Burning the Future is the Inconvenient Truth of the American coal industry and anyone who sees it will walk away with a seething passion to fight the coal industry and wail away at the “clean coal” propaganda machine.
And this brings me to my idea. I’m convinced that if we can get members of Congress to watch Novack’s film – or even just their staffers – we could open up a tiny window of opportunity that will allow for a reasonable conversation about an energy future in America that does not include coal. In my experience change never comes in the form of a single silver bullet idea, but from a series of meaningful actions that slowly builds to a tipping point.
Buying Novack’s DVD, watching it and then walking it down (or mailing it) to the office of your member of Congress is one of these small but meaningful actions. Watch it first, so you can include a letter to your local representative telling them why they should watch this movie.
Yesterday, Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) described President Obama’s energy plan as “the largest assault on democracy and freedom in this country that I’ve ever experienced.” Speaking at a hearing on the Waxman-Markey Clean Energy and Security Act — which caps global warming pollution to build a clean energy economy — Shimkus said that he feared this legislation more than the Clinton impeachment trials, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001:
I think this is the largest assault on democracy and freedom in this country that I’ve ever experienced. I’ve lived through some tough times in Congress — impeachment, two wars, terrorist attacks. I fear this more than all of the above activities that have happened.
By shifting U.S. energy production toward cleaner, cheaper sources like the wind and the sun, we can create the industries of tomorrow and millions of new clean energy jobs. Call Roy Blunt: (417) 889-1800. Tell him it’s time to start believing in America again. Tell him to support the America Clean Energy and Security Act.
