Seacoast NRG

[Note:  I have provided an updated summary, as of November 27, 2007, at this post:  November update: the Democratic presidential candidates on energy and climate change.] 

This is a sister posting to my summary of the Democratic candidates’ energy and climate change plans.  The Republican candidates held their debate in Manchester, Tuesday night.  To find out where the candidates stand on the issues of energy and climate change, I researched their websites to find each candidate’s statements (what we used to call position papers) on energy, the environment, and climate change. 

Surprisingly (at least to me), several of the candidates–namely Giuliani, Hunter, Paul and Tancredo–present no written statements on their website for either energy or environment/climate change.  You can draw your own conclusions.

My quick summary of their positions is shown below, presented in alphabetic order by the candidate’s names.   

Sam Brownback, Senator from Kansas

Brownback’s website is weak on details for most issues, although he does provide one- or two-paragraph descriptions of his position on numerous topics.  His entire position statement on energy is shown below.  I could not find any reference on his site to his position on climate change.

Energy excerpt (no statement offered for climate change):

Due to years of neglect and short-sighted domestic policies, America is on the verge of an energy crisis. Our supply of energy has not kept pace with our demand. Today our nation produces 39% less oil than we did in 1970. This leaves us dependent on foreign suppliers, who often do not have America’s best interests at heart. This Congress, I co-sponsored the Dependence Reduction through Innovation in Vehicles and Energy (DRIVE) Act. This bill aims to reduce our oil consumption by 2.5 million barrels per day in ten years by taking an innovative, market-based approach that relies on advanced technology and an expansion of renewable fuels. I will continue to fight for energy independence.

Jim Gilmore, former Governor of Virginia

Gilmore also makes a very weak presentation of all issues, including energy and climate change.  Gilmore, like many candidates, seeks energy independence, and has a goal of achieving independence within 25 years.  His entire position statement on energy is shown below.  I could not find any reference on his site to his position on climate change.

Energy excerpt (no statement offered for climate change):

The United States today imports 60 percent of its oil, a situation that places our economy and our national security at risk. Jim Gilmore believes we can do better! As President, Jim Gilmore will launch a national energy independence project called American Energy Freedom, a NASA like effort to motivate and stimulate American ingenuity and technology using research and development tax incentives to help free our nation from its dependence on foreign oil within 25 years. In the meantime, Jim Gilmore will push for steady and dramatic increases in domestic energy production and an increase in the size of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Jim Gilmore also will support expanding our use of alternative fuels like ethanol, making dramatic improvements in battery technology for plug-in hybrid vehicles and the long-range development of hydrogen power for vehicles

Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City

Giuliani’s website is sparse on all issues, and presents only one or two sentences on each, with very few details.  Surprisingly, Giuliani offers no written statement of any kind on either energy or climate change. 

Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas

Huckabee’s website is sloppily designed and very confusing to navigate.  But compared to his counterparts, Huckabee does provide more substantial statements on the issues.  He demonstrates an understanding of the importance of energy.  He states a goal of energy independence by the end of his second term, but offers few details.  He does mention increased exploration, conservation (unusual among the Republican candidates), and development of alternative energy resources, but offers no specifics.  I could find no statement about climate change on his website.

Energy excerpt (no statement offered for climate change):

The first thing I will do as President is send Congress my comprehensive plan for energy independence. We will achieve energy independence by the end of my second term.
 
Achieving energy independence is vital to achieving success both in the war on terror and in globalization. Energy independence will help guarantee both our safety and our prosperity.
 
We have to explore, we have to conserve, and we have to pursue all avenues of alternative energy: nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel, and biomass.

Duncan Hunter, Representative from California

Hunter’s website provides substantial statements of his position on many issues.  Hunter’s website plays to his strengths, but like Guiliani, he offers no written statement of any kind on either energy or climate change.

