Assignment 2- Obama: Using Environmental Policy to Stimulate the Economy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28934164/

It appears Obama's dedication to implementing green technologies serves several purposes: improving the environment, decreasing American reliance on foreign imports, and creating domestic jobs within our downturned economy. The goal is to create 3 million new jobs within this new employment sector (which, according to Biden, cannot be outsourced) and at the same time double America's production of renewable energy. This goal can be reached several ways. First, construction crews working on homes, schools, and offices will construct them to be more energy efficient by weatherizing and meeting other green codes ($6 billion of the stimulus package is devoted to this and is assumed to create another 465,000 jobs). The auto industry too must make adjustments by creating cars less reliant on fossil fuels, thus serving duel purposes: reducing American's dependence on the Middle East and decreasing the carbon footprint. To provide further incentive on "going green" Obama would also reward companies who seek and use alternative sources of energy with a tax credit. Overall, the stimulus bill recently passed by the House would give clean energy funding $80 billion, energy efficiency $38 billion, renewable energy $28 billion, and public transit and clean transportation $15 billion. Unlike the past administration, the Obama administration views the environmental sector as the key to help solve the current economic and international crises.

Do you have any opinions about how to stimulate the economy and concurrently help the environment? Mr. Biden would love to hear about them at: astrongmiddleclass.gov

A couple of questions for those of you who want to leave comments: is this going to work? This may create jobs, but is this type of job creation sustainable over the long-run? Will Americans have a hard time switching to more "green" uses of energy, despite the Obama Administration's support? Will developers want to construct buildings when the price to do so increases (the government can only subsidize so much green construction), thus perchance slowing down the economy? What do you think?

An Introduction

Hey everybody! My name is Kathryn Jones. A little bit about me: I graduated from BYU with a degree in International Relations. I will finish the MPA program here in August of this year. I am currently interning the the City of Phoenix in the Department of Downtown Development. I look forward to hearing all of your comments and ideas.