Proposal - Please let me know what you think

[rosesaylavee]

I have been thinking about this for a few weeks now. I have come to the conclusion that the best thing for me right now is to choose
some positive action rather than worry and fret as I have been doing. I do not have another candidate at this point and will only vote
for someone in the primary other than Gore if I do find out I cannot write his name in. I personally have no idea if Gore wants to run
or not. Depending on the hour and day of the week, I can give you reasoned answers to support yes or no. And, probably so can all
of you.

So, I am going with what I DO know. I DO know he wants the next president to address the climate crisis in very specific ways. NONE
of the Democratic candidates have adopted any or all of his ideas. I think I am safe to presume this is why he is not endorsing any
of them.

What I propose is this - let's organize ourselves around the idea of persuading or attempting to persuade the other DEM camps to
adopt or at least reassess these points that Gore thinks are vital for our survival. Let's help him with his 'campaign of another sort'
which would ultimately help him if he WILL run. I see us here at DU and particularly those who frequent this forum to be in a unique
position to help sway a goodly number of the other candidate's followers. Perhaps we divvy up the candidates among those
interested in this project, approach key supporters here on DU and ask what we can do to help them convince their candidate that
they need to beef up their climate crisis plans.

The points below are what Al Gore presented to the Congress last March. It was hard to find for me... it's not listed too many places.
Let's shine a bright light on it and get the word out to our candidates that we expect them to address each point - either to adopt or
explain why they will not adopt. (bolded phrases are mine as it is easier for me to remember the points that way)

What say you DU Al Gore Forum peeps?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1) FREEZE CARBON EMISSIONS. Immediately freeze carbon emissions at the existing level; then implement programs to
reduce it 90% by 2050.

2) CARBON TAX. Reduce taxes on employment and production, instead taxing pollution (especially CO2). These pollution
taxes would raise the same amount of money, but make us more competitive by encouraging employment while discouraging pollution.

3) LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE. A portion of the revenues must be earmarked for low-income and middle class people
who will have a difficult time making this transition.

4) NEW TREATY IN 2010. Negotiate a strong global treaty to replace Kyoto, while working toward de facto compliance
with Kyoto. Move the start date of this new treaty forward from 2012 to 2010, so the next president can act immediately, rather
than waste time trying to pass Kyoto right before it expires. We have to try to get China and India to participate in the treaty.
If they don’t immediately participate, we have to move forward with the treaty regardless, trusting that they will join sooner rather
than later.

5) RESTRICT CONSTRUCTION OF COAL PLANTS. Impose a moratorium on construction of any new coal-fired power plant
not compatible with carbon capture and sequestration.

6) INDIVIDUAL HOME & BUSINESS ENERGY CREDITS. Develop an “electranet” — a smart grid that allows individual
homeowners and small businesses to create green power and sell their excess power to the utility companies at a fair price. Just
as widely distributed information processing led to a large new surge of productivity, we need a law that allows widely distributed
energy generation to be sold into the grid, at a rate determined not by a the utility companies, but by regulation. The goal is to
create a grid that does not require huge, centralized power plants.

7) RAISE MPG STANDARDS. Raise CAFE standards for cars and trucks as part of a comprehensive package. Cars and
trucks are a large part of the problem, but coal and buildings must be addressed at the same time.

8) BAN INCANDESCENTS. Set a date for the ban of incandescent light bulbs that gives industry time to create
alternatives. If the date is set, industry will meet this challenge.

9) ENERGY MORTGAGES. Create Connie Mae, a carbon-neutral mortgage association. Connie Mae will defer the costs
of things like insulation and energy efficient windows which cut carbon but are often not used by builders or renovators because
they add to the upfront costs of homes, only paying for themselves after several years of energy savings.

