Using Technology to Deepen Democracy, Using Democracy to Ensure Technology Benefits Us All

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Greening the Economy

Frustration over corporate crooks leaving you feeling steamed in ways that harken back uncomfortably to the Bush years? The flabbergasting incompetence and greed and evil and general asshatery of the neoliberal Gordon Geckocracy will take some time and sweat and tears to expunge or even ameliorate. Surely you already knew that? But there is still Change To Believe In afoot that you may not be paying attention to though you should…

[via TPM]
Congress [is] poised to take up its five-year transportation authorization bill…. The prospect of kick-starting a true greening of U.S. transportation policy has prompted lawmakers to introduce two bills that form a progressive marker for that coming debate.

The first is known as Complete Streets, offered last week by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA). It would ensure that federal transportation spending is apportioned to benefit not only auto drivers but pedestrians and bike riders as well….

The second green-transit marker bill, known as CLEAN TEA, [involves] distribution of revenue from a possible cap-and-trade climate change regulatory system. CLEAN TEA would ensure that 10% of the revenue from auction of carbon emissions permits goes toward green transportation projects.

The Obama administration has suggested that as much as 20% of auction proceeds could go towards green transit, but Republicans are mounting an early pushback to that effort by insisting that 100% of the proceeds from the system be given back to taxpayers.

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