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The Wonky Genius

Bill Clinton is considered a policy wonk, the guy who really understands the details of public policy. Here he is on the stump giving his insights into global warming and energy policy. My favorite parts are the unnamed countries that have created growth and reduced inequality by pursuing green energy  policies and the millions and millions of jobs Hillary will create by going green. Millions and millions! I also like the swipe at China and India and Brazil et al implying that they don’t care about their grandchildren. Enjoy.

"Everybody knows that global warming is real," Mr. Clinton said,
giving a shout-out to Al Gore’s Nobel Peace Prize, "but we cannot solve
it alone."

"And maybe America, and Europe, and Japan, and Canada — the rich
counties — would say, ‘OK, we just have to slow down our economy and
cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ’cause we have to save the planet
for our grandchildren.’ We could do that.

"But if we did that, you know as well as I do, China and India and
Indonesia and Vietnam and Mexico and Brazil and the Ukraine, and all
the other countries will never agree to stay poor to save the planet
for our grandchildren. The only way we can do this is if we get back in
the world’s fight against global warming and prove it is good economics
that we will create more jobs to build a sustainable economy that saves
the planet for our children and grandchildren. It is the only way it
will work.

"And guess what? The only places in the world today in rich
countries where you have rising wages and declining inequality are
places that have generated more jobs than rich countries because they
made a commitment we didn’t. They got serious about a clean, efficient,
green, independent energy future… If you want that in America, if you
want the millions of jobs that will come from it, if you would like to
see a new energy trust fund to finance solar energy and wind energy and
biomass and responsible bio-fuels and electric hybrid plug-in vehicles
that will soon get 100 miles a gallon, if you want every facility in
this country to be made maximally energy efficient that will create
millions and millions and millions of jobs, vote for her. She’ll give
it to you. She’s got the right energy plan."

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