10) CORPORATE CARBON DISCLOSURES ENFORCED. The SEC should require disclosure of carbon emissions in
corporate reporting.

http://fypower.org/news/?p=1017

[Pastiche423]

1. You have far more trust in the other candidates than I do

If none of them have extensive or even half ass CC stances/plans, less than a month from the 1st primary, why would they do it now?

I was so much looking forward to the Gore/Schwarzenegger CC debate. It would have given me at least a little faith in our Dem candidates.

As it is, I have no trust in any of them to make CC a priority. In this longest ever campaign, they've had more than enough time to get there shit together and do something to help save our planet.

I know you mean well, rosesaylavee. I have had the same thought. But after watching debate after debate, w/no discussion about CC, I have lost faith.

Before the Bali convention began, I believe Gore did not think he would run up against the flat out refusal of the U.S. to commit as intensively as he has.

It is looking more and more like this will be the 1st time since 1972 that I will not vote for a president. (I wasn't old enough to vote before then.)

[rosesaylavee]

5. I see the candidates as basically humans trying to do something

larger than themselves... forget about motives here and ability to pull it off. None of them have really pulled ahead of the others. The polls are not to be trusted - just look at the same period of time in 2003. Actually, they all need something to distinguish themselves from the pack. Perfect time to hit them with the tools to do so. I see it as a win win win all the way around. Gore gets his talking points out there, the planet may yet get a reprieve, and the candidates will do the right thing for themselves and the people.

If this was the most difficult thing about the climate crisis, that would be wonderful. I would do cartwheels. As it is, there is some talk that its already too late. I just can't NOT do anything when I see a window of opportunity like this.

[rodbailey]

2. I'm not sure I had seen this list before, although

I've certainly heard Gore discuss many of these items. As you may surmise, I'm not ready to give up on Gore getting into the race just yet, so I'm not even thinking of Plan B at this point. (In fact today I've been getting about 100 e-mail addresses of newspapers and radio and TV stations in Iowa so Farrell could send them press releases about the write-in campaign in NH. He's hoping to get a little buzz going in Iowa so people out there might start thinking about Gore before they go into the caucuses. I've also been looking up address and phone numbers from lists of folks that signed on-line petitions for Gore (at DG.com mostly) for states like PA, NJ, DE, DC, MD, WV, OH, and MI. I previously did NY, VT, ME, CT, and RI for him. He will be using these to send letters to folks asking for contributions to help the NH campaign.) HOWEVER, what I will do with the list you've got is present it to some of the local Dem. representatives at some point in the future, assuming they haven't committed to a candidate for the Convention (as I may have mentioned, they all go as super-delegates). I will use the list as an argument in favor of a/urging them to cast a vote for Gore (assuming there is a realistic chance as we get close to the Convention that he is showing some willingness to get into the fray) or at least use these points to put into the Dem. platform and insisting on whomever they might support that that candidate supports these items. This way I can keep my hopes up for Gore to get into the mix, but if a Plan B is required, I would work through my local Representative (I'm not sure one of my Senators - Hillary - would sign on if she hasn't chosen to speak about it yet, but I can check on that; Chuck, I'm not sure about, but he's worth a try but I bet he's supporting Clinton). So, glad you dug this stuff up to put out here for all of us to look at and think about; and I think your plan is a good one (except I can't contemplate a Plan B yet). Thanks!

[rosesaylavee]

6. This is the list he gave Congress last March

when he spoke before both the House and Senate.

I am not saying I have given up on him possibly being our candidate. I think of this as plan A-01. I don't see how my personal efforts can help NH as I can't be there in person and I can't afford to give much money to the effort. THIS, however, I can do as I have spent way too much time on DU just puttering around anyway, reading and fretting about all the insanity that this admin has unleashed on us and the world.

Haven't given up - and I see this as only helping him one way or the other while serving a few other purposes as well. What you may or may not know, and I am only surmising here from what I know about some of the posters here at DU... we have many many candidate volunteers at all levels posting here. Our efforts would be heard up the food chain I am sure.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. Anything to get his message out.

