Which Presidential Candidate has pledged to commit $150 billion dollars and 10 years of effort to bring clean energy to the United States? Which candidate has the ability to help bring enough good Democrats into office that we can take decisive action against global warming, and push for a sustainable energy policy? Which candidate has the potential to turn his grassroots campaign movement into a force to bring environmental issues to the forefront of our national concerns?
These questions were on my mind this afternoon, as I attended a panel discussion organized by UT’s Students for Barack Obama on Obama’s energy policy.
The panel featured Dan Kammen, an internationally-recognized expert on global warming and energy policy and one of Obama’s top advisors; Jim Marston, Texas state director of the Environmental Defense Fund; and Representative Mark Strama, a local legislator with a strong history in grassroots activism. The discussion was a mixture of science and activism, with equal time discussing finite policies as the importance of GOTV this weekend here in Texas. It was refreshing to hear this mix of academics and politicians talking about the intersection of pragmatism and idealism. All agreed that because Obama is the candidate best capable to help get Democrats elected in Red States, and the candidate most likely to carry Red States in the general election, he will build a genuine coalition and take office with a legitimate mandate. This will make it all the more possible for him to carry out his legislative agenda, and bring the needed change that his opponent seems to dismiss like so many nickels and dimes.
The panel was moderated by UT Professor Michael Webber, who started with a powerful introduction that reminded me of the importance of sound energy policy both to Texas, and to the rest of the planet. He remarked on how UT’s great wealth came in part from the oil found under university lands, and how many alumni now lead the world’s biggest oil and gas companies. Yet as we look to transition away from fossil fuels and towards alternatives, the Jackson School has looked to become an innovator in green energy, here in Texas and beyond. Webber spoke about how finally global warming was gaining traction, and for the first time would be considered a major issue, one that might turn the tide of the election. He spoke of the Republicans and their policies of high production and high consumption, in contrast to the ideal position of Democrats, many of whom advocate for low production and low consumption.
The event drew an impressive crowd for a Friday afternoon in a hard-to-find campus building, and perhaps most inspiring were the number of students present to learn more about global warming and developing a sustainable and sound energy policy. This shouldn’t have been a surprise—young people are highly concerned about global warming, perhaps because we’ll be living through its impending and serious impacts for a greater percentage of our lives.
I’d never been to such wonkish political event before, let alone one only featuring experts and advisors, rather than the candidate him or herself. Watching the panel discussion, I was struck by the importance of the coalition of advisors that come with each elected official. It’s unrealistic to expect any one candidate to be an expert on everything -- all of that learning would leave them no time to get elected and work their way up. While I’m pleased that Obama’s areas of expertise are in areas like Constitutional Law and grassroots organizing, it’s nevertheless critically important whom he chooses to surround himself with on other issues.
That’s why Dan Kammen’s visit to Austin today was so important. Kammen is a professor at Berkeley who manages to combine energy research, technology, and public policy in his work. Though still in his early forties, Dan is a leader in the field, and already advises many top agencies on global warming, including the World Bank and the Presidents Committee on Science and Technology (PCAST). He is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and a lead author for the Special Report on Technology Transfer of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. So when Dan says that Barack Obama is the candidate most capable of taking forward action on global warming, he’s speaking with significant authority on the subject.
"Barack Obama is by far the best person for that job."
Kammen concentrated on the need for US leadership to make energy policy a top priority, particularly during the first 100 days of the new presidential administration. "We need a whole new way of thinking" about global warming and energy, he said, and described it in terms of John F. Kennedy’s goal to put a man on the moon—a national vision, something that each American can feel personally invested in achieving. Who inspires us to do this? According to Dan Kammen, it’s Barack Obama.
Kammen focused the rest of his talk on international perspectives of global warming—he recently returned from the UN’s Environmental Program conference in Monaco, and spoke of how European nations are desperate for the United States to take strong leadership on this issue. Importantly, he noted that the Democrats don’t have clean hands on this either—he cited not only the 7 years of failure under the Bush administration, but President Clinton’s as well. Kammen noted that Clinton had majorities in the House and Senate at the start of his term—not to mention Vice President Al Gore—and yet still did not lead on environmental issues and fight against global warming.
