The politics of pollution

(ABC News Photos Illustration)

It's that time again - the time every four years as the smell of falling leaves enters our nostrils - when pundits froth at the mouth and actors try to prove they watch the news, too. It's presidential election time! I don't think it's a secret that Democrat Barack Obama, though not flawless on the environment for sure, is much more supportive of environmental issues than Republican rival John McCain.

The Sierra Club has released its list of Good Guys and Bad Guys for the 2008 election. Their criteria was based on who was bringing new solutions to the table and who was happy to keep things the way they are now in the hands of Bush.

Good Guys:

• Barack Obama: Transforming Energy
• Former Governor Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire)
• Representative Mark Udall (Colorado)
• Congressman Tom Udall (New Mexico)

Bad Guys:

• The Straight Talk About John McCain, Energy and the Environment
• Senator John Sununu (New Hampshire)
• Bob Schaffer (Colorado)
• Congressman Steve Pearce (New Mexico)

Obama vs. McCain Major Points:

Obama's environmental strengths:
-Provides relief for families struggling to pay their energy bills.
-Increases the efficiency of our cars.
-Invests $150 billion over the next ten years in alternative sources of energy.
-Requires 25% of U.S. electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025.
-Sets National Building Efficiency Goals. -Attacks global warming.
-Rejects drilling as the answer to our energy woes.

However, for the record, I'm not into nuclear energy in any way, shape, or form until we have a safe way to dispose to nuclear waste. That doesn't seem to bother Obama, which bothers me quite a bit, and was one of the reasons I supported Edwards in the primary. However, I'm glad Edwards didn't win because look where he is now.

McCain's environmental weaknesses:
-He Has Voted to Give Billions in Taxdollars to Big Oil - and Wants to Give them Billions More -He Has Voted Against Clean, Alternative Energy -His Energy Plan: Gimmicks, Not Solutions
-Gas Tax Holiday. -Offshore Oil Drilling. -He repeats the lie that offshore drilling is environmentally safe. -His Global Warming Plan is Outdated and Favors Special Interests.
-He Has At Least 23 Big Oil Lobbyists in Important Positions in His Campaign.