"the time has come, once and for all, for this nation to fully embrace a clean energy future."
I've been waiting a long time for the President (not the candidate) to speak words like that. Today, at Carnegie Mellon University, the President is going to say just that. Perhaps the Gulf oil spill catastrophe has finally pushed President Obama to get fired up on energy policy.
Update Live feed for speech
USA Today has excerpts from the soon-to-be-given speech. Here are some of the highlights:
First, we have another attack on the 'Party of No':
Now, some of you may have noticed that we have been building this foundation without much help from our friends in the other party. From our efforts to rescue the economy to health insurance reform to financial reform, most have sat on the sidelines and shouted from the bleachers. They said no to tax cuts for small businesses; no to tax credits for college tuition; no to investments in clean energy. They said no to protecting patients from insurance companies and consumers from big banks...
They gutted regulations, and put industry insiders in charge of industry oversight. They shortchanged investments in clean energy and education; in research and technology.
And then the money line...
The time has come, once and for all, for this nation to fully embrace a clean energy future. That means continuing our unprecedented effort to make everything from our homes and businesses to our cars and trucks more energy efficient. It means tapping into our natural gas reserves, and moving ahead with our plan to expand our nation's fleet of nuclear power plants.
Continuing with the impossible dream...
And it means rolling back billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies so we can prioritize investments in clean energy research and development.
I'll believe that when I see any Republican (and Mary Landrieu) vote to break a filibuster on removing tax breaks for oil companies. Still, it's good to hear the President demand this.
And finally a promise to get it done:
The votes may not be there right now, but I intend to find them in the coming months. I will make the case for a clean energy future wherever I can, and I will work with anyone from either party to get this done. But we will get this done. The next generation will not be held hostage to energy sources from the last century.
Can an angry President and an unprecedented oil spill finally wrest the control of Congress and the government from the oil companies which was cemented during and by the Bush administration?
Sad to say, the smart money is likely still on the oil companies. But perhaps the bookies are starting to shorten the odds a bit.