CHANGE that came after the Great Depression.
Change must be drastic to be effective. Reform must HURT the reformed to be effective and prevent future abuse, you sure as hell can’t get an alcoholic to stop wasting their money buying drinks by mandating that everyone at the bar must chip in nightly to buy him a drink.
America is drunk on oil. Drill baby drill is the energy policy equivalent of the hair of the dog that bit you. For a drastic and sensible energy policy that is sustainable as well as in the best interests of the American public, our nation must begin to get serious about green energy and the millions of green energy PERMANENT jobs that will accompany them.
We need to dream BIG, think BIG and demand BIG action. We need drastic and yet sensible ideas to solve our many drastic problems we face today. If we are serious about solving these problems, we should listen to people like Bernie Sanders.
If we are serious about moving toward energy independence in a cost-effective way, we should invest in solar energy. If we are serious about cutting air and water pollution and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we should invest in solar energy. If we are serious about creating a significant number of good paying jobs and making the United States a world leader in the production of sustainable energy, we should invest in solar energy. And, as we move forward in the solar revolution, a very good step forward would be the passage of the Ten Million Solar Roofs Act.
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Dear Democrats, Independants and Undecideds, dear moderates and slightly conservative Democrats, I ask you to take a look at Bernie Sanders. This is what a real Progressive looks like, and I do not like using the term “real” because I do not wish to imply that there are fakes or anything else. I simply ask that when you ask yourself what being progressive means, you should consider Bernie Sanders or Paul Wellstone. We want what is best for EVERYONE, we want Progress, we want change, real change we can believe in, and if you were serious about all that hopey changey stuff, we will be your best friends and fiercest allies, but first you have got to THINK BIG.
And in order to think big you have gotta dream big. I think that was what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was trying to say.
So you say you want a revolution?
No one ever said change or progress would be easy. I am ready to FIGHT for it, how about you?
Cheers,
Also crossposted at ProgressiveElectorate.com
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Here comes the sun
it won’t create many jobs. Bob Herbert has a column up as to how China is racing ahead of everyone as to green energy. Here’s a clue: cheap labor. Technology here – then shipped over there ’cause it’s cheaper. It’s happened already and will continue happening. And soon – more tech people invited here to work more cheaply on the innovation end.
The roofs idea is good – how quickly can the government import people to act as installers. It’s cheaper. Those solar panels will be made in China. Oh, and I’m not a wonk by any means – but intuitively I think those companies creating new technology would have gotten a tax break from us before they go on to China.
It’s one of those 21st century solution Obama talks about.
If Bernie Sanders admirable – damn straight. Will it happen? Maybe when our own people will work cheaper than anyone else on the planet.
Am I jaded? Yes – and I hope I’m wrong.
of legislation such as Sanders is proposing, however, not without significant foot dragging and fierce resistance.
When such a day arrives, it may be prudent to hum this tune to yourself as you are looking for a home to purchase (the vocals begin at the 2:00 mark)…