John McCain, Senator from Arizona 

McCain is unusual in that he seems to be presenting himself as the Republican Party’s environmental candidate.  On the issues page of his website, he has a heading named Environment, and beneath it a statement entitled “Stewards of Our Nation’s Rich Natural Heritage”.    In his statement, he speaks of protecting clean air and water, maintaining green spaces, and promoting sustainable land use.  He does actually use the term ”global warming”, and briefly mentions energy and the limiting of carbon emissions.  His entire “stewardship” statement is shown below.

Energy and climate change statement:

John McCain has a proud record of common sense stewardship. Along with his commitment to clean air and water, and to conserving open space, he has been a leader on the issue of global warming with the courage to call the nation to action on an issue we can no longer afford to ignore.

America has been blessed with a rich and diverse natural heritage. In the tradition of his hero, Theodore Roosevelt, John McCain believes that we are vested with a sacred duty to be proper stewards of the resources upon which the quality of American life depends. Ensuring clean air, safe and healthy water, sustainable land use, ample greenspace - and the faithful care and management of our natural treasures, including our proud National Park System - is a patriotic responsibility. One that must be met not only for the benefit of our generation, but for our children and those to whom we will pass the American legacy.

John McCain believes that America’s economic and environmental interests are not mutually exclusive, but rather inextricably linked. Our economic prospects depend greatly upon the sustainable use of ample and unspoiled natural resources. A clean and healthy environment is well served by a strong economy. History shows that poverty is a poor steward.

As John McCain said, “Americans solve problems. We don’t run from them.” He believes that ignoring the problem reflects a “liberal live for today” attitude unworthy of our great country, and poses a serious and unacceptable threat to our environment, our economy, and U.S. national security. He has offered common sense approaches to limit carbon emissions by harnessing market forces that will bring advanced technologies, such as nuclear energy, to the market faster, reduce our dependence on foreign supplies of energy, and see to it that America leads in a way that ensures all nations do their rightful share.

By addressing this problem responsibly, John McCain believes we can meet our obligation to be proper caretakers of creation, in a manner of which we can be proud - by protecting our country, strengthening our economy, and addressing the challenges of our time, rather than leaving a much worse problem for our children.

Ron Paul, Representative from Texas

Paul’s website provides statements of his position on several issues.  However, he offers no written statement of any kind on either energy or climate change.

Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts

Romney provides statements for several issues on his website, but provides varying levels of detail.  He directly addresses energy as an issue (”achieving energy independence”), but only very briefly, and provides few specifics.   He advocates further exploration and drilling of domestic oil sources, and development of some alternative sources.   He offers now written statment regarding climate change.  His entire energy statement is shown below.

Energy excerpt (no statement offered for climate change):

We must become independent from foreign sources of oil. This will mean a combination of efforts related to conservation and efficiency measures, developing alternative sources of energy like biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear, and coal gasification, and finding more domestic sources of oil such as in ANWR or the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Governor Romney: “We’re using too much oil,” Romney said. “We have an answer. We can use alternative sources of energy — biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear power — and we can drill for more oil here. We can be more energy independent and we can be far more efficient in the use of that energy.”  (Waterloo Courier, September 29, 2006)

Tom Tancredo, Representative from Colorado

Tancredo’s website provides brief statements of his position on several issues.  However, he offers no written statement of any kind on either energy or climate change.

Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin

Thompson’s website provides brief, one-paragraph statements on several issues.  On two issues, the Iraq War and healthcare, he also provides more detailed proposals.  His statement on energy and the environment briefly mentions energy independence and development of alternative sources, namely ethanol, which plays to his Midwest base.  Thompson addresses climate change by name in one sentence.  His entire energy and environment statement is shown below.

Energy and climate change statement:

Governor Thompson believes America must become more independent in its energy needs and break reliance on foreign oil. We must begin with greater investments in renewable energy, like ethanol, so we can bring these technologies to market faster and more efficiently. And we must come together and deal with our changing climate.