Well I guess misrepresenting the views of veterans is one way to celebrate Veterans Day. Just a few months after getting busted sending fraudulent letters claiming to be on behalf of veterans groups, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity sent this email to their supporters yesterday:
With Veterans Day around the corner, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all the military personnel who are involved in ensuring our country is protected.
Energy security is one issue that has become increasingly important to our veterans. In fact, national veterans groups Votevets and Operation Free are urging the government to become more energy independent and less reliant on foreign oil.
We can do this by using the abundant domestic fuels we already have. With more than 250 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves, the United States has more coal than the Middle East has oil.
We need to start putting our coal to use – and technologies such as hybrid-electric cars and cleaner, more efficient power plants are making it easier for us to do that.
One problem, VoteVets and Operation Free are completely at odds with ACCCE. Richard Smith at Vet Voice explains:
VoteVets and Operation FREE are not, have not and will never advocate the continued use of carbon based fuels. Such an action would be completely counter to the work we do, as so called “clean coal” only pushes us closer to inevitable catastrophic climate change and threatens our national security. For the ACCCE to hijack America’s Veterans who are working to ensure secure, clean American energy alternatives while simultaneously claiming to honor us on Veterans Day is an act of despicable hubris.
ACCCE has no shame whatsoever. Kudos to Vote Vets for the bold statement and rapid response on this.
Washington, D.C.—A diverse coalition of groups representing more than 10 million Americans launched a major television, print, and online advertising campaign this week urging Congress to pass and strengthen the American Clean Energy & Security Act, which is likely to come up for a vote on the House floor next week. Groups taking part in the effort include Sierra Club, VoteVets.org, the League of Conservation Voters, America’s Building Trades Unions, Democracia Ahora, the Blue Green Alliance, the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund, and the Service Employees International Union. These groups have collectively spent approximately $5 million in recent weeks in support of a strong clean energy jobs plan.
“We want Congress to hear that millions of Americans want to get America running on clean energy and rebuild our economy with clean energy jobs,” said Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director. “It’s time for Congress to answer President Obama’s call for a comprehensive clean energy and climate plan. Congress needs to strengthen and pass the American Clean Energy & Security Act without delay.”
“We believe this is the most important energy vote that members of the House have ever cast, and we urge Congress to strengthen and pass this comprehensive clean energy legislation,” said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. “When the roll is called, lawmakers can vote to build a clean energy economy or risk being on the wrong side of history.”
Here is the TV ad:
Here is the print ad, which is running in a variety of Capitol Hill publications:
