I was watching the Democratic National Convention tonight and one segment was a Town Hall about energy and the economy. One thing that struck me was the discussion about having about 100,000 hybrid cars on the road in 4 years; the amounts may have been more or less, but you get the gist. There was a discussion about the government giving car companies incentives to build these cars and to build them in the United States, creating new green jobs. It gave me pause and made me say, “Hmm…

I just saw a movie called, “Who Killed The Electric Car?” about the auto industry and the state of California working in cahoots to destroy the electric car because of their short sightedness and greed.

The film details the California Air Resources Board’s reversal of the mandate after suits from automobile manufacturers, the oil industry, and theGeorge W. Bush administration. It points out that Bush’s chief influences, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, and Andrew Card, are all former executives and board members of oil and auto companies.

I’m all about lowering carbon emissions, improving fuel efficiency and getting better gas mileage, but I don’t know how interested I am in giving corporations more incentives to do the right thing and to stop being greedy. Because of American corporate and senate greed, we are so far behind Europe and China in creating a green economy that works for its corporations and its people. American corporations in Europe and China abide by those government’s standards with no problem because if they want to sell their products, they have no other choice. We need that kind of leadership in this country and I hope our next president can provide that kind of necessary courage and leadership.

As always, be well

CF