Progressive Opinion

The U.S. Chamber Needs To Get Its Story Straight

switchboard.nrdc.org — The U.S. Chamber seems to be going to great lengths these days persuade Congress that it really wants to help pass climate legislation. But a very different message is coming through its blogs, tweets, and unscripted comments.

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Tea Partiers' Next Target: The Climate Bill

motherjones.com — Conservative activists are using a film called "Not Evil, Just Wrong" to fight cap and trade legislation. We watched it so you don't have to.

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From the Party of "No," To the Party of "Slow"

climateprogress.org — Senate Republicans are demanding lengthy economic analyses of progressive clean energy policy, despite having spent careers voting for and against major energy legislation without such delay.

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We Are What We Trade and How We Trade It

truthdig.com — In 2009, trade and globalization have transcended their “old economy” ghetto and become central to the “new economy,” health care and even the Earth’s very survival.

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Clean Energy Could Create 850,000 New Jobs

blog.aflcio.org — With more than 2 million U.S. manufacturing jobs lost since the beginning of this recession in December 2007, a new report says developing a clean energy economy in the United States could create some 850,000 new manufacturing jobs.

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The Audacity of Nope

climateprogress.org — We’re spending $1 billion a day on foreign oil, money that could instead be invested here at home to help create 1.7 million new jobs, increase our security and lessen our pollution. What is the real motivation behind the Republican members blocking clean energy reform? Perhaps it has something to do with the $3,507,321the seven minority members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee have received from Big Oil, along with millions more from utilities, mining and the national resource sector.

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Rethinking Jobs for a Sustainable Economy

ipsnorthamerica.net — The possibility of environmental catastrophe has led many leaders, scholars and average citizens to reconsider an economy based on constant growth. It is becoming clear that people, especially in the United States, will need to consume less in the way of natural resources to avoid planetary peril. The million-dollar question, of course, is how the U.S. can move to a sustainable, zero-growth economy without losing more jobs. If people are consuming fewer goods and services, does that mean fewer jobs in the manufacturing, sale, and provision of those goods and services?

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The Chamber's Mistakes

slate.com — The Chamber of Commerce pursued failed policies during the Bush years, so why should Obama listen to it?

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Telling the Whole Story on Global Warming

huffingtonpost.com — Global warming is one of the greatest challenges of our generation. Addressing this challenge also represents enormous opportunities for economic recovery and long term prosperity. But sometimes the big picture is lost when just a part of the story is told.

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The Chamber's Pot of Horrors

openleft.com — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has had some bad days over the past few months, many of them related to the the organization's ridiculous positions on climate policy. These bad days for the Chamber are positive developments for people working towards strong legislation to curb climate change (or a public option in healthcare reform, or strong financial regulatory reform, etc.). Read on for a quick run-down of recent hits the Chamber has taken and why we shouldn’t celebrate too soon.

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