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In case anyone missed it, the Illinois Times published an editorial I wrote updating Sierra Club's energy agreement with CWLP and encouraging people to get involved. I had to cut out a lot from my first draft to fit in the space but hopefully my main points came across.
Something rare happened as a result of the General Assembly finishing up late Saturday night. Some of the legislators, lobbyists and staff who usually experience Springfield during weeknights, were exposed to the 1:00am Saturday night shuffle. That's when crowds form outside the closing 1:00am bars before heading home or making their way to a 3:00am bar.
I had a couple of them tell me they had no idea downtown was ever so crowded with locals. As far as I can tell, direct interaction between locals and the General Assembly crowd was kept to its usual, safe minimum.
That's one of the latest headlines in the SJ-R's "breaking news" online. "Tools stolen from shed."
Stop the presses!!! Some kids broke into farmer Bob's shed and stole his tools!!! It would be cute if this were the police beat section of the Rochester or New Berlin weekly farm-town paper and not the news daily in our state's capital.
It's annoying enough that the online SJ-R mixes in petty crime updates with their real stories, but this is ridiculous. Overexposing petty crime isn't good reporting and it promotes a distorted, unhealthy view of our community.
Hey, Gatehouse! Passing off police beat updates as headlines is NOT a replacement for hiring reporters to do actual news!
Headline: Decent community newspaper vandalized by poorly managed corporate conglomerate!
US Representatives Peter Roskam and Judy Biggert are hosting a panel on the Waxman-Markey ACES Bill Monday in Downers Grove. The fact that their press release refers to it merely as "cap-and-trade legislation" instead of recognizing that the bill is far more comprehensive in its approach to reduce global warming emissions, is the first hint of their slant.
A less subtle hint is their initial panel list:
Ralph Loomis is an executive for Exelon Corporation, which owns numerous nuclear power plants in Illinois and elsewhere. The nuclear industry is trying desperately to get lumped in with renewable energy in climate change legislation. They're like a really annoying, uptight guy who tries tagging along with the cute girls you invited to your party. There's always one.
OpenSecrets shows that Exelon has given career totals of $39,700 to Roskam's campaign fund and $43,800 to Biggert. I guess setting up this forum is their way of saying thanks.
Pat Callan of the Illinois Realtors Association will speak. The National Association of Realtors is Biggert's 3rd top career donors with $46,000. Surprise! They only chipped in $22,000 for Roskam. The NAR is lobbying to weaken provisions of the ACES bill so that their industry is asked very nicely with incentives to improve energy efficiency instead of being mandated to do anything.
A lobbyist for the US Chamber of Commerce will speak. That isn't surprising since the Chamber has long opposed any legislation that could conceivably benefit the cause of humanity, including efforts to curb global warming.
Finally, there's a representative of Navistar, a company that builds large engines for trucks, semis, the military, SUV's and other gas guzzlers. On the plus side, they're developing hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines for large trucks and buses. They appear to oppose government intervention but not when they're taking a $10 million federal subsidy. They donate regularly to Roskam and sometimes Biggert.
Since I started this post, Biggert issued a new press release that adds representatives of several environmental groups who asked to be included after learning of the event. I'm not sure what they can expect since the panel was obviously set up to express opposition. She also added someone from the uber-conservative Heritage Foundation.
Biggert's press release says the Representatives want to hear the views of their constituents about the ACES Bill, but apparently only after a dose of propaganda from the corporate self-interest groups opposing it.
If I were one of their constituents I'd probably go to the forum and tell my Representative to support stronger provisions in the bill for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources that will create new jobs. I'd also ask them to spend more time listening to the voters in their district instead of setting up a special platform for their major corporate donors.
It happens at 10:00 – 11:30 am, Monday, June 1, 2009, Downers Grove Marriott, 1500 Opus Place, Downers Grove, IL 60515.
Polluters love to blame environmental regulation for job losses and the debate in Congress over the ACES bill to reduce global warming emissions is no exception. John Shimkus' fear-mongering over the destruction of the Illinois economy includes a failed amendment that would have nullified the entire ACES bill if it resulted in two coal mines closing.
How would we know if the energy bill is responsible for mines closing instead of some other factor? I guess every mine closure should be blamed on environmentalists in Shimkus' world.
