Investment in mass transit yields four times as many jobs per dollar as investment in oil development – it’s a simple choice for policymakers
We got a nice little basket of information from Congressman Grijalva’s staff on energy and job creation. That quote above was the money shot - he is all too aware of the effect the billion dollars a day we send overseas for oil has on our economy, both this quarter, and the effect it’ll have over the next quarter century.
As our first incumbent to join EnergizeUS Congressman Grijalva gives us a different perspective than those currently running. A four term Congressman from Arizona’s 7th District, he saw the worst the Bush administration could do in his first two terms, he was there when we turned the corner in 2006, when Obama was inaugurated after 2008, and we need to both keep sending him back and send more Democrats of all types who will stand together to provide the jobs and energy security our country needs.
Developing local light rail and high-speed regional rail, such as the Recovery Act-funded line now being constructed between Tampa and Orlando, should be major priorities for private industry and government entities for years to come.
Wise, long term investments like this are the result of a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate sending legislation to a Democratic President.
Designing energy-efficient batteries that weigh less and last longer, as the Department of Energy is currently promoting with Recovery Act funds, will go a long way toward making them a viable part of America’s transportation and energy future. Right now, there are two American factories producing about two percent of the world’s advanced vehicle batteries. By 2012, those figures are expected to climb to 30 factories making 20 percent of the world’s advanced batteries. We need to support more of these innovative kinds of research and development efforts across the energy and transportation sectors.
Even if we do build a tremendous amount of mass transit to stimulate our economy and save energy, the size of our country and the way it grew means we need vehicles that run on roads, and other countries are better suited to electric vehicles. The advanced battery industry is key for many things, and wise use of our tax dollars now positions us for steady, long term tax revenues from this sector in the future. America prefers private enterprises, and this policy move now will foster their future growth.
Investments in small-scale solar projects produce jobs through building and installing the panels and reduce residential and commercial environmental impact. I’ve co-sponsored a bill to establish national "net metering" standards that help customers receive credit on their electric bill for surplus electricity they generate, and another bill to establish a rebate program for homeowners who install solar panels or solar water heating systems.
Not only do we need multi-state mega-projects like high speed rail, we’ve got to do something for the out of work construction trades. The path described here would restart our local manufacturing, but we’d need protections in place to ensure these key industries will not be offshored as soon as they are built.
Congressman Grijalva’s record in this area is crystal clear - doing what is needed for Arizona 7 while doing what is needed for our nation. If we retain him and send more Democrats who are focused on local energy production and job creation we will leave a lasting legacy for our children.
EnergizeUS is a coalition of candidates across the country talking about how we can reenergize our economy, put Americans back to work in good paying jobs and lessen our dependence on foreign oil but creating jobs in the areas of renewable energy resources and energy efficiency. Candidates of the coalition are: David Cozad (TX-06), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07),Jim Holbert (KY-05), Billy Kennedy (NC-5), David Gill (IL-15), Lance Enderle (MI-08), Rodney Glassman (AZ-Sen), Cheryl Hudspeth (KS-02),Lainey Melnick (TX-21), Kevin Bradley (CO-05),Jerry Policoff (PA St House 41), and Michael Puhr (IL St House 104).
You can learn more about the coalition at EnergizeUS.org & you can join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
If you can afford to, please show these candidates some love on ActBlue.