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HUCKABEE AND ENERGY.
With all the talk about the Huck in the past few days, here's another thing worth noting: he also supports some relatively progressive climate and energy policies. Well, at least compared to his opponents. Last week, he came out in support of a cap-and-trade system.
"It goes to the moral issue,'' Huckabee said, in a press conference in New Hampshire. "We have a responsibility to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, to conserve energy, to find alternative forms of energy that are renewable and sustainable and environmentally friendly."
He joins John McCain as the only Republican candidates to support cap-and-trade, and to actively discuss policy that would address the issue.
Huckabee was also the only GOP candidate to mention getting America off oil at the Values Voter Summit over the weekend, though of course it in the "energy independence" frame. He's promised to achieve energy independence by the end of his second term should he be elected (and reelected), and supports expanding use of nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel, and biomass. Also, he's voiced support for raising CAFE standards and a renewable portfolio standard.
Sure, he evades the subject of whether or not human activity is causing climate change, and his concern about the planet is steeped in "caring for God's creation" rhetoric rather than acknowledging the very real consequences of climate change. But hey, he's engaging in the policy debate at least, whereas the others (outside of McCain) aren't. More on Huckabee's climate and energy stances here and here.
--Kate Sheppard
COMMENTS (4)
Good post.
It's better to see points of agreement with conservatives and areas of possible compromise and cooperation where they appear, instead of ridiculing them as being inconsistent with other positions (cf. just about every Scott Lemieux post on abortion).
Posted by: captcrisis | October 23, 2007 5:30 PM
Yeah, I am reminded of Eisenhower's couching the Interstate Highway program in the need to move military personnel and armaments around the country for defense purposes. If it helped get the interstates built, what's there to complain about.
The truth is there probably is some nascent environmentalism among at least some of Christian conservatives. If stressing the Biblical injunction to take care of the earth can get them to move to do the right thing on green issues, I see no problem with it and no problem with Huckabee advocating this.
Posted by: Dilan Esper | October 23, 2007 5:36 PM
Cap and trade is bad economics and bad policy.
If it appears that we will use a cap and trade system then everyone who can will increase their output so they get a bigger share of the cap and then can sell their allocation.
A tax is a far better and more efficient way to curb the output that we want reduced.
Posted by: neil wilson | October 23, 2007 7:13 PM
Thanks for the post Kate. I have a limited knowledge of candidates like Huckabee compared to individuals like Rommney, Clinton, Obama who always get so much coverage in the media.
I am working with a coalition to make sure Congress sends the president a strong energy bill with meaningful changes for our environment and planet. This legislation would be a monumental step toward stopping global warming. Its great to know that there is atleast one candidate who has spoken out about the issue.
Go to http://www.energybill2007.us and learn more about CAFE and RES yourself.
Posted by: kwolph | October 23, 2007 11:01 PM