A coal industry lobbyist echoes Shimkus saying,
"Following the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, the Illinois coal industry suffered greatly. We went from 36 coal mines producing 62 million tons of coal with 10,000 employees to just 15 coal mines in 2003 producing 31 million tons of coal with only 3,500 employees. I am very concerned about what the Waxman-Markey cap and trade bill will do to the Illinois coal industry."Tree-huggers make an easy scapegoat but even that lobbyist knows better. What I find interesting about his numbers is that productivity is cut roughly in half but jobs went down by almost 2/3rds. It's true that there are fewer coal mining jobs but the US Bureau of Labor Statistics gives a reality check about why.
Employment in mining will decrease. The growing U.S. and world economies will continue to demand larger quantities of the raw materials produced by mining, but the increased output will be able to be met by new technologies and new extraction techniques that increase productivity and require fewer workers.They further reiterate that,
Employment in the mining industry has been affected significantly by new technology and more sophisticated mining techniques that increase productivity. Most mining machines and control rooms are now automatic or computer-controlled, requiring fewer, if any, human operators. Many mines also operate with other sophisticated technology such as lasers and robotics, which further increases the efficiency of resource extraction. As a result, mine employment has been falling over time, particularly of workers who are involved in the extraction process itself.Even future increases in demand, they state, will not result in new coal mining jobs because "rising demand for coal is met with productivity gains from more efficient and automated production operations" including longwall mining methods being used in Illinois. A report on job growth in the 90's states that, although Illinois was at a disadvantage for having high-sulfur coal, job losses in coal mining were slower than in the 80's, and productivity increased even while jobs decreased.
(Where's the miner?)
Let's be clear about this. Under no circumstance will coal mining ever be a major source of new job growth in Central and Southern Illinois! Even if every environmental regulation is taken off the books and there's an inconceivable rise in demand for coal, it won't result in added jobs because new mining methods require fewer workers.
Every politician who promises to revive the regional economy with coal mining has been fooled or is a gutless panderer for King Coal. That's the hard reality.
It's time for Illinois leaders with any vision to stop making empty promises about reviving coal with even more wasted taxpayer subsidies and instead find new energy industries to recharge the downstate economy. It has been done elsewhere and it can be done here.
All the attention over funding to close Guantanamo overshadowed a $100 billion loan to the International Monetary Fund included in the war spending bill Congress passed last week. The money is designed to aid foreign economies but IMF loans often come with unwelcome strings attached. The latest I've read is that changes can still be made in conference committee.
Soap-opera coverage in the U.S. corporate press mentions Republican objections over whether the money will be repaid. But as usual, I had to turn to the foreign and alternative press to get the real story on why it's so important and controversial. Robert Naiman explains at Huffington Post,
The IMF is imposing policies in developing countries we wouldn't accept in the U.S. - when we have a recession, our government spends money to help the economy recover, as we did in President Obama's stimulus package. When developing countries have a recession, the IMF demands budget cuts... In particular, the IMF should not be imposing Republican economic policies in Pakistan and Afghanistan, since that fundamentally undermines the quest for political stability in these countries. It's the height of self-defeating absurdity to appropriate US tax dollars for reconstruction and development in these countries while with the other hand - the IMF hand - we tell them that their governments can't stimulate their economies.Mark Weisbrot gives a little background in The Guardian about the IMF worsening the economic crisis in Asia a decade ago and is skeptical that they've reformed their policy of pushing what I call ultra-conservative, supply-side, neo-colonialist policies.
At least nine agreements that the fund has negotiated since September 2008 - including with Eastern European countries, El Salvador and Pakistan - contain some elements of contractionary policies. These include fiscal (budget) tightening, interest rate increases, wage freezes for public employees and other measures that will reduce aggregate demand or prevent economic stimulus programs in the current downturn.This kind of garbage is why I didn't want another Clinton in the White House. We shouldn't give money to the IMF if they're going to stop developing countries from having the same type of economic policies that work in the United States. I'm looking for change, Mr. President!The IMF has long had a double standard when it comes to dealing with economic downturns. For the rich countries, it can be quite Keynesian: it is currently recommending a global fiscal stimulus of 2% of GDP. But for the developing countries that are actually forced to follow the fund's advice, there is often a different story: they "cannot afford" these expansionary policies during a recession.
