Dems and Republicans Divided on Green Jobs

October 21, 2011 in Green News, Green Jobs Washington DC, Green News, U.S., Green Politics, Political News, Green Stories with 32 Comments

Democrats and Republicans Differ on Green Jobs Subject - Image from Google

When it comes to green technology and the creation of green jobs in the United States, the issue isn’t quite black and white. On one side are Republicans, who believe the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has failed to create enough private-sector green jobs. On the other side are Democrats, who believe Obama’s green energy push is helpful and necessary for American workers and for the environment.

An inspector general’s report earlier this month stated that the government’s $500 million green jobs program developed in 2009 put only 8,035 people to work through the end of June rather than the target of 79,654 people. This report was requested by Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, of Iowa.

“This report paints a pretty bleak picture of the program’s effectiveness in job creation,” Grassley said.

In fact, a hearing took place in late September that criticized Obama’s push for green jobs creation. The hearing was called “How Obama’s Green Energy Agenda is Killing Jobs.”

“A green jobs-fueled recovery is a theory and is yet unproven,” said Republican Darrell Issa, of California, who serves as the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee. “There is a lot more green, in the way of cash, and a lot less energy and jobs than anticipated.”

Regarding the title of the hearing, Democrat Mike Quigley said that it was a “raw partisan assertion that presupposes the answer.”

Because the 2009 green jobs program has not come close to reaching its green jobs target, Republicans this month are demanding that the remaining unused green jobs money – a total of $327.3 million — be refunded.

A House Oversight and Government Reform committee report last month said that even though Obama is emphasizing the importance of making the United States not reliant on fossil fuels that contribute to global warming, “by sacrificing domestic carbon-based resources upon the altar of an ill-fated ‘green energy’ experiment, the president has put U.S. economic security in jeopardy and wasted billions in taxpayer money at a time when our fiscal health is in peril.” Republicans have argued that government money instead should be spent growing jobs in all sectors, not just in the green energy sector.

Still, “not one scintilla of evidence” exists regarding how green polices have cost jobs, according to Democrat Elijah Cummings, who serves on the government committee.

Democrats and Republicans Do Agree on One Aspect of Green Technology and Jobs Creation

Despite the differences between Republicans and Democrats on the topic of green jobs, both parties do agree that marketing and selling green technology abroad is critical. Republicans and Democrats say these green technology efforts will open up foreign markets and thus boost green jobs in the United States.

A whopping $50 billion in goods and $4.5 billion in service exports were made in 2009 from clean energy firms. Taking away tariffs on U.S. green goods and services very well could boost global exports by about $6 billion and create new jobs, according to Democrats and Republicans.

“The global elimination of obstacles to the proliferation of technologies and services” is critical to increase the number of green jobs in America, said Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich, of Ohio.

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About YaShekia King: YaShekia King, of Indianapolis, Ind., began writing professionally in 2003. Her work has appeared in several print and online publications including the “South Bend Tribune,”Ehow.com, Wisegeek.com and “Clouds Across the Stars,” an international book. King holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ball State University. She also is a licensed real estate agent, is a clinical certified dental assistant and is completing her master’s degree in human resource management through DeVry University. Connect with YaShekia on YaShekia King

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