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VoteGopher | Compare McCain and Obama | Energy and Climate Change
SUMMARY: PRESIDENT
OBAMA VS. CANDIDATE OBAMA
SUMMARY: CONGRESS
DEMS VS. GOP VS. PRES
ECONOMIC
INTERNATIONAL
DOMESTIC
SOCIAL
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CANDIDATE QUALITIES
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06/30/2009 3:00 PM
Issue Homepage - Energy and Climate Change Bookmark and Share
PRESIDENT OBAMA: ACTIONS IN OFFICE
  • Passed bill which curbs the output of greenhouse emissions and puts tariffs on imports from countries who do not follow suit
  • Bill utilizes “cap and trade” system
  • Proposed energy bill which will add $9 trillion to energy costs by 2050
  • Official budget claims that proposed energy tax would add upward of $646 billion over the first 8 years
  • Named energy as one of three areas "critical to our economic future" for which he will propose large increased spending, and pledges to address energy this year
  • Proposed a budget that would allot billions toward renewables and energy efficiency in both research and implementation
  • The budget would also make coal and oil more expensive by increasing taxes on oil companies and creating a "cap and trade" system for carbon emissions
  • The budget would invest in clean coal research and biomass research, but says little about expanding nuclear energy
  • Signed economic stimulus package containing incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency
CANDIDATE OBAMA
ELECTION 2008
  • Proposed large subsidies for renewable energy research and tax credits for implementation
  • Supported doubling fuel economy standards within 18 years and several other energy efficiency measures
  • Proposed to use these investments to shift away from fossil fuels, and create a "cap and trade" system for carbon emissions
  • Supported continuing corn ethanol subsidies and continuing sugar ethanol import taxes
  • Said he would consider constructing more nuclear plants if safety and storage problems could be solved
 
CANDIDATE McCAIN
ELECTION 2008
 
DEMOCRATS
IN CONGRESS
  • Most support a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions, though Democrats from coal states have been skeptical
  • Most support increasing research and development grants and tax credits for renewable energy
  • Split on fuel economy standards and national energy efficiency mandates
  • Most oppose expanding nuclear power and domestic oil drilling, though some do support these policies
  • Split on ethanol subsidies according to state interests
  • Democrats perceived as more friendly to environmental interests have recently taken over chairmanships of several key committees and subcommittees
 
REPUBLICANS
IN CONGRESS
  • Most strongly oppose a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions
  • Strongly support increased domestic oil drilling
  • Most support expanding the use of nuclear power
  • Most usually vote against tax breaks for renewable energy and tax increases on oil companies
  • Split on ethanol subsidies according to state interests
  • Most oppose raising fuel economy standards and energy efficiency standards on a national level
 
ISSUE BACKGROUND
 
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