On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden used the White House lawn to tout the energy and climate change measures in the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act package.
Even as his Cabinet secretaries and other administration officials dispersed across the country to promote the $369 billion law, Vice President Biden gathered a huge group of supporters for a public outdoor clap of approval. Approximately a month had passed since President Obama signed the bill into law on August 16, and there were just about two months until the pivotal midterm legislative elections.
White House officials called the event on the South Lawn a “celebration,” and Vice President Joe Biden addressed the crowd, “I want to take the most aggressive action ever, ever, ever to confront the climate issue and strengthen our energy security, ever in the history of the world.” That’s not an exaggeration, either. The upbeat music of the United States Marine Band and James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain,” from his 1970 album “Sweet Baby James,” set the mood for the evening. Taylor then led a rendition of “America the Beautiful” that was meant to be sung by the audience, accompanied by his wife Caroline Smedvig.
The VIPs huddled up front, while the supporters sweated behind a barricade. White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Outgoing Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Deputy National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, Former Senator Doug Jones (D-Ala.), and Former Obama Council on Environmental Quality Leader Mike Boots were all in attendance. Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris, all spoke out.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said, “We have a responsibility to our children to pass on this planet in a responsible way.” She also said, “We made history, we made progress.” Biden issued an executive order Monday night to aid in the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, setting the stage for the informal demonstration to come.
The order “coordinates the policymaking process” to put the energy and infrastructure components of the law into effect by establishing a White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. John Podesta, a senior adviser, will be in charge of the new department. Podesta chairs the National Climate Task Force and is an expert in navigating the bureaucracy. Zaidi, Biden’s new top climate adviser, will take over for McCarthy as vice chair this week once McCarthy leaves the administration.
This morning, following the edict, the White House released Cleanenergy.gov, a resource for consumers seeking information on the tax credits provided by the climate and energy package signed into law in August. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) boasted, “They said we could never get tough on climate change, and we got it done.” He went on to say that the bill’s passage “over an intransigent Republican” Party showed that Democrats have shown Americans that Washington is “capable of doing big things to meet big challenges.”
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To confuse the White House’s message, Republicans who voted against the bill together unleashed a torrent of mockery and abuse on the internet. The things they are celebrating are tax increases, the hiring of thousands of additional IRS agents, and the assault on American energy. To paraphrase Senator John Barrasso: “I guarantee what we’re going to see from this law is more inflation — we see it today — higher debt, and higher energy expenses” (R-Wyo.).
Independent estimates have found that the plan may reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and its proponents are calling it the most aggressive climate policy to pass Congress.Several environmental groups, including Climate Power, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, are pouring millions of dollars into commercials endorsing potentially electorally damaging Democratic candidates to help sell the bill.
In areas where legislative races are close, the Democratic National Committee is also spending heavily to advocate for the Inflation Reduction Act. Harris remarked, “For decades, our nation has failed to tackle the climate issue with the urgency it requires.” However, she went on to say that “because of our president, Joe Biden, America is leading again on climate, not just with pronouncements but with action.”
Stay tuned to enviro360 for more infotainment news.
