| Poverty and environmental pollutants have a lot in | | | | hampered in their ability to transmit power |
| common. Both contribute to adverse living | | | | because they will overload the power grid if they |
| conditions and ill health. The cure may be a | | | | activate 100% of their wind turbines. Additionally, |
| prescription for green manufacturing jobs. There | | | | the fragility of the grid weakens our national |
| are no factories producing complete wind and | | | | defense by putting local, state, and federal |
| solar systems in the USA. Major components for | | | | agencies at risk and destabilizes the ability of our |
| solar panels and wind turbines are assembled | | | | communities to function after disasters such as |
| domestically but are manufactured oversees. In | | | | earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, and |
| the wake of a job shortage and miles of rusting | | | | tornadoes. The power grid needs shovels in the |
| factories it seems logical for a national initiative to | | | | ground now. It seems that the government has |
| revive the domestic production of goods. | | | | an opportunity for job creation that will yield quick |
| This requires a massive retooling project | | | | dividends. |
| combined with powerful incentives for industry to | | | | Domestic manufacturing seems impossible in the |
| come home to Uncle Sam. Our dear uncle seems | | | | face of cheap oversees wages in many factories |
| to be on an oversees cruise at the moment. | | | | without restraint from human rights protections |
| Ipods are produced in Malaysia, iPhones in China, | | | | and environmental & safety standards. |
| many LCD TVs from Korea, and the list | | | | Conversely, some countries provide healthcare |
| continues. The former technologies were | | | | coverage for workers unlike US industry which is |
| pioneered in the USA and are manufactured | | | | bootstrapped to health insurance costs. It is |
| overseas for domestic distribution. We've even | | | | reasonable to only allow imports from factories |
| lost our last Levi's jeans factory. Apple computer | | | | meeting the same standards as the demands |
| and Levi's jeans are about as apple pie as it gets! | | | | placed on their US competitors. |
| Yet, these companies cannot compete if they | | | | The concept of federally mandating insurance |
| utilize domestic production. So, with a burgeoning | | | | coverage to employers is a well-intentioned yet |
| industry of solar and wind energy production - | | | | unfunded mandate that has the potential to hurt |
| why not push to have production at home? | | | | the US production of goods. The disconnect with |
| Tax breaks and cheap loans are step number | | | | this approach is that jobs are tied to healthcare |
| one. Current federal incentives often require | | | | coverage. Healthcare costs often contribute to an |
| mountains of bureaucratic paperwork for small | | | | industry moving oversees thereby reducing |
| and medium sized businesses to obtain loans. This | | | | domestic jobs. Why do we want to burden the |
| is an important area that needs to be streamlined. | | | | manufacturing base with healthcare costs if this |
| Tax breaks are not enough. The government | | | | may push jobs offshore? No jobs? This leads to |
| needs to work with industry to immediately build | | | | poverty, malnutrition, and poor health. |
| enterprise zones filled with factories to produce | | | | Extending Medicare coverage to all US citizens is |
| solar panels and wind turbine components. This, | | | | one fix. Industry will be freed from healthcare |
| coupled with a program to put a solar panel on | | | | costs. If big government seems too scary with |
| every sunny roof and wind farms in every state, | | | | the fears of outrageous tax hikes associated with |
| creates the demand for these products. Current | | | | national healthcare coverage then perhaps the |
| subsidies bring the cost of installing solar in the | | | | addition of competition may help bring down the |
| home down 50% in many areas. Nonetheless, | | | | costs associated with healthcare. This requires the |
| most people will have a hard time coming up with | | | | federal government to repeal anti-trust |
| the net cost of approximately $15,000 for a solar | | | | protections from insurance companies and to |
| system. The federal government and state | | | | provide a public option with competitive pricing. |
| governments need to bring this price into the | | | | Looking to Congress for a streamlined and |
| $5,000 range to make solar a realistic investment | | | | efficient healthcare package? On this one, the |
| for home owners. | | | | lobbyists have scored the first touchdown. Right, |
| This is an investment and not an entitlement. | | | | left, center, whatever the political solution may |
| Rebuilding the domestic manufacturing base | | | | be... until we, as a nation, pull together and provide |
| creates wealth. If we plant a seed and grow corn | | | | some kind of comprehensive healthcare coverage |
| we have created wealth. The government can | | | | to all US citizens without forcing the burden onto |
| incentivize industry to plant those seeds in | | | | the manufacturing base - we will not see the type |
| domestic energy production to create wealth in | | | | of job creation needed to move this economy |
| our society. US steel and carbon fiber combined | | | | forward. |
| with American ingenuity can be tapped to create | | | | Green manufacturing is a great way to test our |
| a wealth of green products needed to revive this | | | | economic fortitude. The US must combine the |
| economy, fight poverty, and provide for a | | | | knowledge base of US industry and universities |
| healthier and self-sufficient society. The return on | | | | with efficient financial structures to support the |
| investment includes a reduction in healthcare costs | | | | rebuilding of domestic factories for this to work. |
| associated with poverty and environmental | | | | Are we to replace foreign oil with foreign wind |
| pollutants. Another advantage to encouraging local | | | | turbines and solar panels? A sound domestic |
| solar energy production is solar's independence | | | | energy policy is one wherein the US can provide |
| from our aging national grid of power lines. | | | | for its own power. Job creation, a cleaner |
| The power grid issue prevents wind farms from | | | | environment, and a healthier populace are the |
| reaching their full potential. Many wind farms are | | | | rewards for this effort. |