Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics The Energy Forum Clinton versus Sanders on Energy Policy

Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday released a highly ambitious plan to combat climate change, a problem he pointedly says is being perpetuated by the “billionaire fossil fuel lobby.”

The plan, which reads like an environmentalist’s wish list, seeks to reduce U.S. carbon pollution by 40 percent by 2030 and by more than 80 percent by 2050 by putting a tax on carbon, repealing fossil fuel subsidies and making what Sanders describes as “massive” investments in clean energy sources such as wind and solar power.

Sanders (Vt.), who is seeking the Democratic nomination in a race against Hillary Clinton, says his plan would also create 10 million jobs as the country transitions toward a nuclear-free clean energy system for electricity, heating and transportation and that it would decrease the United State’s dependence on foreign oil..

Among other things, Sanders would ban Arctic oil drilling, ban offshore oil drilling, ban fracking for natural gas, stop exports of liquefied natural gas and crude oil and put a moratorium on nuclear power plant license renewals in the United States.

Sanders might like to ban fracking but it's unlikely he'll be able to.
This is largely the problem with Sanders.
There is plenty of room for wind and solar to grow and in fact they are growing in leaps and bounds, Other countries are able to back away from nuclear and fossil fuels already for their energy needs and there is no reason we can't eventually get on to that bandwagon too.

...aint none of it gonna happen unless the Republican Congress says it will happen.

Au contraire, mon frer!
I'd love to see Bernie get a shot at it. It would be, without a doubt, be the most fun four years we've seen in Washington in decades.

In recent POTUS first terms, the Legislative branch is usually equal to the Executive branch in party affiliation.

Clinton's plan focuses largely on residential power usage and is buoyed by a focus on solar. By the end of her hypothetical first term as president, Clinton promised that the United States would have more than 500 million solar panels installed across the country.

The presidential candidate also stressed building an energy grid more focused on renewable energy, particularly solar, by the end of the decade. According to a fact sheet circulated by Clinton's campaign, a Clinton presidency would hope to increase output of solar energy by 700% by the end of the decade.

On Monday, Clinton will expand on her clean energy push in Iowa when she tours that LEED Platinum certified Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) Central Station.

Clinton's said he plan would incentivize investment in renewables by increasing the number of government grants for clean energy, extending federal clean energy tax incentives and expanding renewable energy on public lands.

"The decisions we make in the next decade can make all of this possible. Or, they can keep us trapped in the past," Clinton says in the video. "We cannot wait any longer. It is time we stand for healthier climate, stand for cleaner air, for science, for innovation, for our children. For reality, for the future."

What laws of physics would those be? The ones that the Koch brothers have established?