The Illinois Times has an article this week about Shimkus' global warming comments, Liberty Brew & Movie and next week's Sierra Club program meeting.
Blumenshine has visited longwall mining sites, observing “huge cracks and wavy surfaces” on adjoining roads and stagnant water pooling in once-flat farmland. She plans to provide attendees with further examples of the method’s effects.“The public is really being misled in the that the discussion about coal from the industry side never deals with the mining impacts on the environment,” Blumenshine says. “We’ll be looking at immediate concerns for Illinois prime ‘ag’ land that’s due to longwall mining moving into Montgomery County and likely other counties unless something is done about it.”
Illinois Speaker Mike Madigan's particularly succinct explanation for supporting the state employee fumigation bill made me appreciate his lack of long-windedness that's uncharacteristic of politicians. The SJ-R quotes a total of two sentences from Madigan.
“I advised Gov. Quinn to be about the business of changing government,” Madigan said of his decision to introduce the bill. “I grew impatient at the pace of change.”Brilliant. Most politicians, or a blogger like myself, would have used multiple garrulous paragraphs to reinforce the same two sentence point. I started wondering what famous speeches in history might have sounded like if they were delivered by Mike Madigan in his compendious style.
For example, what would the Gettysburg Address have been shortened to had Madigan been leading us through the Civil War? Maybe,
"I advised the Southern States to be about the business of ending slavery. I grow impatient with their rebellion."What about the famous address to Congress requesting a declaration of war after the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
"I'm displeased with this infamous aggression by Japan. I advise the Congress to be about the business of defending our nation against tyranny."
"I advise the British government to recognize the Colonies as free and independent states. We grew impatient at their despotic abuses of our inalienable Rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
The allegations against me are without merit. I'm keeping the dog.Feel free to add a comment with your own.
Tuesday night's viewing of Burning the Future was a powerful reminder that there's just no such thing as clean coal. Whether its mountaintop removal in West Virginia or longwall mining of farmland in Montgomery County Illinois, rural landscapes and people will suffer as long as we remain over-reliant on coal.
We watched the film in John Shimkus' Congressional district and most of the attendees are his constituents. Shimkus sits on the House Energy Committee, which is considering a major, comprehensive bill this week to reduce global warming emissions.
He's one of the most outspoken, and most ridiculous, opponents of any serious action to confront the climate change crisis. Congressional Republicans present him as a leader on energy issues but the rest of Congress should know that Shimkus doesn't speak for many of the people in his district.
I invited everyone to sign two open letters. The first one asks Shimkus to support serious efforts to reduce global warming emissions and create green jobs. The second asks top state Democratic leaders not to draw another gerrymandered incumbent-protection district that makes it impossible to unseat Shimkus. Even two former coal miners in the audience added their names. The text of each letter is below the picture.
None of my pics turned out too well but here's one table from the brew & view Tuesday.
Dear Representative Shimkus,As Central Illinois residents, we’re concerned about job creation and the climate change crisis. We’re shocked by your statements denying the scientific consensus behind global warming and calling legislation to address the problem “the largest assault on democracy and freedom in this country that I’ve ever experienced.” Our regional economy can best be recharged by green jobs through renewable energy and efficiency projects. Please support tough legislation to combat global warming and diversify our energy economy. Your extreme statements don’t represent us.
Dear Governor Pat Quinn, Senator John Cullerton, and Representative Michael Madigan,Residents of the Illinois 19th Congressional district are repeatedly disappointed as Congressman John Shimkus has been the center of embarrassing national stories, including his failure to disclose the sexual harassment of Congressional pages, suggesting a dictatorship
for Iraq, and calling legislation to combat global warming a greater assault on democracy than the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Residents feel disenfranchised by a district drawn to guarantee that Shimkus can’t lose, regardless of his performance. Please give Central and Southern Illinois a fair chance to choose our own Congressman by not supporting an incumbent protection district for Shimkus after the 2010 census.
The letters won't be an ongoing petition drive but there will be another chance to sign them next week at the montly Sangamon Valley Group Sierra Club meeting. Illinois conservation chair Joyce Blumenshine will speak about the impacts of coal mining and especially longwall mining in Illinois. It's this Tuesday, May 26, 7:00pm, in the Carnegie Room of Lincoln Library, 326 S. 7th St., Springfield.
