Bold Strokes on the Campaign Trail

Nevada, IA -- Last week New Hampshire spoke out: in more than 90% of the nearly 200 town meetings that debated whether or not the US needed to curb its emissions of carbon dioxide, the resolution was approved. That's a powerful message to presidential candidates. Town meetings are the most direct way voters have to express their feelings, and it's clear they want action.

And a few days ago, John Edwards was the first presidential candidate to respond to the message. He issued a visionary set of energy proposals at a speech at the Biomass Energy Conversion Center in Nevada, Iowa. (How's that for hitting two early primary states at once!) Edwards called for a new energy economy, one that would create a million new jobs, increase renewable energy to 25% of our electrical supply, raise the average fuel economy of our passenger vehicles to 40 miles per gallon, and meet our increased energy demands with increased efficiency.

Edwards embraced a firm, science-based cap on carbon dioxide emissions, one that will reduce emissions by 2% a year until we have cut our pollution by 80% in 2050. He recognized that the polluters - those who produce and use carbon based fuels - need to pay for the costs of their pollution. It's the oil, coal and gas companies that should pay the bill for creating the efficiency and renewable economy of the future, and Edwards is the first Presidential candidate to say so.

The plan also calls for a conscious effort to ensure that the new energy economy is designed so that its benefits and ownership are broadly shared. Edwards has been hearing the conversation in Iowa - people don't want Big Oil to be replaced by 'big wind.'

And finally, Edwards tied his energy proposals to his theme of a society that values service; he promised to incorporate a new "Green Corps" inside AmeriCorps, the existing youth service program, in effect reviving FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps.

This is the kind of dialogue we were hoping for from the 2008 Presidential election -- one that, whatever it yields, will give us a president whose name is not Bush, and almost certainly one who will have had to seriously debate his approach to global warming and energy issues.

It's great to see someone lead the way, and now the ball is the courts of the Clinton, McCain, Giuliani, Obama, Richardson and Romney campaigns. Come on in folks - the water is fine!