Get this, I talked to a freeper last night and he said he thought Gore would get in!!! :wow:

This from a guy who truly believes that every person in Iraq wnats every American DEAD.

I don't know why, but it gave me hope.

[rosesaylavee]

7. Well, at least we have the nutters vote!

:hi:

I live in a red part of Illinois. I know several live-long republicans who would vote for Gore if given the opportunity.

[lildreamer316]

4. I'm definitely on board, and

I believe this can serve a double purpose: the candidate who (HOPEFULLY) responds and best addresses the climate change issue, would also bring themselves into a great position for running mate to Gore, which again, is a very powerful political position.
Some of these candidates really need to think about that. I am surprised that none of them have tried to co-opt the climate change platform for themselves. It's almost ridiculous.

[rosesaylavee]

8. Great

Glad you see the opportunity too. I think what we need to do first is do a point by point comparison with the candidates platforms and Gore's. Do you think you could pick one or two of them and do that? What I hope to have is a spreadsheet showing where they have hit the mark or missed it on a given point.

And if there is a candidate or two you like better than the others, start thinking about their top supporters here on DU. Not sure how we would connect with them at this point but let's think on it.

[mopinko]

9. ya know, i can bug obama a little, i think.

my local party, of which i am on the executive committee (howard was right. show up. you will be surprised what happens next.) has been on the obama train from before the beginning. although i have given my grudging support, the rest of the group are enthusiastic. several are close personal friends. etc. we are meeting tomorrow to settle some endorsements. i will print this out and take it along, and also email it to the real powers that be here. what the heck. we are all a bunch of pinkos. maybe someone will bite. thanks for tracking this down.

[rosesaylavee]

12. Thanks MO...

Owe you a beer.

[mopinko]

13. well, see how far i get first

but speaking of beer- the brewpub by the airport is a ram. fairly fancy menu for a brewpub, (all too much fat, but...), service not the world's greatest but good beer. kinda half way between. let me know if you get out this way.

[marlakay]

10. Not sure what I am going to do

I thought of writing Gore's name in if I can, or just voting for one of the others to stop Hillary which I can't stand. I think the candidates are not doing global warming issues because the public isn't demanding it, when they take surveys people say the war, health insurance, stuff like that is more important to them so they only follow what they think the voting public wants.

People are so dumb most of them it would take losing half their state in the ocean before they would go Oh sh.. we had better do something!!

Most people are caught up in their own lives and unless something is happening to them personally they don't care that much. Taxes, Health Insurance, money spent on the war, that affects them directly. If they own a farm and it hasn't rained for years global warming might be an issue, how many are those?

This is going to sound mean but sometimes I wonder if it has to do with education too, I have heard that democrats read more and are more educated...sometimes I wonder if people in the rural areas are ignorant about what global warming is...

I know Al and his company want to do a mass ad campaign but if you got these brain washed rural folks who do everything and believe everything they are told in church...no amount of money spent is going to change their minds.

[Pastiche423]

11. I am going to have to disagree w/you on one point

For the 1st time in my life, I live in a rural area. I expected what you describe when I moved here. Luckily, I was wrong.

We have fabulous libraries in my county. If my library did not have a book I wanted to read, I requested it and the library ordered it. I would initial the date stamp to later see how many people read it after me. Lots of people were reading it and ordering more truth to power books themselves.

Farmer Markets are big here. One of my dearest friends is a farmer. Farmers KNOW something is happening w/the climate. They are very concerned. It's their livelihood, after all.

Bill Bradbury, is our SOS and was one of the fifty people that attended Al Gore's 1st Climate Change messenger seminar. When he presented The Climate Project at our local college, the auditorium was packed. Many more climate change messengers were born that day.

So, I don't believe it's the rural people we need to worry about. It's the rich that are afraid they'll lose money if we wean ourselves off of fossil fuels and the willfully ignorant.

Having said that, I so want to move back home to the City by the Bay.