For those who couldn't make it Tuesday night, please contact your member of Congress, even if it's Shimkus, to support making the Waxman-Markey ACES bill stronger and oppose efforts to water it down.
Illinois Sierra Club Director Jack Darin gives his take from an Illinois perspective on the big news about Obama's proposal to reduce polluting auto emissions.
Change comes in many ways. Sometimes Illinois is way out front, like when we passed our 25% by 2025 renewable energy requirement in 2007, that Congress will hopefully finally echo for the country this year. In this case, we also did our part, but President Obama beat us to it, and we are all grateful and better off for it.While I would have liked to see Illinois act sooner on its own, there's no doubt that the work many people did to support stronger standards at the state level helped build pressure for federal action. Auto companies never would have agreed to this a year ago.
One of Obama's first primary campaign policy speeches was given in Detroit about the need for the industry to change. Seeing him follow through is a major victory and it's one of the reasons I wanted him to become President.
There's more to do though. Time for the next challenge.
One reason why it's so important to speak out against John Shimkus' crusade for the fossil fuel industry is that he sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. They're expected to vote this week on the Waxman-Markey "American Clean Energy and Security Act" which is a comprehensive bill to reduce global warming emissions and create green jobs.
As one of the leaders of the flat-earther crowd, Shimkus is already giving us more gems. After a career of representing fossil fuel and telecom industry CEO's, he's suddenly shedding crocodile tears for the rural poor.
If Southern Illinois is still dependent on coal it's largely thanks to politicians like Shimkus who spent the last decade pandering with empty promises about reviving the coal industry instead of diversifying our energy economy with renewables and energy efficiency projects.
Given a choice, most people would rather have a job that doesn't give them black lung, destroy acres of farmland, or cause their neighbors' children to have more asthma attacks. Shimkus is doing his best to ensure that Southern Illinoisans don't have that choice by keeping them solely dependent on king coal.
Coal companies propose new plants in poor rural areas instead of rich suburbs because they know rural areas are desperate enough for jobs to tolerate the damaging environmental and public health consequences. It's spectacularly cynical for Shimkus to claim concern for the rural poor while he helps the coal industry use them as a dumping ground.
Anyway, environmental groups are encouraging people to contact Congress in support of passing the bill, keeping out weak amendments, and making it stronger.
The next two Tuesdays each feature events about coal mining.
This coming Tuesday, May 19 is the Liberty Brew & View movie about mountain top removal mining methods.
"Burning the Future: Coal in America."
Tuesday, May 19. Movie begins at 7:00. Doors open at 6:30.
City Nights Theater, Capital City Bar & Grill, 3149 S Dirksen Pkwy
Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
The next program for the Sierra Club Sangamon Valley Group is a
presentation about mining in Illinois by Sierra Club's state
conservation chair Joyce Blumenshine. Tuesday, May 26, 7:00 pm, in the
North Carnegie Room of the Springfield Public Library at 326 S. 7th
St.
What is a West Virginia Coal Company doing in Illinois? Did you know that 200,000 acres, including some of the best farmland in the state, is at risk from Longwall Mining within one hour of Springfield? Longwall Mining removes the entire coal seam and the land surface then subsides or sinks, often four to five feet. Flat ag land productivity, property values, and water resources are at risk.
If you have ever watched a 'clean coal' advertisement or if you think that coal should be an option for our energy future, please attend this program ! You will see and hear the low-down, down to the very ground, to show you what coal mining does to land and water resources. From the blasting of mountains in Appalachia to the current threat of Longwall Mining of Illinois flat farmlands, this program will show you the dirty truth about coal and why there is no such thing as 'clean coal.'
UIUC Atmospheric sciences professor Don Wuebbles gave an interesting interview people may have missed about the impacts of climate change, including how it will effect the Midwest and farmers in particular.
He's working on a federal report about the impacts of climate change and says that,
...it builds upon previous research suggesting that climate changes are already occurring in the United States and that the climate throughout the U.S. is projected to continue to change significantly throughout the century as the result of the effects of human activities.He explains that it's about more than simple warming.
