Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said Monday that while President Obama’s Clean Power Plan is a step in the right direction, it would not come close to achieving what is needed to prevent catastrophic consequences of climate change in the near future.
In a statement, Stein said, “It’s hard to cheer for a plan that takes a small step forward on clean electricity, while the President is taking giant leaps backward, accelerating climate catastrophe at the very same time. There is a huge cognitive disconnect in the President’s move to establish his climate legacy by trimming coal pollution while issuing permits for Arctic drilling that spell climate disaster, and quietly facilitating the Enbridge Pipeline that enables the continuing sales of deadly tar sands oil, described as ‘game over’ for the climate. In addition, he has massively escalated fracking, expanded offshore oil drilling, and opened federal lands to plunder for fossil fuels.”
Stein is promoting a Green New Deal that would achieve full green energy by 2030, her campaign said. The plan includes phasing out “polluting and dangerous forms of energy” and energy production such as biomass, fracking, nuclear power, and waste incineration.
Over time, US Presidents have been trained to think that they have the power to write laws. Congress writes laws. Presidents may direct how Federal employees act, but they shouldn’t have the power to tell people (including companies) how to behave.