So there's a lot at stake when you start talking environmental issues. I, personally, was a Girl Scout, and was taught to "always leave a place better than you found it." I would love to see our country switch to clean energy. But I also know that the issue of energy dependence is like a many-pronged brain tumor: Yes, we know it's bad. Yes, we know it's killing us. But can we remove it without also killing ourselves? Our dependence on coal and oil is not just an environmental concern; it's economic and social as well. Coal is jobs in PA. It's entire towns. Since this is such a 'touchy' issue, it's a good one to compare the candidates on. So without further ado, your candidates for congress:
Candidate 1: "I will...advocate for increases in domestic production of fossil fuels... I believe that it is essential that we utilize more of our own domestic supplies of traditional energy sources..."
Candidate 2: [would like] "...to repeal a variety of subsidies and credits for ... alternative sources of energy." and "supports allowing more oil exploration in Alaska, the Outer
Continental Shelf, and the vast oil shale reserves in America's western
states."
Candidate 3: [would like] " to pass commonsense climate protections with investments in energy efficiency and clean energy." and "...support innovations in clean energy technologies."
Candidate 4: [no statement on environmental issues]
Candidate 5: [would like to] "lift federal restrictions on developing natural resources...including but not limited to hydraulic fracturing." [says] Pennsylvania has a wealth of natural resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas that must be harnessed."
Candidate 6: "We should be investing resources in becoming more energy independent; solar and wind." "Many of our citizens are descended from miners and oil workers who
proudly supported their families with jobs in energy production...[they] will happily take on jobs created by investment in cleaner energy production...should we get the opportunity."
P.S. In case you were wondering, I wasn't kidding about this "double blind" study - I've shifted which one is which from yesterday's post. I've kept all the answers in my cheat sheet, which I will post when all of this is said and done.
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