An example of a policy issue that the President of the United States and Congress have been discussing is in energy and environment. President Barack Obama believes that climate change is no longer a minor problem facing future generations, but a serious issue to be dealt with sooner than later; some members of congress, like California Senator Dianne Feinstein and Hawai’i Senator Brian Schatz, agree with Obama, whereas others, such as Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe and Colorado Senator Cory Gardner refute those arguments wholeheartedly. By assessing specific aspects of his plan for energy conservation and pollution reduction, President Obama uses ideas from multiple senators to outline a successful plan for the issue. Each feasible plan works off of others to create national models dealing with energy production and environment conservation.
President Barack Obama assessed the specific issue of power plants within the energy and environment umbrella. He considered the lack of restrictions on harmful carbon pollution emitted by these power plants and created the Clean Power Plan. Throughout the plan, Obama cited specific ways in which he intended to conserve energy and preserve the environment. He outlined methods for our country to cut carbon pollution, expand clean energy economy, lead global efforts on climate change, reduce air and water pollution, cut energy waste, prepare communities for impacts of climate change, and protect treasured national resources. He has accomplished many successes with these goals in mind. With Obama in office, our country has made progress towards overcoming these matters: improving air quality, thus, reducing childhood asthma attacks and premature deaths, helping particularly low-income communities prepare for unavoidable effects of climate change since they’re most susceptible, creating good paying jobs for Americans, new economic opportunities for american business, driving innovation so America can lead clean energy economy of 21st century.
Similarly to President Barack Obama’s intentions, Hawai’i Senator Brian Schatz advocates for the pricing of carbon pollution. Schatz created Hawai’i’s Renewable Energy Portfolio which allowed renewable energy owners to sell their unused energy back to the electric grid, thus, reducing their monthly energy bill. The portfolio is soon to be the first in the nation, succeeding California’s. The Hawai’i Clean Energy Initiative Act has become a national model for clean energy growth, development, and implementation. Just like President Barack Obama, he promotes the growth of a strong domestic clean energy economy and reducing the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Just like Barack Obama and Brian Schatz, California Senator Dianne Feinstein focuses on greenhouse gas emissions and aims to reduce our carbon footprint within this generation. After a historic drought in the state, Feinstein implemented the Emergency Drought Relief Act. Correspondingly, Feinstein funds the research and development of renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency improvements. She specifically focuses on fuel efficiency and protecting California’s natural resources.
Oppositely, Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe doesn’t believe in climate change and pollution being an issue that today’s generation faces. He considers the energy and environment a mere economic issue, but also associates energy generation with social security issues. He disagrees with President Obama by saying that energy needs to be completely, domestically dependent. According to Senator Inhofe’s website, Inhofe sees most environmental regulations just putting unnecessary restrictions on progress towards a stronger economy. He supports an increase of exploration and production of natural gas and oil. Although he advocates the development of renewable energy sources, he continues to disagree with President Obama, by supporting the continuation of development and use of coal and nuclear energy in any open domestic sources of energy production, including in our Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska, and on federal lands. Inhofe does not pay attention to the issues our environment faces, because he believes they occur naturally, unaffected by mankind. He believes that there is a prodigious conspiracy theory behind the global efforts reducing climate change.
Another senator viewing the issues in energy and environment as a social security issue is Colorado Senator Cory Gardner. Similarly to Jim Inhofe’s beliefs, but facing Obama’s, Gardner understands energy research and development to be an economic strategy. He advocates for further research of every type of energy, whether that be renewable or nonrenewable. He supports anything to make us first in energy research and development while remaining completely, domestically dependent in energy efficiency. Gardner also fails to acknowledge the issues facing our country’s environment.
After thorough analyses, I’ve come to my own conclusion to support President Obama in his plan to price carbon emissions, reducing pollution and cutting energy waste. Science has proven the dangerous effects that climate change have on the environment. With evidence in the recurring natural disasters and smog pollution in large cities, pollution is already affecting this generation. I disagree with Inhofe and Gardner, because I consider clean energy and the environment less of a social security and economic issue but more of an international crisis. I disagree with every politician who sides with Inhofe’s claims of climate change being a hoax. I believe that scientific evidence is obvious and indisputable, so it’s less credible for politicians to overlook science and simply comment on economics.I believe the fight against climate change needs to be a global effort to reduce the harmful effects on all human beings. Everyone on this planet should make more of an effort to reduce the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions in general. This problem is no longer a minor issue to put off for future generations; the time to act is now.
President Barack Obama has implemented many plans into action dealing with energy and environment. Senators like Brian Schatz and Dianne Feinstein support Obama’s implementations, and further elaborate on his ideas to make them more applicable to the entire country. The scientific support behind each of their plans is overwhelming and undeniable. I support their similar plans to improve and fund further research and development of clean energy sources in an attempt to save this planet. The opposition analyzed in this discussion, Senators Jim Inhofe and Cory Gardner, solely focus on energy and climate change as economic and social security issues. They basically disregard the environmental issues and scientific proof, but direct all of their attention to the monetary aspects of energy development. If no progress is made, safety is a large concern for our country.
Sources
Energy and the Environment | U.S. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado. Retrieved December 08, 2016, from https://www.gardner.senate.gov/about-cory/issues/energy-and-the-environment
A Historic Commitment to Protecting the Environment and Reversing Climate Change. (2015). Retrieved December 08, 2016, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-record/climate
Energy / Environment | U.S. Senator for Oklahoma. (n.d.). Retrieved December 08, 2016, from http://www.inhofe.senate.gov/issues/energy-environment
@feinstein. (n.d.). Environment. Retrieved December 08, 2016, from http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/theenvironment
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii. (n.d.). Retrieved December 08, 2016, from http://www.schatz.senate.gov/issues/clean-energy