McCain: “I will not permit eight long years to pass without serious action on serious challenges”

May 12, 2008

In Oregon, US Republican presidential nominee John McCain said: “The facts of global warming demand our urgent attention, especially in Washington. Good stewardship, prudence, and simple common sense demand that we act to meet the challenge, and act quickly,” he said. “I will not shirk the mantle of leadership that the United States bears. I will not permit eight long years to pass without serious action on serious challenges. Those who want clean coal technology, more wind and solar, nuclear power, biomass and bio-fuels will have their opportunity through a new market that rewards those and other innovations in clean energy.”

McCain was speaking at the Vestas Wind Technology plant in Portland, Oregon.

Last week, Sen. McCain led a revolt of 24 Senate Republicans have asked the EPA to waive, or restructure, the Renewable Fuel Standard passed in December. In a statement, Sen. John McCain said that “This subsidized (ethanol) program â€” paid for by taxpayer dollars â€” has contributed to pain at the cash register, at the dining room table, and a devastating food crisis throughout the world.” The Senators said that waiving the ethanol mandate would encourage farmers to grow other crops, as opposed to growing corn for food markets.

John McCain’s environmental record and policies are profiled in an investors.com article. The article focuses on his conversion to environmentalism after the 2000 elections, and his sponsorship of cap-and-trade legislation in 2003, 2005 and 2007 with Senator Joe Lieberman. The current bill would limit emissions among commercial & industrial users to 2004 levels by 2012 and moved down steadily until 2050. McCain favors an auction of emission certificates in his cap-and-trade proposal.

Senator John McCain said that, as drafted. he would veto the Farm Bill because of excessive subsidies, which he called unnecessary. McCain added, â€œI do not believe we should have tariffs against imported products, but I want to promise you as president of the United States of America I will recognize one fundamental fact, and that is the farmer in the state of Iowa and the United States of America is the most productive, the most efficient and the best, and I will open every market in the world to your products and I will sell them.â€