Finally, Kammen encouraged all of the attendees to get involved with GOTV efforts here in Texas—make calls, take a road trip to another area and find further support for Barack Obama. He noted that a Republican colleague of his recently forwarded him a message that the RNC predicts that it will need to spend an additional $10-$15 million dollars to hold the state of Mississippi against Obama in the general election. Mississippi. In the general election. If we want significant action on climate change, we need to elect the leader who not only has tremendous environmental policies and the best advisors, but the political skills to actually bring about the change we need.
"We’re Running Out of Time."
Jim Marston spoke next about why he supports Barack Obama. For those unfamiliar, Marston is the Regional Director of the Environmental Defense Fund here in Texas, and Head of the State Climate Initiative. Marston emphasized that he was speaking as a private citizen and not for the EDF, but it’s worth noting that this is one private citizen who knows of what he speaks. Essentially the highest-ranking environmental policy wonk here in Texas, he focused his speech on what can perhaps most aptly be described as "the fierce urgency of now" in terms of taking action on global warming.
Marston also highlighted several specifics of Obama’s platform, including a push to phase out the incandescent lightbulb and his tremendous investment in research & development.
Marston was perhaps the most pragmatic about the wider legislative issues at play. We need 60 votes in the Senate to get anything done. We’re not going to get all of the Democratic votes anyways—he paused to note that while he was glad Senator Jay Rockefellor endorsed Obama today, Rockefellor’s own environmental positions can hardly be called clean. Thus, Obama’s ability to convince Republicans to cross the aisle becomes all the more imperative.
"It’s his moonshot."
Representative Mark Strama spoke third, and equated Obama’s commitment to devote $150 billion dollars towards clean energy policy (three times that of Hillary) again to JFK’s goal to put a man on the moon. Looking at the issue again from a pragmatic stance, Strama spoke about how clean energy is ultimately not only better for the planet, but for the average citizen’s pocketbook as well, invoking the long-term costs of inefficient energy usage. He noted conservation as the first and most basic step towards reducing energy usage. Strama again talked about Bill Clinton’s failure to pass the BTU bill, which would have heavily taxed energy consumption. Strama noted that the bill failed because of framing—Clinton failed to sell the American people on the short- and long-term benefits of the bill. Obama—one of the most skilled politicians Strama has ever seen—possesses the skills to make the American people and Congress alike get on board with these kinds of transformative policies.
Strama noted that Obama will win in Republican Congressional districts, and win formerly-Red States outright, which will give him tremendous political capital in pushing his agenda through Congress. Strama noted that a Republican representative of a district that voted for Obama would think twice before outright trying to obstruct the new president’s policy initiatives. On the other hand, Strama suggested, the Republicans in Congress would do everything in their power to prevent Hillary from succeeding as an executive, regardless of what their districts and constituents might think.
Strama also reminded us that with Obama at the top of the ticket, even Texas is in play. In the past week I heard mention of a head-to-head poll with Obama trailing McCain by only 8 points. 8 points? That means I only have to personally convince 4.1% of likely McCain voters to change their minds. He closed with a few anecdotes about his own insurgent grassroots campaign to get elected to the Texas Legislature. Strama, a former intern for Ann Richards, imparted some sage wisdom from the late, great governor – "The only smart reason to run for office is because you can win." This weekend, as Obama supporters in Texas ramp up our last furious efforts, it’s a nice feeling to know that Obama can win here in Texas, and is the candidate most likely to win in the general election this November.
While Strama had to run off to another event, a friend of his stepped up to say a few words—Lisa Ling. Ling and Strama ran Rock the Vote together back in 2006, and have stayed close since. Ling spoke about her own support for Barack, first offering the caveat that as a journalist she usually would refrain from publicly stating her preference. However with Obama, Ling feels that it’s an issue of "conviction over career." She spoke of her work with National Geographic, and how America’s reputation has become tarnished in the eyes of the rest of the world. Electing Obama would send a message about what kind of United States we want to be.
All in all, a pretty neat event. It was really fun for me to see these academics being asked to contribute to Obama’s campaign, and demonstrate the importance of why picking advisors on serious issues can have a national impact. One of the panelists noted that it was good politics to "steal good ideas from other people," to which Professor Webber replied, "we call that research, here." For the third of audience members who admitted to still being uncommitted to either candidate, I hope their research this afternoon helped make up their minds for Barack Obama.
UPDATE! I almost forgot -- Dan Kammen said that the Obama campaign is trying to add more names to their letter of support from environmental leaders by Sunday, particularly anyone in Texas. If you know someone who is an environmental activist or involved in energy issues, please urge them to email Dan at the email address on his Berkeley page.