President Obama’s 2012 budget plan slashes the deficit by $1.1 trillion over 10 years, but House Republicans want to see at least $60 billion in cuts this year. Obama indicated that the budget he sent Congress will help meet his goal of cutting the deficit in half by the end of his first term.
The Obama budget is said to have used a scapel to make cuts while at the same time increasing spending in areas deemed vital to America’s competitiveness. The budget proposes tax increases for the wealthy and some businesses, and increased government investments in elementary schools and clean energy. They also integrated some interesting green ways of saving money. The State Department said it expected to save $5.3 million in energy costs over the next three years by painting the roofs of its offices in a heat-reflecting white. And the US Agency for International Development projected hundreds of thousands in paper savings by reducing the font size in its documents.
Republican cost cutting measures have been put together in the Continuing Resolution (CR), they also proposed almost 600 amendments. Many of the proposed amendments are designed to cut spending and defund policies including the Democrats green agenda. The two most important amendments for anti-environmental conservatives include Amendments No. 198 and No 149.
Amendment No. 198 seeks to block Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement. This amendment was introduced by Rep. Ted Poe (R.-Tex.), it would prohibit any CR funds for the EPA to “implement, administer, or enforce” requirements pertaining to the emissions of greenhouse gases, such as the permit requirement under the Clean Air Act. With this amendment, House Republicans want to undermine the EPA’s efforts to limit global warming pollution from new power plants and factories.
Amendment No. 149 wants to defund the Climate Change Panel. This amendment was introduced by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R.-Mo.), it would block any CR funds from being used for “contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).”
Other environmentally harmful Republican amendments include ending protection for wild lands and mountaintop removal mining. Republicans also want to take the Northern Rockies gray wolves off the endangered species list, reduce river water levels which will threaten salmon, and expedit offshore oil drilling approvals by ignoring compliance with environmental and safety measures.
The Republican track record on the environment is woeful. The League of Conservation Voters scorecard of 2010 illustrates just how unfriendly Republicans are to the environment. Now Republicans want to eliminate Obama’s proposed investment in clean energy, as well as deprive the EPA and the Climate Change Panel of funding.
Democrats control of the Senate and Obama’s veto powers, may be able to stave off the CR bill, but Republicans have threatened to shut down government even though this may anger Americans. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, most Americans would not react favorably if Republicans shut down the federal government for a few weeks.
If we ignore Republican’s knee jerk obstructionism, the issue comes down to whether the benefits of government spending outweigh deficit spending. Governments around the world seem to share Obama’s take on the importance of government investment to help the economy and create jobs. This is particularly true for green spending which provides jobs while helping industries grow so that they can be competitive.
Republican law-makers need to be reminded that unemployment is one of America’s greatest challenges and green investments create jobs. While the rest of the world is investing in employment, Republicans are trying to divest America of its ability to compete in the growing green economy.
© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.
Related Posts
State Green Jobs Initiatives Need Federal Legislation
Republican Opposition to Obama’s Clean Energy Standard
Republicans Dethrone Czars and Defund the President’s Policies
Video: EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s Address at the Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference
State Green Jobs Initiatives Need Federal Legislation
Republican Opposition to Obama’s Clean Energy Standard
Republicans Dethrone Czars and Defund the President’s Policies
Video: EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s Address at the Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference
Republican Opposition to Obama’s Bipartisan Clean Energy Standard
Foxes in the Henhouse: Republican Control of the Climate and Energy Committees
Republican Gubernatorial Gains and Redistricting
Republican Gubernatorial Gains and the Clean Energy Economy
Republican Gubernatorial Gains and US Carbon Trading Programs
Republicans’ Anti-Science Stance on Global Warming
Republican Strategy for the 2010 Midterms and Beyond
Republican Political Finance and the Midterm Elections
Republicans Undermining Climate Legislation
Green Stimulus Spending and Republican Opposition
Government Investment Green Jobs and Economic Recovery
Government Incentives are Growing Renewable Energy
Green Stimulus Investments and Job Creation
Green Jobs for America
Highlights of Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address: Clean Energy,
Video: Green Jobs
Democrats the Environment and Green Jobs
A Green Jobs Bill Will Have to Wait
The Green Job Market
House Democrats Punished Despite Populist Pandering
House Lawmakers Oppose New Car Ratings
Democrats Learning the Wrong Lesson from Republicans
Senate Democrats and the Environmental Agenda
Democrats the Environment and Green Jobs
Video: How to Get People to Vote for Climate Change
Environmental Issues in California and 5 Key Senate Races
The 2010 Midterms and the Fight Against Climate Change
The New International System: The Role of Government
What is Wrong with the Right