Threats to human health from the projected climate changes include concerns about heat stress, water-borne diseases, poor air quality, extreme weather events, and diseases transmitted by insects and rodents. One of the key concerns in the Midwest is the increased likelihood of multi-day heat waves; our studies suggest that week-long heat waves like the one in 1995 that resulted in hundreds of deaths in the Chicago area will become much more common.It's refreshing to see a serious interview about climate change from an expert after the gluttony of talk radio crackpots, industry engineers, and scientists with no expertise in climatology that conservatives are pushing in the media. A review of 928 scientific papers on climate change found that none contradicted the consensus view that human activity is responsible for climate change. In contrast, it's presented by the press as an ongoing question open to debate.
A news outlet, like our daily paper, becomes part of the problem when they suggest that an accountant who does nothing more than repeat discredited, spoon-fed "questions" from their favorite talk radio show, has the same level of credibility as over 2,000 scientists who participated in the UN commission and the overwhelming scientific consensus. Labeling something an opinion piece shouldn't be an excuse to disregard facts and publish deceptive propaganda without correction.
Presenting this as a debate between two equal sides isn't balance. It's a distortion.
Friday is Bike to Work Day! Pray for nice weather.
Along with a workplace challenge, the regional planning commission arranged for a cool biker bonus:
Bikers can also stop by Grab-A-Java (1702 S. 6th St. or 3115 Hedley Rd.) to cool down at one of their water stations and pick up a coupon for a free cup of coffee. Cafe Moxo (411 E. Adams) will also be offering a free cookie to anyone biking to work who brings their helmet into the restaurant with them.While you're at their website, see if you can find information about the committees working on a new comprehensive plan which could have major implications for everyone in the community.
If you're ready to make a more aggressive statement for including bicycles in city development then you want to join a special edition of Springfield's Critical Mass Friday. They normally meet on the last Friday of every month, but because its Bike to Work day, they're also riding on May 15. Meet at 5:30 pm at the Old State Capitol.
Try to be there early, 5:30 is suppose to be the start time not the meet-up time. They ride slow on public streets to accommodate all skill levels.
Wes' email explains what it is.
--WHAT IS CRITICAL MASS?Chicago Critical Mass has a nice website with more info.The first Critical Mass ride was in September 1992 in San Francisco. There were 48 people. The ride increased in size by about 75% each month so that by, Critical Mass had almost 500 riders and was becoming well known among bicyclers in the city. A couple months after that people in other cities started noticing and began other Masses. Police and local politicians noticed the rides and have struggled ever since with how to deal with them. Rides now take place in cities across the US, Canada, throughout South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, India, Asia, and Africa.
--CRITICAL MASS IS LEGAL, BUT CONTENTIOUS.
Critical Mass is completely legal. By state law, bicyclists are granted all the rights on the road and are subject to all the same rules as car drivers and motorcyclists. Riding two abreast is permitted in car lanes. However, inevitably, when a mass of riders takes over a portion of the streets, this is a contentious activity in a culture so dependent on cars. Even 6 to 8 riders make a statement, especially as we shout “WHOSE STREETS? OUR STREETS” as we ride! Critical Mass is not a form of “direct action” because it does not “directly” solve or address a problem. Also, Critical Mass is not a form of civil disobedience because it is entirely legal. However, the rides illuminate the power of direct action and civil disobedience. When we assert our right to the road, taking back a portion of the streets that is legally ours to take, motorists and others take note. Our rolling protest proclaims that we need to carve out space for ourselves, that city development should not discount other forms of activity than driving, that wars for oil do not represent our political will, and that we can forcibly diversify this landscape by inserting ourselves into the public sphere.
The next Liberty Brew & View movie is "Burning the Future: Coal in America."
Tuesday, May 19, Doors open at 6:30. Movie begins at 7:00.
City Nights Theater, Capital City Bar & Grill
3149 S Dirksen Pkwy Springfield Illinois 62703
Burning The Future: Coal in America - Trailer from Odessa Films on Vimeo.
The online synopsis says:
Burning the Future: Coal in America examines the explosive conflict between the coal industry and residents of West Virginia. Confronted by emerging “clean coal” energy policies, local activists watch a world blind to the devastation caused by coal's extraction. Faced with toxic ground water and the obliteration of 1.4 million acres of mountains, our heroes launch a valiant fight to arouse the nation's help in protecting their mountains, saving their families, and preserving their way of life.
