Jay Inslee: 'Put Away Your Fear' and 'Cast A Vote' For Clean Energy Jobs

3/4/10: Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) tells the Wonk Room that the U.S. Senate needs to get over their fear and cast a vote for clean energy job creation.

Transcript: I'm always kinda reluctant to say why other people do things. I will just say this. Two things that we need the Senate, for Senators to stand up and realize.

Number one: the American people get this, and they want strong action on clean energy. I've talked to some of my fellow politicians who seem to say Americans don't want to act.

That's just not right!

If you go out and talk to Americans, and look at the polling results -- at Frank Lutz [sic], Frank Lutz is a Republican pollster, he went out and polled on this -- guess what, the Republicans found out in their poll that something like by two-to-one margins Americans want action on clean energy. And the reason they want action on clean energy is they understand like I do that this is the greatest job-creation-potential engine that is available to us right now.

And whatever you think of global climate change, you know and Americans know that this is the way we're going to create millions of new jobs in this country. That's what the Apollo Alliance is all about. is pushing this idea.

And Americans get this in their gut, and they're willing to make the investments in the short term to get benefits in the long term and even the short term for job creation. That's number one.

Number two: I would counsel people who don't want to move on this to just get over their fear. Because frankly it's fear that's holding back. It's people who are afraid that Americans aren't smart enough to invent new technologies to deal with that. That we're not bold enough like we used to be when we went to the moon with the original Apollo project.

You've gotta get over that fear. We're just as smart as when we went to the moon. Our kids are smarter than we are. They're just as energetic. We have an entrepreneurial engine of creation of new businesses in this country, that includes China, if we'll just unleash it.

So what I would say: Put away your fear, get a little dose of confidence, cast a vote that has trust in America's entrepreneurial spirit, and we will beat this beast and America will grow economically. And I really believe this. So I hope the Senate gets the message.

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[larrymondello14]

If there was a market for it, the market would provide it. If the Government has to regulate it, tax it, or throw money at it. There is no market for it. The market is driven by the people. Speak to the people? They speak every day through the free market.

[climatebrad]

@larrymondello14 I'm sure you would agree we should get rid of the $36 billion in tax subsidies for the oil industry, then. And stop using our military to defend the global oil infrastructure. And stop subsidizing highways. And not provide public water services. Or police. Or laws of any kind.

Free markets are *created* by laws and regulations.

[TWIZZLEism]

@IdunCareLesSn00b He's not pure evil. He's actually a really nice person if you've ever met him

[rumschlager]

The people who have the best advantage for creating a solid clean energy market is the capitalist free market. You know why we don't have a lot of viable clean energy technologies right now? The technology isn't there. Think people. If it WAS there, you'd be rushing out to buy a Chevy Volt and the federal gov't wouldn't be giving you a 7,500K tax break to get you to buy the car. That's my rep Jay Inslee telling everyone I live in fear. Go fuck yourself Jay.

[IdunCareLesSn00b]

This man pure evil, he stands to make millions from peoples suffering under these lies.How can you let this happen?

[larrymondello14]

@climatebrad I agree that oil subsidies are a Gov. intrusion into the free market. Without them the price of oil would increase. The supply would go down. It would also trigger the market to search for alternative energy. Therefore, the Government still does not need to throw more money into a a program the market does not want. The other items you mentioned provide a safe and operable environment for a free market to EXIST. Thus, you are close about free market creation.

[lovecloud2]

I agree.