Hillary Clinton did us a favor. At a recent speech to the League of Conservation Voters, Clinton showed that she doesn't understand what it will take to confront the climate crisis and she's unwilling to stand up to fossil fuel interests who are threatening to destroy civilization.
Even after climate scientists warned we must keep most fossil fuel reserves in the ground, Clinton still advocates natural gas as a "bridge" fuel. It's ridiculous. There's no credible evidence to show that fracking and building more natural gas infrastructure will reduce CO2 emissions to the levels needed.
Clinton made favorable comments about Keystone XL during the 2008 campaign and has refused to speak out against it since then. She dodged the topic again in her latest speech. Her staff at the State Department helped the oil industry influence environmental impact studies in favor of the pipeline. Is that the kid of influence we can expect the fossil fuel industry to have in a Clinton White House?
“Our economy still runs primarily on fossil fuels and trying to change that will take strong leadership,” Clinton said. “The political challenges are also unforgiving. There is no getting around the fact that the kind of ambitious response required to effectively combat climate change is going to a be a tough sell at home and around the world at a time when so many countries around the world, including our own, are grappling with slow growth and stretch budgets.”
She could have shown she'll provide that leadership and work to make the tough sell by speaking out against fracking and Keystone XL. She failed.
Bill Clinton is the Neville Chamberlain of the climate crisis because he took politically easy, ineffective steps at a time when bold leadership could have saved us. It doesn't appear that Hillary has learned from her husband's failure.
Civilization needs a leader who understands the crisis and has the political courage to make the fight. We need a climate leader who's serious about winning the Democratic nomination for President. Clinton just told us that leader isn't her.