Attendees will have the opportunity to sign an open letter to John Shimkus letting him know that his extremist statements about global warming don't represent us. If you haven't heard his comments read about them here and here.
With no debate, the Springfield city council unanimously approved the contract to power State of Illinois buildings with wind energy. It's a major investment that keeps the city and state one step ahead of federal mandates for renewable energy. I did interviews for the Sierra Club with WAND TV and WUIS radio at the meeting.
And here's an MP3 of the local NPR story on WUIS.
Governor Quinn and Mayor Davlin will have a press conference about the contract this afternoon.
I've been waiting for news that the state of Illinois would fulfill it's commitment to buy wind power from City Water Light & Power for state buildings and I finally heard the word this morning. CWLP agreed to purchase 120MW of wind capacity as part of the agreement with the Sierra Club and half of that is meant to be used by state government.
CWLP ended up making money on the early part of the wind power purchase (despite chicken little predictions from a few that it would send rates skyrocketing) so the state's failure to follow through wasn't a huge concern to them at first. And who really knew what was going on with Blagojevich anyway? Maybe he thought the wind was for his blow dryer.
So kudos to Pat Quinn and Tim Davlin for following through now that Governor Hairdo is out of the way!
If Quinn really wants to get aggressive, the next step is getting the Secretary of State to shut down the aging coal steam plant that heats the State Capitol Building.
Hopefully, we'll be seeing the Sierra Club/CWLP clean energy agreement in the news more often over the next few months. Some important provisions kick-in after the Dallman 4 power plant goes online this year. The continued success of the agreement's goal to reduce global warming emissions and other pollutants will depend on public involvement and support from the city council.
Springfield celebrated the first annual Haymarket Festival with a concert in Douglas Park on May First. It looked cloudy but rain didn't stop the bands or speakers.
Retired SEIU organizer, Al Piper, gave some historical background about labor history, the Haymarket riot and how it lead to May 1st being celebrated internationally as labor day. He mentioned Springfield's role as burial place and one-time home to labor legend John L. Lewis. It's disappointing that our city does so little to recognize our connection to one of the most important figures in American history.
(The Springfield festival was more peaceful than the original)
I caught the last song of Tom Irwin's show, heard another great set by local jam-grass band, the Reel Channel Cats, and heard Gypsy Collabo get going. I skipped out before the Sarah Schneider Band got started, even though she's on of my local favorites, because it got pretty cold.
The other speaker was a UIS professor who gave a predictable speech about Obama not being liberal enough along with some cliche lines from a middle-class Marxist perspective.
Incidentally, you may remember that Pat Quinn said he would model himself after Governor John Altgeld, who pardoned the falsely convicted Haymarket anarchists.
It was a fun event that managed to attract an age-diverse audience (not an easy thing to do in Springfield) so I hope it happens again next year.
Here's a challenge. Earth Day was last month and there were ample opportunities for environmental news coverage. Find an article about the local citizen-based, grassroots environmental movement in the State Journal Register during the past month.
I don't mean the latest watered down government initiative, green-washing by a business group, or non-controversial school project. Give me a link to a grassroots environmental group in the Springfield area taking on a controversial issue that received news coverage by our daily paper during Earth month. Anybody got one?
Please get another dog. Give the press something harmless to keep themselves occupied with so that they stop scaring the crap out of people about pig flu. 35,000 people die from the flu every year.
I suppose I'm jaded after bird flu turned out to be the epidemic that cried wolf. After all of that media hysteria there were zero deaths in the United States but Donald Rumsfeld did manage to make millions selling tamiflu.
My friends in the sustainable food movement have told me for years that the next pandemic disease will likely be a result of our factory farm system with the antibiotics and giant disease distribution centers (CAFOs) that go along with it. Yet, just like those who wanted accurate information during the lead-up to the Iraq War, you'll have to go online to the non-profit and foreign press to get that story.
Why else do you think ADM and Cargill buy so much advertising time during news programs? If newspaper editorial writers expect us to believe that politicians are influenced by campaign contributions, then they should also expect us to understand that news coverage is influenced by the financial interests of those who own and advertise in the media.