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PA-Sen: McGinty Wants U.S. to Lead Climate Talks

Katie_McGintyAs 150 heads of state converge on Paris for the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, Katie McGinty is calling on U.S. leaders to be at the front of the push.

“I urge our leaders to continue to lead the way to a healthier and safer environment by agreeing to common-sense climate protections with investments in energy efficiency and clean energy,” McGinty said.

McGinty, Secretary of the Dept. of Environmental Protection under Ed Rendell, emphasized the need for a dramatic global reduction in pollution.

“In the U.S., we should seize the opportunity to create good jobs and cut electricity bills for taxpayers by boosting efficiency and clean energy,” McGinty said. “Capturing and using the enormous heat generated by current power plants and driving forward on renewable energy development will create jobs and bring down energy costs for hardworking families across the country.”

The Democratic Senate candidate spent almost four years as Pres. Bill Clinton’s top environmental advisor after becoming the first woman to chair the Council on Environmental Quality.

In recent weeks, McGinty has taken flak from the GOP for her work in the private sector, attacking her for profiting from stints on the boards of NRG Energy and Iberdrola.

15 Responses

  1. If you’re under 40, Stalwart, you’re in it whether you want to be or not. Have fun. Maybe your Sean Hannity Dog Whistle will protect you.

  2. Montcopa dem, your chicken-little world is such a fearful place. Please leave the rest of us out of it.

  3. jmarshak-

    Actually, not only are a lot of consumers flocking to it, but more and more companies are putting solar panels on their roofs.

    It takes time for the green infrastructure to build up. For example, electric cars are great, but the number of charging stations is nowhere near the number gas stations. And, eventually, if we get to hydrogen economy, the gas stations will be hydrogen gas.

    The government funds a lot of basic research, which is vital, before advances eventually become commercially viable. That’s how progress works.

    I’m glad you at least support ending the govt subsidies on fossil fuels (one of the most profitable industries and not one in need of subsidies). Without the subsidies, many of the green solutions actually are price competitive.

    But, the government can made investments in solar panels and other green tech for schools, government building, car fleets, etc.

    Don’t forget, once you have wind/solar plants, there isn’t a constant cost for new “fuel” like with coal/gas, and there aren’t price fluctuations controlled by foreign reserves, shortages and price wars.

    So, government investment in local, renewable energy sources reduces our dependence on the mid-East, and is good “security” for the US (as well as protecting our citizens from tens of thousands of premature deaths from air pollution).

    So, it’s not a question of the (false) mantra of the “govt picking winners and losers”. It’s a matter of the govt promoting long term policies that benefit the nation.

    Terrorists aren’t going to blow up a solar plant or windmill, but an oil train or gas plant/line are prime targets.

  4. DD- if green energy was cheaper, consumers would flock to it on their own. That’s how economics works. I am not opposed to alternative energy; I just think it’s foolish to falsely prop it up.

    For the record, I am equally opposed to government subsidies for fossil fuels and don’t believe we should keep using them for no reason other than preserving existing jobs. Let all of the energy providers compete for the consumer’s dollar without government interference and the best one will win.

  5. “When alternative energies become economically practical, they won’t need any help from government to replace fossil fuels in the marketplace” ? wtf?

    Fossil fuels are already helped and subsidized by the government. Search Google for: fossil fuel subsidies

    And, let’s not forget all the military resources spent to protect oil interests. Also, the industry never pays the additional costs of pollution and environmental damage.

    Solar power costs have dropped 70% since 2009. Costs of other renewables have also dropped and continue to drop.

    There is more job growth in the green energy sectors, and as coal plants go offline, renewables are more than replacing them to cover demand.

  6. Too bad McGinty is a cover-up artist for the fossil fuel industry. She’ll say anything to get elected. Revolving door to riches–that’s McGinty.

  7. You idiots simply do not understand — either willfully or ignorantly — that the crap we are pouring into the sky is quite literally killing the f**king planet. It’s not a matter of “clean air” or “dirty air”. And it’s not a matter of opinion, no matter what your Koch-addled propaganda outlets tell you. If nothing is done, or if only token efforts are approved, we lose huge chunks of the coastline, weather systems continue to get weirder and wilder, and massive parts of every continent become unlivable. You can turn your backs on it, pretend like everything is going to be OK, but 50 years from now your kids and grandkids will curse your name for making their lives unbearable. But at least you got to join the Rush Limbaugh Fan Club, so you’ve got that going for you.

  8. We already tried the “creating good jobs with clean energy” thing. It was called Solyndra. When alternative energies become economically practical, they won’t need any help from government to replace fossil fuels in the marketplace. Until then, using taxpayer dollars and the power of government to pick winners and losers is a bad idea, and it doesn’t magically become noble just because it’s good for the environment. Tomorrow our clean air will be over China and their dirty air will be over us.

  9. Climate change again? I remember when it was global cooling, then warming and now climate change. Always changing the words to keep this issue alive. We have reduced our pollution. HOW ABOUT CHINA AND INDIA? THEY POLLUTE WORSE THEN US! China has almost daily smog in their own capital!

  10. Please explain how a candidate getting more press, more endorsements, and fundraising at a better rate than any of her opponents is losing relevance?

  11. McGinty–perfecting the art of double-speak. What a phony. She’ll do anything to get her mug in the “news”—BTW–Jason, in what forum did she make this pronouncement? Sounds like anything she does gets play here at PoliticsPA. Let’s try to stay impartial, OK. (Mickey is correct–McGinty is becoming more and more irrelevant). Would I really want the fox guarding the henhouse? $1.1 million from energy corporations into her pocket undermines anything she says—again, it’s all double-speak. This ‘revolving door’ to riches is truly her achilles heel and one of her many weaknesses.

  12. Irrelevant to you maybe, Mickey. I’m plenty interested in hearing what our next US Senator has to say about climate change. I’m glad to hear she’s for aggressive action, unlike outgoing Senator Pat Toomey, who refuses to believe there’s a need to act.

  13. In related news, McGinty’s opinions are completely irrelevant and getting more so all the time. Should have kept that sweet job as Acting Governor!

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